Honda Jazz Best Supermini

The Jazz continues to hit all the right notes in the supermini category. It has now won four consecutive titles in this

Compact dimensions and great visibility make it a fine town car, while the large cabin and tall roofline mean it’s an ideal family runaround
sector, and our judges couldn’t look beyond last year’s overall winner because the model simply gets better with age.

You can now snap up the practical five-door with average miles from around £4,500, and as every year passes, there are more cars to pick from. Better still, the solid build quality, hard-wearing cabin and excellent reliability we’ve come to expect from the brand haven’t diminished.Compact dimensions and great visibility combine to make this a fine car around town, while the Tardis-like interior and tall roofline mean it’s ideal as a family runaround. The smart rear seats can also take large loads without having to be folded flat. And while the Jazz’s chunky good looks aren’t the most exciting on the forecourts, they’ve barely changed since its introduction in 2001 and haven’t dated at all.Critics will argue there’s no diesel option, but the original 1.4-litre petrol unit can hit 48mpg, while the 1.2-litre engine – which arrived in 2004 – can touch 51mpg, so the need for an oil-burner is questionable. With three trim levels (S, SE and Sport) and only two engines, it’s hard to buy the wrong Jazz, because they’re all good. There’s even a CVT automatic if you prefer, although there’s nothing wrong with the snappy five-speed manual that comes as standard. The self-shifter commands a healthy premium of around £500 second-hand. However, watch out on entry-level S models, as they’ll only have air-con if it was specified as an extra. Compared with rival superminis, the Honda Jazz can appear expensive, but you can bet the Japanese car will be worth more when you come to part with it. Factor in an excellent dealer network, and you’ll understand precisely why our judges’ decision to pick the Jazz was one of the quickest and easiest of the entire awards.