2021 Honda Jazz: Expectations and what we know so far

2021 Honda Jazz: What we know so far

The current Honda Jazz-GK is already five years old. Despite its relatively recent facelift in 2017, many are saying that it’s had a good run and that Honda is due to replace the compact car sometime in 2021.

Honda Jazz “DO IT WITH MY JAZZ”

*Disclaimer: This video is the current Honda Jazz available in the market. Check out for your reference!

That said, there are three possible ways for Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) to update this really popular nameplate. The first is to carry over the existing third-generation Honda Jazz GK as the 2021 version. There are, however, two more interesting possibilities that might happen.

The 4th-gen Honda Jazz current sold in Japan

One is that Honda might bring in the cute but stylish fourth-generation Jazz/Fit that was introduced at the 2019 46th-Tokyo Motor Show. Another possibility is a rebadged Jazz version of the Honda City hatchback version whose patent images were leaked by Indian Autos Blog a couple of months ago.

So before HCPI announces the real 2021 Honda Jazz, let’s a peek at these two possible future Philippines-spec (PH-spec) Honda Jazz models and what they can offer.

2021 Honda Jazz: Exterior

Being a hatchback version of the current Honda City, this supposed version of the Jazz looks just like a City minus the trunk. As for its rear portion though, its C-pillar and rear quarter windows borrow the look of the fifth-gen Honda CR-V.

Besides that, we can also surmise that this version of the Honda Jazz will come with just about the same exterior features as the current Honda City. That means its top-variant will get LED headlights, LED taillights, and it might even get the same 16-inch alloy wheels.

A rendering of the Honda City hatch based on the leaked patent images [Photo: IndianAutosBlog]

Moving over to the 4th-gen Jazz/Fit GR/GS version, then it’s plain to see that it’s quite a departure from the current PH-spec Honda jazz. Nevertheless, the exterior design leans towards the sporty side. It did however, lost much of the older version’s aggressive looks.

From the font, the current Japanese version of the 4th-gen Jazz/Fit bears a grille-less design save for the Fit e:HEV variant. The 4th-gen Jazz also gained a smoother-looking front bumper, thinner A-pillars, a larger pair of headlamps, and a flatter front-fascia overall.

Towards the sides, it bears some resemblance to the old Jazz but it looks less cluttered. Towards the rear, it also looks cleaned up. Gone are the aggressive lines and dramatic shapes present on the old version, and in place of the old aggressive bumper is a cleaner, almost smooth-shaped one.

Look at those, large, expressive-looking headlamps

Do note, however, that the 4th-gen Jazz also has a Chinese version currently sold by GAC-Honda. It comes with a mesh-grille, as well as a sportier, more aggressive-looking bumper that comes with faux air vents.

2021 Honda Jazz: Interior

With regards to interiors, let’s begin with the Honda City hatchback based Jazz. Being a hatch version of the City, we’re of the opinion that this possible Jazz version will literally come with the same interior as the Honda-made sedan.

The interior of the current PH-spec Honda City

As such, the theoretical top-of-the-line version might also come with an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a multi-information driver display, automatic climate controls, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, a push-to-start button, etc.

On the other hand, the current Japan-spec 4th-gen Jazz offers a very different looking interior which doesn’t look like any other Honda vehicle released before it. That said, the most accurate way we can describe it is that “it lost a bit of weight.”

The interior of the 4th-gen Honda Jazz/Fit. Note the slimmer dashboard

Mind you though, it still features a lot of high-tech goodies like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It does however have a significantly larger touchscreen as well as a new steering wheel identical to the one found on the Honda e.

The cream of the crop for the new 4th-gen Jazz however is the fact that it’s the first car to ever come with the Honda Connect onboard communication system. This system provides the car support for emergency situations, an active anti-theft system, as well as added smartphone-related features.

2021 Honda Jazz: Safety features

If Honda introduced the rebadged City hatchback as the PH-spec Jazz, then it would have just about the same safety features. It will likely get stability and traction control, speed-sensing door locks, hill-start assist, and all the other safety features standard on the current City. Lastly, the top-spec version might get six airbags as well.

If Honda PH did introduce the 4th-gen Jazz locally, then we’re hopeful that it’ll also come with the same suite of high-tech safety features found on the Japanese-spec ones. We’re talking about an updated Honda Sensing, eight sonar sensors mounted on key parts of the car, and a short-distance collision mitigation braking system. Those come standard on all Japan-spec 4th-gen Jazz models on top of the usual safety features like airbags, anti-lock braking with electronic brake distribution, etc.

2021 Honda Jazz: Engine and Performance

If Honda PH brought in the City hatchback as our version of the Jazz, then it is highly likely that it will have the same engine and transmission options as the current Honda City sedan. What we’re referring to is the 1.5-liter inline-4 capable of producing up to 119 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque. The said engine is paired to a five-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The 4^th-gen Jazz that made its debut at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show on the other hand, has more engine options. The smallest one is the 1.3-liter inline-4 mill with Earth Dreams i-VTEC. It’s one currently powering the Japan-spec Jazz/Fit and it can make up to 98 horsepower and 119 Nm of torque.

There’s also the Chinese version 1.5-liter inline-4 with Earth Dreams i-VTEC that can churn out more at 130 horsepower and 155 Nm. Both of these engines can either come with a five-speed manual gearbox, six-speed manual gearbox, or a CVT depending on the variant.

An infographic for the European-spec 4th-gen Honda Jazz Hybrid

>>> Related: This is the next-gen Honda Jazz the Philippines should get

The most interesting powertrain for the 4th-gen Jazz/Fit, however, is the hybrid powertrain. It consists of a 1.5-liter inline-4 that’s paired with a 96kW electric motor. Together, this hybrid system can churn out up to 130 horsepower and 155 Nm of torque.

However, while we really like the idea of a hybrid Jazz, the more realistic future Philippine-spec version would come with the 1.5-liter mill from the Chinese Jazz, or the 1.5-liter four-banger in the current PH-spec Jazz. To counter this point, if Honda PH brought in the hybrid powertrain for the future PH-spec Jazz, it will virtually have no other competitors save for the Toyota Prius C 1.5 Hybrid.

The 4th-gen Jazz/Fit Hybrid's combustion engine

Another surprising thing about the 4th-gen Jazz is that each variant in Japan comes with either a front-wheel-drive drivetrain or an all-wheel-drive (AWD) drivetrain.  Sure, previous Japanese domestic market Jazz/Fit versions also came with AWD. On previous variants, however, this drivetrain was reserved for specific variants.

2021 Honda Jazz: Final Word

If you can’t tell already, it would appear that the safe route for a 2021 Honda Jazz PH-spec would be a hatchback version of the Honda City. Plants producing the said sedan would need little to no retooling, and the logistics for spare parts, as well as the technical know-how to maintain a City-based Jazz, would not deviate that much from the current Honda City. Do note though that Honda still needs to launch this City-based hatchback first. As of the writing of this article, it has yet to make its global debut.

While we call the City-based Jazz a “safer choice,” one cannot deny that the funky but cute looking 4th-gen Jazz/Fit for the Philippine market would be an interesting proposition.

The 4th-gen Honda Jazz/Fit Hybrid

If Honda PH introduced the hybrid powertrain for the 4th-gen Jazz here, then the company would once again be blazing a trail. A trail that might just push more and more manufacturers to take hybridization into the mainstream.

On top of that, a 4th-gen PH-spec Jazz with the same safety features as the Japan-spec version would also become one of the most technologically advanced subcompact cars in the market. This however is a two-edged sword that might drive the future PH-spec 2021 Honda Jazz’s prices further upwards.

If Honda PH wanted to take it up a notch, they could even introduce an AWD 4th-gen Jazz locally. That however is highly unlikely since the Philippine market never really saw an official release of an AWD Jazz variant.

The current PH-spec 3rd-gen Honda Jazz is still one of the best hatchbacks you can get today

Before getting your hopes up, remember that these are just speculations so take it with a grain of salt. That said, the most probable 2021 Jazz that we’ll get is a carryover from the previous model year.

2021 Honda Jazz: Estimated prices

Currently, the 4th-gen Japan-spec Jazz/Fit starts at 1,557,600 yen for the front-wheel-drive Basic variant and tops it off with the Jazz/Fit e:HEV Luxe AWD at 2,536,600. Converted to current exchange rates, that’s Php 714,620 for the entry-level variant, and Php 1,163,781. That’s before shipping costs and taxes so a PH-spec 4^th-gen Jazz would be priced significantly more.

As for the City-based Jazz, we’re hoping that it’ll be priced similarly to the 2021 Honda City. Do note, however, that most hatch versions of sedans sold in the Philippines have always carried a premium.

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