Confession I bought a Honda Jazz CVT
Discussion
I am still looking for a cheap, small auto and there seems to be a lot of these about due to the initial buying demographic liking an auto.
What year did you go for and what is it like to drive?
I have totally dismissed getting a DSG so it is either a CVT or a traditional Torque Converter. The issue with the Torque Converter is that there are not that common and tend to be the ancient four speed gearbox.
What year did you go for and what is it like to drive?
I have totally dismissed getting a DSG so it is either a CVT or a traditional Torque Converter. The issue with the Torque Converter is that there are not that common and tend to be the ancient four speed gearbox.
I love a Jazz, I've had three. Put a million miles on the first one, broke the second one, thrid one going strong other than a battery problem right now.
As a practical daily driver with a strange amount of space (I'm sure it's a tardis) it can't be beated. Leave it in 3rd and it's fun enough at times too.
As a practical daily driver with a strange amount of space (I'm sure it's a tardis) it can't be beated. Leave it in 3rd and it's fun enough at times too.
Monkeylegend said:
My neighbour bought one about 3 months ago, very comfortable, quite spacious with the seats down, drives nicely and as you say relaxing with the CVT.
Has been reliable so far but has only done about 35k miles in 8 years.
Oh did I mention he is 85 this year
I believe that is just below the average age of a Jazz owner.Has been reliable so far but has only done about 35k miles in 8 years.
Oh did I mention he is 85 this year
The CVTs get slated in these, which is very unfair in my opinion. They are lovely and smooth and can pull away quite briskly whilst staying at very low revs. Sure, they're not great if you're driving flat out everywhere, but who buys a Honda Jazz for that anyway?
It's called the Honda Fit in other areas. I think 'Jazz' is a good name, being the most harmonically complex music out there.
I used to have a Jazz Hybrid, which was equipped with a CVT. It was a fantastic car. Perfect for jumping into after a long shift and knowing it would get you home. In the four years I had it the only that ever went wrong was the brake switch, which cost £60 to supply and replace. I used it as a minivan on a number of occasions, did some big trips in it and enjoyed insanely low running costs. Pennies to insure, brakes and tyres all very cheap. The only thing it wasn't very good at was reversing up kerbs; there was always a slight hesitation as to wondered just how quickly the CVT was going to react and provide power. What little power it did have, it delivered quite quickly off the line.
Overall, a really good car for what I wanted it for. With a manual box it could have been quite fun as it had a decent chassis on. I also had a motorbike for fun at the time so my purchase of the Honda was based totally on practicality.
I used to have a Jazz Hybrid, which was equipped with a CVT. It was a fantastic car. Perfect for jumping into after a long shift and knowing it would get you home. In the four years I had it the only that ever went wrong was the brake switch, which cost £60 to supply and replace. I used it as a minivan on a number of occasions, did some big trips in it and enjoyed insanely low running costs. Pennies to insure, brakes and tyres all very cheap. The only thing it wasn't very good at was reversing up kerbs; there was always a slight hesitation as to wondered just how quickly the CVT was going to react and provide power. What little power it did have, it delivered quite quickly off the line.
Overall, a really good car for what I wanted it for. With a manual box it could have been quite fun as it had a decent chassis on. I also had a motorbike for fun at the time so my purchase of the Honda was based totally on practicality.
I really very fond of ours. Mine's an 07 'Sport' that is used for commuting to Bristol and takes our 2 dogs out on walks.
It's disgusting inside but that was the reason for getting it...to stop the other cars getting messed up and the fact that the magic seats make a perfect spot for them to be driven round in.
that is used for commuting to Bristol and takes our 2 dogs out on walks. It's disgusting inside but that was the reason for getting it...to stop the other cars getting messed up and the fact that the magic seats make a perfect spot for them to be driven round in.
The image thing is a bit strange here - in some APAC countries they’ve driven by young lads and are extensively modified.
One of my daughters has had one from new (2014 model). Her first car was Mitsubishi Colt and Jazz is pretty well the same thing - but 2x the cost. Jazz’s magic seats are brilliant but Colt had a sliding rear seat so could have insane rear legroom!
Biggest issue she’s had is the dealer is terrible - the old indie dealers used to look after you and that must have helped the brand with referral business.
One of my daughters has had one from new (2014 model). Her first car was Mitsubishi Colt and Jazz is pretty well the same thing - but 2x the cost. Jazz’s magic seats are brilliant but Colt had a sliding rear seat so could have insane rear legroom!
Biggest issue she’s had is the dealer is terrible - the old indie dealers used to look after you and that must have helped the brand with referral business.
IMHO the Jazz is very under-rated in the UK. It has the image of being a boring pensioner wagon for Doris who drives half a mile to the shops every day and knows nothing about cars. Of course they are bought mainly by older people, because of the size, the driving position and the reliability, but that does not make them boring. IMHO they are a very clever piece of automotive packaging. The latest one is only 4m long yet apparently has more interior legroom than a SWB S-class. Two people, each 6 foot 4 (190cm), can sit behind each other and be comfortable, with knee room and head room to spare. That is impressive. The "magic seats" create a huge rear load space for transporting upright objects - there was once a farmer who famously used it for transporting Shetland ponies.
It's a highly practical car at a time when most manufacturers have abandoned practicality in favour of gimmicks. Yes, it will never set a Ring record but for what it aims to do it's brilliant.
I have always liked cars with clever engineering, regardless of market segment. I find myself weirdly attracted to the Jazz as my next car.
It's a highly practical car at a time when most manufacturers have abandoned practicality in favour of gimmicks. Yes, it will never set a Ring record but for what it aims to do it's brilliant.
I have always liked cars with clever engineering, regardless of market segment. I find myself weirdly attracted to the Jazz as my next car.
My wife had a Mk2 manual (the autos of that era apparently weren't great) and was a brilliant car. Cost buttons to run, never went wrong, Tardis like on the inside, scarily easy to park (genuinely scary, as in I'd be curling my toes in the passenger seat thinking she's about to hit something, because it was so much shorter than my car), space to fit a 6' passenger in the back. Only real downside is it wasn't that comfortable for a long motorway trip
cj2013 said:
Slightly obscure reference for our more cultured members 
CVT is great for comfort though - I never really understood why people moan so much about them.
well, they're utter crap for any kind of enthusiastic driving. Let's just be clear on that. CVT is great for comfort though - I never really understood why people moan so much about them.
I'm not critical. I have one in a Rav4 and it's ideal for that car. Easy, smooth and comfortable. even has flappy paddles for an overtake.
fit for purpose.
CABC said:
well, they're utter crap for any kind of enthusiastic driving. Let's just be clear on that.
I'm not critical. I have one in a Rav4 and it's ideal for that car. Easy, smooth and comfortable. even has flappy paddles for an overtake.
fit for purpose.
Flappy paddles on a CVT?I'm not critical. I have one in a Rav4 and it's ideal for that car. Easy, smooth and comfortable. even has flappy paddles for an overtake.
fit for purpose.
How can you go up and down a gear if you don't have gears
cj2013 said:
CABC said:
well, they're utter crap for any kind of enthusiastic driving. Let's just be clear on that.
I'm not critical. I have one in a Rav4 and it's ideal for that car. Easy, smooth and comfortable. even has flappy paddles for an overtake.
fit for purpose.
Flappy paddles on a CVT?I'm not critical. I have one in a Rav4 and it's ideal for that car. Easy, smooth and comfortable. even has flappy paddles for an overtake.
fit for purpose.
How can you go up and down a gear if you don't have gears
The one thing I recommend is getting the gearbox oil changed every few years.
cj2013 said:
Flappy paddles on a CVT?
How can you go up and down a gear if you don't have gears
It doesn't really, the paddle just picks a spot in the driving range that is sort of equivalent to where that gear would be in a conventional automatic. When you select the 'gear' ot holds the revs at that point until you start to depress or lift off the accelerator. It is a handy way to prime the CVT for a corner. CVT's are quite flexible bit they're entirely reactive to what you do with the pedals and tend to 'run on' if you lift off. The paddles are useful for priming the transmission into the optimum driving range for an approaching bend or hazard. How can you go up and down a gear if you don't have gears
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