The Jazz will be available in petrol and hybrid versions and they are expected to start selling in Malaysia by June. The hybrid, known as Sport Hybrid, is expected to be ready for delivery from the third quarter. Prices will be announced at launch.
The hybrid is making its official appearance this weekend at Setia City Convention Centre (Hall 1 & 2) between 10am and 10pm. Malaysia the only country outside of Japan to introduce the new hybrid.
Honda Malaysia only allowed some parts of the interior to be publicly viewable while key areas like the dashboard were off-limits to maintain the suspense until the launch day.
The Jazz retains the versatile Ultra Seats which has become synonymous with the hatch. The Ultra Seats offer four modes - Utility, Long, Tall and Refresh - allowing the Jazz owner to configure the seating and space requirements easily.
The Jazz will come equipped with Brake Assist (BA), Anti-Braking System (ABS), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) and Hill Start Assist (HSA). It is also equipped with six airbags and ISOFix anchor points for child seats.
The petrol-engined Jazz is powered by a 1.5L i-VTEC engine mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The car features new chrome front grille, new front and rear bumper design, dual tone colour alloy wheel and led daytime running lights. the smart entry and push start button will be the standard feature across all variant. Half-leather seats and reverse camera will also be available.
The hybrid version has a 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC engine that is linked to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission with integrated motor.
Total system output is rated at 135hp, equivalent to a 1.8L engine output. The handling and agility of the hybrid was further enhanced by tweaking the electric power steering to provide a sportier handling and comfort during cruising.
The lithium ion (Li-ion) battery pack, located under the boot floor, has a higher energy capacity for better performance.
Compared to its predecessor - the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system - the latest battery pack gives double its system output and 1.5 times its energy capacity while being lighter and more compact in size. The capacity to store power for a longer period of time allows extended use of EV mode.
Since its introduction in 2003, the Jazz has sold over 77,700 units in Malaysia. Sixty percent of total sales were contributed by the current third generation Jazz introduced in 2014 which was the best hatchback in the segment. Honda Malaysia’s sales figures for January - April 2017 showed that Jazz contributed 13% of the total sales achieved with over 4,400 units sold, retaining the No. 1 position in its segment.
Honda Malaysia achieved a milestone in 2004 when it became the first car company to introduce hybrid technology to Malaysians. It was also the first car maker in Malaysia to produce hybrid vehicles locally in 2012, making it the third country after Japan and the United States to do so.
