Honda Malaysia Upgrades the Jazz !
Just one year into its launch here in Malaysia, Honda Malaysia now launches an update to the super successful Honda Jazz. And unlike most of its models, Honda Malaysia announced a two-version line-up for the Jazz's update, a 1.5l iDSI version and a 1.5l VTEC version. This update is most significant because here finally is a line-up where besides the base 'foundation' model, Honda Malaysia also launches a special sporty model quite blatantly aimed at us enthusiasts !
Honda displayed a silver Jazz iDSI that was fitted with the optional Honda Access Modulo bodykit.
In this new two models line-up, the basic model is the Jazz 1.5l iDSI. This remains the same excellent all-rounder as the outgoing 1.4l version but is now fitted with the larger 88ps 1.5l iDSI engine that is used on the Honda City. Also inherited from the City is the wonderful 7-speed mode for the excellent CVT gearbox. Specially designed by Honda R&D in Thailand for the ASEAN market, this car also receives many detail improvements like white faced instrument dails, a player with MP3 capability and of course a steermatic equipped steering wheel to complement the new CVT-7 gearbox. 14" sport rims now comes standard and fitted with 185/60/14 GoodYear Eagle GA tyres. Four colour choices are now offered with 'Satin Silver Metallic' and 'Nighthawk Black Pearl' being joined by 'Ice Blue Metallic' and 'Rallye Red'. Honda Malaysia's 'Jazz iDSIs' are imported from Thailand and are priced at a very good RM 93,888.00 'On The Road'. Thus despite the burden of a new and heavier tax+duty structure, Honda Malaysia actually announced a lower price !
The 'Jazz VTEC' comes standard with the SPackage which is basically the same Honda Access Modulo bodykit as on the silver Jazz iDSI on display.
Of much greater interest to us enthusiasts would of course be the new top-of-the-range Jazz 1.5l VTEC. This sporty version comes equipped with a new 110ps 1.5l 16V SOHC VTEC engine coupled to the same excellent CVT-7 gearbox. The whole car screams 'sporty' and 'enthusiast' right from the word go. Honda Malaysia sells the 'Jazz VTEC' complete with the SPackage which is basically a Honda Access Modulo bodykit. This bodykit includes front and rear 'lips', side skirts and a large rear tailgate 'spoiler'. Foglights are also standard. The car comes with 15" six spoked sport rims fitted with imported 185/55/15 Bridgestone Potenza RE040 tyres ! The tyres supplied are astonishing because these same tyres in different sizes are fitted stock on the JDM EP3 Civic Type-R !
Honda still refuses to officially sell its JDM models outside of Japan and so this model is the same as that sold by Honda Australia. As a most welcome and most significant change from the norm, Malaysia becomes the only country outside of Australia and Japan to have this model for sale ! The 'Australian spec' Jazz VTEC is not completely identical to the JDM version. But this time there are only some relatively minor deletions like HID headlights. Nothing that the resourceful enthusiast can't set right easily ! The engines are also of slightly different specs; both are rated at 110ps but on the JDM version this comes at 5,800rpm whereas on the Malaysian/Australian version, it comes at 6,000rpm. This means that the white faced tachometer on our Jazz VTEC redlines at ~6300rpm instead of 6000rpm as on the JDM version. 300 extra rpm is of course nothing to shout about but it is still a higher red-line and to enthusiasts do makes a difference, in this case for a refreshing change, non-JDM spec being 'better' than JDM spec !
A five color line-up is offered, with Satin Silver, Nighthawk Black, and Milano Red being retained and two new colours being offered, a very nice 'Vivid Blue Pearl' and the very unusual 'Iris Red Pearl' which is effectively pink ! The Iris-Red choice is a rather unusual but welcoming bold move by Honda Malaysia, obviously exploiting the fact that many females are crazy about the Jazz. At this moment in time, Honda Malaysia is the only manufacturer bold enough to offer a pink car for sale in Malaysia. While some members of the media, dissapointingly including a women, questioned the wisdom of such an unusual colour choice, I for one thinks it might be a move well taken because the new young generation are bold and often goes for 'expressions of individuality' and a pink Jazz would be a perfect choice ! Such bold and imaginative marketing moves are often necessary for survival in today's super competitive car market.
The 'feature' I am most impressed at in the Jazz VTEC will be the price. Here I feel Honda Malaysia excelled themselves by announcing a price tag of RM101,888.00 'On The Road'. This is an only RM8,000.00 price increase over the base iDSI model and when I sit down to calculate the estimated cost of the extra items, the SPackage, foglights and wheels alone accounted for almost RM8,000 already ! And not forgetting the more power 110ps VTEC engine. Fantastic !
Of all the model launches I have attended so far, this one is the most exciting yet. With the new Jazz line-up and with the introduction of the Jazz VTEC model, Honda Malaysia made it clear that they intend to introduce and sell its first outrightly sporty model for Malaysia, a car that can rightfully be called an Entry Level Hot Hatch ! The specs of the car and how it is packaged screams enthusiasts right from its very core and given the huge appeal the Jazz has to the enthusiasts, as well as the relatively good price level (taking into account this is a fully imported and Made in Japan model), here is finally our turn as enthusiasts to enjoy our attention from Honda Malaysia. And don't forget that here is a proper production sporty 'hot-hatch' for sale, not a one-off limited edition concept car ! I think the Jazz VTEC will succeed very well in Malaysia and if this expectation is realized, then I think the future for us Honda enthusiasts here in Malaysia would be very exciting indeed !
Wong KN
April 2004
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