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The Jazz doesn't deviate from Honda's strong reputation for reliability

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Honda dealers always get excellent reports, and Honda as a brand is consistently at or near the top of most reliability surveys. We think for the most part the Jazz is a very safe bet, although there are some things to look out for:

Clutch: During the test drive, watch out for the clutch juddering, especially when you’re manoeuvring the car slowly. If the juddering is violent, then the clutch will need to be replaced. Prices vary but expect to pay between £300 and £600 for a new item.

Wipers: The Honda originals aren’t the best quality and can chatter across the screen. It’s better to replace these with some upgraded aftermarket items.

Wheels: Have a close look at them, particularly the larger ones that are fitted to higher-spec trims, for signs of damage.

Body: The Jazz is said to have quite soft paint so check the bonnet, the bumpers and the leading edge of the roof for chips and scuffs, and inspect the wheel arches for any corrosion.

Boot: The boot struts can lose pressure and leak oil, which stops the tailgate from staying up when it’s open. You’ll see if they’re on their way out because they’ll be covered in oil. Replacement struts from Honda are pricey.

Software: If you’re after a car with sat-nav, ensure it works and is free of any glitches. A software update should cure any gremlins. 

Engine: If there’s a rattle from the engine from cold, this could be an issue with the valve timing control actuator, which can fail. A replacement costs between £50 and £100.

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Also worth knowing:

The Jazz should be serviced every 12,000 miles or every 12 months. Getting the oil changed each year will keep the VTEC engine bulletproof. Honda also recommends the CVT automatic has a gearbox fluid change every two years.

The Jazz achieved a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, scoring well for both adult and child occupant safety.

Suspension bushes and rear shocks can wear earlier than expected so listen out for knocks on a test drive. Be especially vigilant with higher-mileage cars.

An owner’s view:

Harry Tsang: “I bought my Jazz Sport in October 2021 as I wanted a car that had a good selection of aftermarket parts available, even if it meant importing from Japan. I fitted it with Tein lowering springs, white Slipstream alloys, a JDM imported Modulo spoiler and a Spoon N1 exhaust. The ‘GK5’ Mk3 Jazz offers superb handling but doesn’t sacrifice ride comfort. Of course, one of the biggest strengths is the ample space the interior provides and the Magic Seats offer a lot of flexibility. I also get around 360- 400 miles from a tank, which is pretty remarkable.”

Sam Phillips

Sam Phillips
Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website. 

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport. 

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

John Howell

John Howell
Title: Senior reviewer

John is a freelance automotive journalist with more than a decade of experience in the game. He’s written for most of the big car mags, not least as a road tester for Autocar and as deputy reviews editor for our sister brand, What Car?. He was also the features editor at PistonHeads and headed its YouTube channel.

Cars, driving and machines are in his blood. When he was barely a teenager he was creating race-bale racetracks on his family’s farm – to thrash an old Humber Sceptre around. It broke regularly, of course, which meant he got a taste (and love) for repairing cars. That’s why he eschewed university, choosing instead to do an apprenticeship with a Jaguar dealer. That’s where he built up his technical understanding.  

After that he moved into high-end car sales, selling Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris and Maseratis through the franchised network. But it was a love of writing and appraising cars that, eventually, led him to use his industry experience to prise open the door of motoring journalism. He loves cars that exceed their brief in some way. So he finds as much pleasure in testing a great, but humble, hatchback as he does sampling the latest Ferrari on track. Honest.