Driving the Jazz

It has now been three weeks since I’ve started using the Honda Jazz… and what a delight is it to use! There is no point in comparing it with the Honda Civic SiR because the Jazz has a 1.3 engine while the SiR has a 1.6 one with a DOHC. Therefore, performance-wise, the Jazz is obviously beaten by the SiR by a mile. For example, on my way up the mountainous PCARRD road to UPLB, nobody can normally pass me while I’m en route… it takes me seven minutes on average to drive from the turn at the national road to the Main Library parking lot. That’s with the SiR. That car can accelerate from 0 to 60kph in a span of less than 10 seconds. No wonder I’m hard to catch! On the other hand, I find myself driving slowly up the same road with the Jazz because of the weaker engine. Don’t get me wrong… the engine is as strong and as powerful as the Toyota Corolla 1.6 I was using in 2001, but it’s a tad slower than the SiR. I found myself being passed by faster SUVs through the long stretches before the winding treacherous zigzags!

There ends the downside of the Jazz. Now here’s why I’m happy about it… almost ecstatic…

One, the back seats are so versatile. With the limited luggage space inside this subcompact, it’s hard to  imagine that I was able to fit Biboy’s balikbayan boxes inside without any trouble with the hatch. In contrast, the SiR trunk wouldn’t close because the boxes where huge. The secret behind the Jazz’s huge space is the back seats’ ability to be folded and tucked so that there’s additional space and a remaining seat for a third passenger, just in case. In the SiR, there’s no way of putting the boxes on the passenger seats at the back and making room for a third passenger.

Two, it’s a puzzle how a visibly smaller car can carry so much load and still have ample legroom for both passenger and driver. In fact, when Biboy adjusted the driver seat to accommodate him, there’s still enough room for a passenger sitting directly behind him. In the SiR, once Biboy started to drive, nobody sat behind him because there’s simply no space for the legs. The driver seat touched the backseat.

Three, with the truncated butt and head, the Jazz is easy to maneuver through tight fixes and busy roads. It’s reminiscent of Charlize Theron’s and Mark Wahlberg’s mini Coupers in The Italian Job. Parking is a breeze, even in our house’s garage because there’s less space to be occupied. The only problem with the smaller size is my observation that the drivers of buses and trucks tend to cut through more often while I’m driving the Jazz because it’s small. But there’s nothing to fear, because I’ve retained the SiR driving attitude… nobody intimidates me!

Four, the Jazz is so fuel-efficient! According to the published data, the car can burn one liter of fuel per 17km. That’s almost double of my usage with the SiR! Now, I spend  P500 per week instead of last year’s P1000. With the rapid increase in gas prices, buying this car has to be the best investment I’ve gotten myself into. Right now though, I’m only getting 15km/li. That’s because the Jazz is still new and is still starting to stretch its limbs, so to speak.

I’ve read a review about this car that said that the fuel usage rate is really erratic. At one time, it runs at 8km/li and 21km/li the next. I guess that’s dependent on the road conditions. As long as it runs at a constant speed, gas consumption is at a minimum. But when there’s bumper-to-bumper traffic and the weather is bad, it follows that fuel efficiency drops… that’s normal with every other brand, actually.

In summary, I’m starting to get the feel of my brand new car! I love to use it… pretty soon, my moving address will be changed into VDM271 from ANA118.