The Honda Jazz Hybrid will be available here through official channels for the first time when it arrives in Singapore in Q1 2021

Photos: Honda

SINGAPORE

UPDATE: January 2021 – the new Honda Jazz Hybrid has been launched in Singapore along with the petrol 1.5 version!

Honda has confirmed that the hybrid version of the new Jazz will go on sale here in Singapore in the first quarter of 2021, making it the first time that a Jazz Hybrid will be available here through official channels.

The preceding two generations of the Jazz also had hybrid variants, but they were never officially sold here, and were only retailed through parallel importers.

The introduction of the new Jazz Hybrid also means that official distributor Kah Motor will offer a mainstream hybrid model for the first time since the Insight and Civic Hybrid were discontinued here nearly a decade ago.*

*Dis-counting the million dollar NSX, as kindly pointed out by our Facebook superfan Mr Ng, and the super cult cool Honda Legend.

No pricing or specific details for Singapore are available yet for the Jazz Hybrid, and the information here is derived from the car’s European specifications, which might change for our market later on.

Find out why CarBuyer.com.sg rates the current Jazz as one of the best cars in its class

But the key point to note is that the Jazz Hybrid, officially called the e:HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), uses a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine that’s combined with two electric motors, and the system produces a total output of 109hp and 253Nm of torque. 0-100km/h comes up in 9.4 seconds, and top speed maxes out at 175km/h.

Interestingly, the Jazz Hybrid features a single-ratio fixed gear transmission, much like a full battery electric vehicle (BEV), unlike many other hybrids that use either Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs) or dual-clutch gearboxes.

Honda’s drive system is unique here. At low speeds, the petrol engine provides juice to the electric motors (via a battery, like Nissan’s E-Power) but at higher speeds (where hybrids/EVs are less efficient) the engine takes over, hence the need for just one effective gear ratio there.

Honda claims an average fuel consumption figure of 4.5L/100km, which seems low compared to a Prius, but on paper it looks like the Jazz Hybrid will be an efficiency winner in Singapore due to low top speeds and lots of urban driving.

Features-wise, the European-spec Jazz Hybrid comes very well-equipped, and includes the full suite of Honda Sensing driver assistance technologies.

These include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist, although whether they will be available on Singapore-bound cars is as yet unconfirmed. Regardless, the new Jazz will be among the safest cars in its class, as it will feature no less than ten airbags.

The Jazz even has a world-first rear passenger airbag too.

Here’s our lowdown of the new Jazz from the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show

The Jazz remains a popular choice among drivers looking for an affordable and easy-to-drive compact hatchback. The availability of a hybrid version for the first time through the official dealer will only serve to boost its appeal further by offering lower running costs, and ensure that it continues to rank highly in its segment.

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