Now it’s official: Honda Jazz is a super-safe-mini

WE are not so much jive talking, as the Bee Gees might have put it, as Jazz talking.

And fans of the excellent Honda Jazz will be pleased to know that the talk is all about it hitting the motoring headlines once more.

Top experts in the field have just made the Jazz the safest supermini around in 2015.

For the all-new Honda Jazz, which I have just been driving, has been awarded the independent safety organisation Euro NCAP’s prestigious best in class 2015 award in the supermini category.

Earlier last year the Honda Jazz achieved a maximum five-star safety rating. Jazz took the title from a total field of nine superminis.



This seemed like a good opportunity to once more try the Jazz. In 2012 I said this car was a “paragon of virtue — a car that displays prudence and common sense literally at every turn”.

I like Hondas. I like the way they stick to their guns producing good quality cars just about all through their history. I think there is an argument to be had that they need to keep on the ball — something all carmakers have to do relentlessly in an unforgiving 21st century global marketplace — but Honda has the integrity to do this.

The much-improved new Honda CR-V is a case in point. And the Jazz has proved worthy of the closest of scrutiny by safety experts. Each year, Euro NCAP publishes a list of the cars that have performed the best in their respective categories.

To achieve a “best in class” award from Euro NCAP, cars from each category are assessed against a weighted sum of the scores in each of the four key areas of assessment: adult occupant, child occupant, pedestrian and safety assist. This sum is used as the basis for comparison of the vehicles.

Dr Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP, said: “Euro NCAP congratulates Honda. The award recognises the Jazz’s five-star performance and Honda’s safety equipment strategy, which make it the top performer in this segment.”

All grades of Jazz are fitted with Honda’s City-Brake Active System (CTBA) as standard. The mid and upper grades of the Jazz range feature Honda’s Advanced Driver Assist System — a comprehensive suite of active-safety technologies including Forward Collision Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition System, Intelligent Speed Limiter, Lane Departure Warning and High-beam Support System.

Additionally, the Jazz features Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, designed to redirect collision energy away from the passenger compartment, while minimising the damage caused to other impacted vehicles.

“We are thrilled to have the Jazz named as the best in class supermini 2015 by Euro NCAP,” said Honda Motor Europe senior vice-president, Philip Ross. “Honda is committed to providing customers with high quality products that meet the most stringent safety standards in Europe.”

Honda Jazz factfile

Test car: Honda Jazz 1.3 i-VTEC SE Navi Manual

Test car price: £16,105

Colour: Attract Yellow (pearlescent paint, £500)

All-new Honda Jazz has been named Euro NCAP’s ‘best in class’ supermini for 2015

Honda Jazz achieved a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP

All grades of new Honda Jazz equipped with Honda’s City-Brake Active system as standard