So we got a 2018 Honda Jazz

When you think of Honda, the Jazz is the furthest thing from your mind nowadays. It was unceremoniously cancelled a few years ago in the GCC due to slow sales stemming from its high price. It’s back now in its latest form, although the price hasn’t changed from before. Does it pack more value now?

The new styling makes the Jazz look more like a mini-minivan than a hatchback now. It’s the newest thing on the road right now, but no one is going to give it a second look.

Inside, it is still a barrage of hard plastics, but now there is a soft-touch plastic panel on the passenger side of the dash, with fake moulded-in “stitches” to give it a “premium” look.

What the cabin does offer is huge amounts of space, akin to a midsize SUV (if you ignore the width). Boot space is small, but more than some rivals. And those flip-up-or-fold-down “magic seats” are still there in the back.

Does it drive better though? It finally has more power, but it has also lost part of its tactile feedback in its pursuit of refinement. More on that in the full review.