Third Generation Honda Jazz Debuts In India With 1.5-litre i-DTEC Diesel, And 1.2-litre i-VTEC Petrol

Over in India, 50 percent of all passenger cars sold are powered by diesel engines. Hence, in order to do well in India, it is imperative to have a diesel engine option.

The need to specify a diesel engine for the Indian market Honda Jazz – the only country to have a diesel Jazz – is the reason behind its delay in India, where the Jazz was launched two weeks ago.

The diesel Jazz is powered by a 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine that delivers a claimed fuel economy of 27.3 km/litre. It develops 100 PS at 3,600 rpm and 200 Nm of torque at 1,750 rpm. The diesel Jazz is only available with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Unlike our locally-assembled 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol CVT automatic Jazz, India’s petrol Jazz comes with a smaller 1.2-litre i-VTEC engine to take advantage of India’s excise duty structure that favours cars that are shorter than 4m in length, with petrol engines not exceeding 1.2-litre or diesel engines that are 1.5-litre or less.

The Jazz measures 3,955 mm long, just below India’s 4,000mm limit.

The 1.2-litre i-VTEC unit produces 90 PS at 6,000 rpm and 110 Nm at 4,800 rpm. When paired to a CVT, it delivers a claimed 19 km/litre. A five-speed manual (18.7 km/litre, claimed) is also available.

To cope with India’s road conditions, the Indian market Jazz has a higher ground clearance – 165mm versus the Malaysia market Jazz’s 135mm. The Indian Jazz also features a different exhaust layout to cope with rough roads.