We must admit that the Hatchback city is indeed a nice little five-door. But that doesn’t mean that part of us would like to see the Honda Jazz come back here one day.

You see, the current Jazz, known as the Fit in its home market, is primarily sold in more advanced (read: wealthier) markets. The City Hatchback, on the other hand, is designed for emerging markets like ours.

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On a recent trip to Japan, we passed by the Honda Welcome Plaza in Aoyama. Not wanting to miss an opportunity, we went there and did a little exploring. There we saw the new Honda Fit (as the Jazz is called in its home market) sitting there for us to check out. Before you ask, there have been no test drives, so a guided tour is the best we can do, at least for now.

From the outside…

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The Fit and City hatchback ride on the same chassis. That being said, the Fit is much shorter. For comparison, the Fit/Jazz measurements 4 110mmwhile the City Hatch is 4,345mmwell finished 200mm shorter. But its dimensions make it more elegant.

The short nose and tail, without much overhang, make the Fit/Jazz so well proportioned. The bug-eyed headlights also remind us of the first two generations of this sedan. We also like the large windows of this small sedan, a refreshing sight as cars have increasingly thinner windows. The Fit/Jazz style formula remains the same almost 25 years laterbut it still doesn’t feel like a rehash of previous generations.

…Looking within

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But it’s on the inside that we wanted the Fit/Jazz to return here. THE large greenhouse gave the impression that the cabin airy and spaciousjust like the Jazz models of the past. It’s an early contrast to the City Hatchback with its high(ish) window sills and sleeker roofline. The high roof also made the Jazz more spacious than the five-door City, even though it was shorter.

The cabin materials are a huge step up from the City Hatch. While the City Hatch’s interior feels tough and sturdy, the Fit just feels more premium and high-end. Yes, there are hard plastics everywhere, just like in older models, but the feel and textures don’t make it feel cheap. There are plenty of soft-touch surfaces to enhance the ambiance. This is something we wish City and City Hatch had.

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The digital instrument cluster, as well as the large infotainment screen, are seamlessly integrated into the expansive dashboard. Once again, this is something the Jazz have done well for over 20 years. Even the cup holders in front of the air conditioning vents are present.

Of course, the Fit’s trick is to make the interior feel roomier than its size suggests, and that’s no different in this latest model. The flexible ULTR seats are present, and there’s leg, hip and shoulder room that can easily put larger vehicles to shame. That said, the City Hatch does the same thing, but it just doesn’t feel as visually spacious as the Fit due to its smaller windows.

Cargo and practicality

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At first glance, the Fit’s cargo space appears smaller than the City Hatch’s. There’s plenty of vertical space, but not much wiggle room lengthwise. This may be one of the reasons why Honda had to make two subcompact sedans for different markets.

Despite this, the Fit’s cargo space is actually larger than the City Hatch’s. 304 liters against 289 liters. But, again, the advantage of the prior is vertical space and not horizontal. In terms of usable space, the City Hatch might have the edge here. Could be able.

Will the Honda Jazz ever return to PH?

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We will not hide it and say that we miss the Honda Jazz very much. But, at the same time, we begin to understand why the Honda City Hatchback was designed for our region. It’s all a question of cost and the specific needs of different markets.

Okay, the Jazz was a global product, but it’s possible that the needs and demands of the Southeast Asian market were different from the direction the fourth-generation model was taking.

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This change meant the need to create a separate model, but at least it remains based on the hatch we loved. And given that Honda’s regional office in Thailand has perhaps the greatest influence in ASEAN, it can be said that Honda Cars Philippines, as well as neighboring Honda offices, were forced to follow Thailand’s lead .

That said, you may like both of Honda’s subcompact sedans. They have the same bones underneath but executed differently. We’d love to see the Jazz again someday, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the City Hatch is a competent car. Maybe one day these models will merge into one again, but until then the Jazz will remain a forbidden fruit for the foreseeable future.

Alternatives?

With that in mind, which JDM Honda subcompact should you get in this case? There is the HR-V (aka the Vezel) which indirectly fills the void left by Jazz. Yes, it’s bigger and more expensive, but you get kudos from enthusiasts because there’s a version in the home market. Additionally, it is also based on the Jazz platform.

Truth be told, we’re really curious how the Jazz feels on the road. Maybe we can finally try one on our next trip to Japan. So, Honda Cars Japan, can we take it for a test drive? We promise we will be gentle.

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