First details of next generation Honda Jazz emerge

Honda has announced the first details of the next generation Fit – which we call the Jazz in the UK. The Jazz will initially be sold in Japan from September 2013 but will make UK shores afterwards, probably in 2014. Honda Japan has released a few bits of specification detail, but they are subject to change for UK models. Prices will likely be slightly higher than the current Jazz.

A hybrid will be offered, as is the case with the current Jazz, but this time it will come with a seven-speed DCT dual-clutch transmission rather than a CVT automatic gearbox. It will be linked to a four-cylinder 1.5-litre engine with an integrated high-output motor. Honda promises a 35% improvement in fuel economy over the current Jazz Hybrid.

Further details are sparse – but what is obvious from the image is the styling will follow that seen on the latest generation of Honda Civic and CR-V. The new Jazz looks a little larger than the old car, with a lower roofline giving a wider, longer appearance, though official data on the dimensions hasn’t yet been released.