Honda Just Teased The 2020 Jazz. Will The Hybrid Come To India?

• The dimly lit teaser shows the silhouette of the new Jazz.
• It retains its tall stance but the design language is smoother than the existing version.
• The hybrid version of the Jazz is expected to make use of a 1.2/1.5-litre petrol engine.
• India launch by the end of 2020.
• The new Jazz will globally debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.

Honda has just teased the 2020 Jazz (called the Fit in other markets) ahead of its global debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. While there hasn't been any dearth of spy images, this is the first time Honda has teased the upcoming premium hatchback. The teaser image shows the silhouette of the fourth-generation Jazz, giving us a glimpse of its profile. It appears that the Jazz has retained its tall stance while the design language is more rounded in comparison to the current hatchback. We can also spot the redesigned LED headlamps along with the new set of tail lamps. Underpinned by a new platform and packing a new hybrid powertrain option, the new BS6-compliant Jazz is expected to make its entry in India by the end of 2020. 

Thanks to a leaked image, we already know what the front of hatchback will look like.  From the teaser image, it looks like the new Jazz has grown in size. The increase in footprint will most likely be a result of the new platform that will also underpin the 2020 Honda City. The teaser also confirms that the Jazz features a large quarter glass area like the existing car. 

The cabin of the Jazz was also briefly spied revealing a new three-spoke steering wheel with silver accents, a digital cluster, touchscreen infotainment system, climate control, cruise control as well as a push button start.  

The biggest news under the hood will be a new dual-motor hybrid tech called Honda Sport Hybrid i-MMD. Further details are still unclear but a 1.2/1.5-litre petrol engine is expected to be paired with a drive motor and a motor/generator. The latter will be solely used to start the engine while the drive motor will assist the IC engine. Honda might also offer the same powertrain setup in the next-gen City. Whether Honda will offer the Jazz hybrid in India remains to be seen but if you ask us, it does make sense for a market like ours that’s obsessed with fuel economy.  

Other engine options include a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine good for  125PS. Honda is also cooking a 220PS Type-R variant with a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol, but we are not holding our breath for that. Honda will most likely retain the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre in India, while updating them to comply with the upcoming BS6 emission norms.

Currently, the Jazz retails for Rs 7.45 lakh to Rs 9.80 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai Elite i20, Volkswagen Polo and the Tata Altroz are its key rivals.

Image Source: AutoEsporte and CarScoops