Honda’s popular Jazz model is a clever car with seats which do all sorts. They also hold their price well, so when is the best time to buy one?

The Honda Jazz is a reliable used buy, popular with older drivers.

Why consider a HONDA JAZZ?
Universally accepted as a clever car, the Honda Jazz can take five adults and your luggage. What’s clever about that? Well, you can also mess about with the seats – they slide and fold and come out – and make a temporary panel van for trips to Ikea.
Honda only do diesel engines reluctantly and in comparison to their petrols, not that well. So the 1.4 petrol engine makes up most of the market. But the good news is that it offers 48 mpg, is pokey around town and manages a refined cruise.

Which HONDA JAZZ to buy?
Prices don’t vary that much from one spec to another, so try and get at least SE if you can. Avoid the very early ones as they had some minor technical problems and think carefully before taking one in that ghastly metallic pink; will it sell on?
Because a lot of pensioners buy Jazzs there are a number of automatics on the market, which can be nice, but can also wear out and cost more than a clutch on a manual to fix. Cars over six years old depreciate more quickly, despite low average mileage.

What price to pay for a HONDA JAZZ?
It’s not until they are seven years old that Honda Jazz residuals drop below £5,000. The cheapest in the market will be just under £4,000. A sweet spot is around five years old when average miles are 31,000 and prices drop under £8,000.
Like so many small cars, the Honda Jazz 1.4-petrol only does 6,000 miles a year on average over a lifetime. Although cars that have had one owner for their first three years tend to be higher, so avoid those and buy cars with more owners and less miles.

What faults do I need to check before buying?
Here is one of the faults UsedCarExpert.co.uk recommends checking for before buying:
Feel the boot carpets to ensure they are not wet. Smell for dampness.
If water is getting into the boot, the rear tailgate needs a new seal. This involves the tailgate being removed and 7 hours work including paint re-spray.

For a full report of common faults on the HONDA JAZZ, visit usedcarexpert.co.uk

The pink version of the Jazz may be popular with some, but could prove tricky to sell on.