The Honda Jazz is an understated star: RAY MASSEY on how the hatchback became his accidental hero

This wasn't a planned road test - but serendipity made it a fascinating one.

It happened like this.

My own car – yes really, one that I, a motoring editor, actually own and pay real money to maintain – broke down.

I called the AA whose patroller confirmed what I feared – the alternator had gone and needed replacing.

So, into the garage for some TLC went my own car and as a courtesy car in its place I was provided with a Honda Jazz.

This compact family hatchback is the fourth generation Jazz since the original was launched in 1983, with the current model from 2020 enjoying a refresh in 2023.

Reliable with a punch: The Honda Jazz is feistier than expected

I had driven previous editions, but not this one. Every cloud has a silver lining, I thought, so why not give it a review.

Available only as a petrol-electric hybrid or 'e:hev' in Honda parlance, there are three trim levels: Elegance, Advance, and Advance Sport, with prices ranging from £27,395 to £29,850.

If you want the marginally more jacked-up recreational Jazz Crosstar, available only in Advance trim, you'll have to pay £29,650 to £30,360.

My car was a Honda Jazz in Advance trim. Its vast front windscreen meant great visibility and a light and airy if functional but decent enough interior.

Like all Jazz models, it was powered by a 107hp 1.5 litre petrol engine linked to a 90kW electric motor giving a total power output of 122hp.

It proved a perky drive and was an easy to manage car with plenty of practical plus-points.

The Jazz flits seamlessly between petrol, electric and mixed hybrid mode to provide the right power for your driving - and you don't need to do a thing.

The Jazz flits seamlessly between petrol, electric and mixed hybrid mode to provide the right power for your driving

This is a great car for commuting, school runs, and shopping trips, or nipping down to the gym, sports or golf club

The Jazz is sufficiently flexible to do a multitude of jobs, from ferrying friends or children, to load-lugging tasks

The added electric power in the hybrid helps give some extra oomph and nimbleness – even at lower speeds - which the overall average 0 to 62mph acceleration of 9.6 seconds didn't really reflect.

You can see why the Jazz is such a hit. This is a great car for commuting, school runs, and shopping trips, or nipping down to the gym, sports or golf club.

It's small enough to fit into parking spaces, but big enough to seat five at a push, although you can make that four for relative comfort.

The Jazz is sufficiently flexible to do a multitude of jobs, from ferrying friends or children, to load-lugging tasks if you push down the rear seats to enlarge the boot space from 304 litres to 1,205 litres (844 litres to window level).

Interior space is enhanced by positioning the fuel tank beneath the front seats in the centre of the chassis, allowing the Jazz to retain the rear 'Magic Seat' configuration, with flexible seats that can fold flat or flip up to create a versatile cargo space.

The wide aperture tailgate opening and stepless flat floor also make it easier to load of larger items.

Honda is also proud of its hybrid e:HEV system which drives the Jazz. Here's the science.

This system consists of two compact, energy-dense electric motors connected to the 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine, a lithium-ion battery and an innovative fixed-gear transmission linked to an intelligent power control unit.

All of these work harmoniously together to provide a smooth and direct response to the driver's accelerator input.

Its frugal fuel consumption – averaging 61.4mpg with CO2 emissions of - means your pockets will be spared a battering too

Flexible seats can fold flat or flip up to create a versatile cargo space

‹ Slide me ›

The wide aperture tailgate opening and stepless flat floor also make it easier to load of larger items

If that's too much to get your head round, what you need to know is that the engineering works: the Honda Jazz is a far sprightlier car than it looks.

It cruises nattily enough down motorways and the 108mph top speed is sufficiently above the UK's maximum speed limits.

Its frugal fuel consumption – averaging 61.4mpg with CO2 emissions of - means your pockets will be spared a battering too.

The extent to which the latest Jazz also epitomises Honda's well-earned reputation for reliability and that shows no sign of diminishing.

Indeed, a recent report highlighted the Honda Jazz as the most reliable car on the market.

The survey of 5,000 vehicle repair claims by specialists Warranty Solutions Group showed the Jazz took the top spot with a claim rate of just 2.6 per cent and an average claim of £392, ahead of the Toyota Yaris, at 2.94 per cent and £376, and Volkswagen T-Roc, at 3.05 per cent and £436).

Despite being famed for its reliability and engineering prowess, humble Honda is one of those understated brands.

Its attributes – like those of fairytale star Cinderella – are too often overlooked but in my unexpected Jazz, I really did have a ball. And I was loathe to hand it back.

Electrifying: Customers can expect to see a model on the market within two years

Citroen plots a 2CV EV

The beloved Citroen 2CV is set to return as an electric car, the boss of the French firm has signalled.

Citroen's global chief executive Thierry Koskas said it will have the key virtues which made the original 2CV such a favourite first time around.

These are simplicity, daring, clever suspension designed to deal with rough roads, practicality, value for money and – importantly in the modern era – strong green credentials.

Customers can expect to see a model on the market within two years, he indicated.

Speaking at the UK launch in Oxfordshire of Citroen's latest model – the e-C3 electric hatchback – Koskas said a small number of retro Citroen models were planned to follow in the wake of the current revamp of the entire range.

'We want some of our iconic models to further lift the Citroen brand,' he told me.

'We have a fantastic heritage – including models like the DS and the 2CV.'