New cars for grandparent age group

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Jaxson

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#2705450 10-May-2021 12:39

rb99:

'Bottom line was the seats were very low, and I saw several elderly buyers struggling to get out of the car.'

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/honda/jazz-hybrid/

Quote from above - 'The steering is super light but predictable and the driving position can be set really high up for a good view.'

Think thats a review of the ordinary, not jacked up Jazz. Any idea if the model you tried had the seat raised or not ?

Did cross my mind afterwards. Might have to revisit for a test drive...

Scott3

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#2705480 10-May-2021 13:16

mudguard:

Jaxson:

Will however check out the new Honda Jazz, which is being released this week. Being the Quintessential Grandma car, it's got to be on the list.

Grandma car, I'm looking at one for my next work car if a tow bar can go on it! I wonder if that power output is correct, if it can thump down 150kW from both motors at the same time it's gonna be an absolute rocket.

For the e:HEV the sytem output is 80kW, and the 0-100 time is 9.4s. Incredible rated fuel economy at 2.8L/100km. Not rated for towing.

You can't simply add up the outputs of various motors & engines in hybrid & electric vehicles as there are often other bottlenecks, such as the peak power output of the battery.

From the brief description on Honda NZ's website, it sounds like it operates in a similar way to many plug in hybrids (Outlander PHEV, Holden Volt etc), but without the ability to plug in....

Normally it runs as a series hybrid (Engine just runs a generator to feed the battery, traction motor drives the car from the battery), but under certain circumstances (typically open road / motorway cruising speed) the engine directly turns the wheels in a parallel hybrid mode. Typically there is only one gear ratio for the mechanical link, (say 2200RPM at 95km/h?). It's a little more efficient to have the engine coupled directly under these conditions, but in the case of say rapid acceleration, the system will decouple so the engine can spin faster and make more power to feed the battery...

Good to see that Honda has put effort into narrowing the A pillars. Along with a lag when accelerating from the CVT, this was the complaint of a extended family members that owned a long succession of jazz's.

Jaxson

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#2705500 10-May-2021 13:36

Scott3:

Good to see that Honda has put effort into narrowing the A pillars. Along with a lag when accelerating from the CVT, this was the complaint of a extended family members that owned a long succession of jazz's.

Yeah use of battery has really helped the hybrids off the mark, whilst still using the efficient Atkinson cycle petrol engine at higher speeds, where it's more capable.

Visibility of the Jazz is pretty good, even down the sides of the car where it's not as much of an SUV/narrow window design.

No electric drivers seat or spare wheel, the LUXE hybrid gets a Temporary Repair Kit only.
Turning circle is similar to the others, at around 11m diameter, so not as manoeuvrable in the city.
Like all the other brands, the jazz has grown in length over it's lifetime. Rear seating space is excellent, like that thing is a magical tardis. Headroom was a bit close on the door side if you're a taller person in the back, but for kids it would be excellent, and heaps of legroom for even taller adults.

rb99

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#2705504 10-May-2021 13:42

You probably won't need any kind of lane keeping stuff - you can just borrow the wife for that...I'd be happy to come to some kind of long term arrangement 😀

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

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