Documentary on new 3G Honda Fit/Jazz Hybrid

With the launch of the new 3rd generation Fit/Jazz just around the corner, previews of the car from japanese media are already available. For fans of the car, below is a TV program feature a preview of the new 3G Honda Fit/Jazz Hybrid.

3G Fit/Jazz Hybrid info

Someone with 'connections' posted this in our TOV forums about the new 3rd generation Fit (Jazz) that is due to be launched this year, probably at the Tokyo Motor Show or just before. 

The new Fit hybrid will only come with the 1.5L engine(last Fit Hybrid came with 1.3L or 1.5L) and in Japan it will be cheaper than this gen 1.5L Fit hybrid, starting around 1.6 mil yen

Production will start at the new factory in Yorii this July 2013.

Electric motor will be in the 20kw class and the car can run on EV mode only.

It is likely this new 3G Fit/Jazz will feature Honda's much talked about 'Earth Dreams' powerplant (engine+transmission), maybe even the new i-DCD twin-clutch gearbox that Honda boasted about last year. Honda essentially claimed 30% improvement in fuel economy over the existing IMA system in those press releases so if delivered, the new 3G Fit/Jazz may well likely take the world's hybrid market by storm. The photo above is of the current outgoing (2G) Fit/Jazz.

Honda Jazz Hybrid reviews starting in TOVA

We have started to post our reviews on the Honda Jazz (Fit) IMA Hybrid at TOVA (http://asia.vtec.net). 

The first review in our series is the test drive. 

Next up would be the Genting Run, 0-60mph & 0-100kph acceleration test results, dyno run results and finally we will close by posting some of the videos we took during our review. 

Check back often and do tell us what you think.

Honda to build Jazz (Fit) Hybrid in Malaysia

During the grounds breaking ceremony that I attended last week, Honda made the announcement that they will be building the Jazz (Fit) Hybrid in Malaysia. This means Malaysia will be the 2nd country after the U.S. to build hybrid models outside of Japan. Production of the Jazz Hybrid will begin on the current "No. 1 Line" and work is going on to prepare the production line for the assembly of the model. Currently Jazz Hybrids sold in Malaysia are fully imported from Japan in what is called CBU or Completely Built Up form. 

The price of the Jazz Hybrid is fairly attractive at around RM95,000 and this local assembly promises to help keep the price at this level even when the special Malaysia tax exemption for hybrid cars expires at the end of next year (2013). It is however unlikely that the price for Malaysia will change even after the production has changed to local production, due to the need to protect the investments of customers who already owns the Jazz Hybrid. Of course this is just my own guess.

The Jazz Hybrid is fitted with the same powerplant and battery unit as the Insight, 1.3l IMA with around 100ps max power. The Malaysian units comes only with the CVT 7-speed.