No jive, it’s the Honda Jazz Vibe
BY MARTON PETTENDY | 16th Feb 2010
Restricted to 1200 cars Australia-wide, the value-added Vibe variant arrives after a 56.6 per cent sales plunge for Honda’s light-sized hatchback in January.
The second-generation Jazz five-door, launched here in September 2008, fared better than the overall industry with a 5.6 per cent sales slide in its first full year, but still proved less popular with Australians in 2009 than the Hyundai Getz, Toyota Yaris, Mazda2, Suzuki Swift and Holden Barina.
Available in both (1.3-litre) GLi and (1.5-litre) VTi model grades, the Vibe tempts with extra features said to be valued at $2300, including a sports grille, alloy wheels (including spare), foglights, Bluetooth connectivity, unique Vibe badging and the exclusive ‘Brilliant Orange’ paint colour (pictured not available on VTi manual).
Prices open at $17,740 (plus on-road costs) for the Jazz Vibe GLi manual - $750 more than the entry-level $16,990 Jazz GLi upon which it is based – increasing to $21,240 for the Vibe VTi manual (also up $750). An automatic transmission and metallic paint continue to cost a further $2300 and $395 respectively.
The base price of Honda’s light-sized City sedan was lowered by $1000 to $19,490 from last month, even though the Jazz-based four-door gains no advantage from a five per cent federal import tariff reduction from 2010. That’s because, like Australia’s Jazz (and Civic sedan, Accord and CR-V), the City is built in Thailand, which already has a free-trade agreement with Australia.
The Jazz and other light cars should face further market pressure this year from a rash of new or upgraded competitors, including Kia’s imminent Rio facelift, plus Hyundai’s all-new Indian-built i20, Volkswagen’s redesigned Polo and a $10,990 1.3-litre version of Proton’s S16 sedan in April.
Then there’s the newly Thai-sourced Mazda2 (including the first sedan version) due in May, inaugural city cars from Chinese brands Great Wall and Chery in July and an all-new Holden Barina led by the Chevrolet Spark-based micro-variant later this year, while Hyundai will effectively be running out its top-selling Getz all year, with a current driveaway price of just $12,990.
| 2010 Honda Jazz Vibe pricing: | |
| GLi | $17,740 |
| GLi (a) | $20,040 |
| VTi | $21,240 |
| VTi (a) | $23,540 |
