Honda has revealed that the BS6 Jazz will not be offered with the 1.5L diesel engine any longer. The BS6 Jazz will be a petrol-only model, launch of which is still sometime away as a result of the lockdown.
There lot going on at Honda these days. The Japanese manufacturer will soon be launching the next-gen City and just recently we also got to know that the BS6 iteration of the CR-V will lose its diesel engine and AWD system. Well, something similar is in store for the BS6 Honda Jazz as well. Honda teased us with an image of the BS6 Jazz sometime ago hinting at some cosmetic changes and now, we have learnt that Honda is going to drop the diesel engine from the Jazz as well. The Honda Jazz will be a petrol-only model as it steps into the BS6 era.
Until now, the BS4 Honda Jazz was available with a 1.2L petrol engine offered with both a manual and CVT gearbox. The Jazz also had a 1.5L diesel engine option that came with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Although this 1.5L diesel engine has already been updated for BS6 compliance in the Amaze earlier this year, it will still not be offered on the BS6 Jazz. The reason for the same is that customers clearly prefer petrol cars in this segment of premium hatchback.
Rajesh Goel, Sr. Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India has revealed that for 2019-20, 80% of their overall sales were from petrol cars only while diesel cars made up only 20%. More recently, there has been an increasing shift in market preference towards petrol cars but the trend of diesel cars will not die out anytime soon. Also, the demand for petrol and diesel seems to vary across segment and thus Honda will strategical offer diesel engines in specific segments according to customer preference.
Also Read : Honda CRV Might Never Get A Diesel Engine and AWD From Now
From Honda’s three product offering in the sub-four meter segment, the WR-V and the Amaze still continue to enjoy sufficient demand for diesel engines and so Honda has kept diesel versions of the WR-V and Amaze in the BS6 era. However, customers in the premium hatchback segment have an increasing preference towards petrol cars and thus, going ahead in the BS6 era, the Jazz will be a petrol-only model. Apart from discontinuation of the diesel engine, the BS6 Jazz also boasts of a mildly redesigned face with new LED headlamps and grille along with a redesigned bumper.
Also Read : New Honda City Launch Just Round the Corner; Current-gen City Will be Petrol-Only Model!
The BS6 Honda Jazz is also expected to gain a little more equipment than the BS4-spec car and could see some updated interior trim and upholstery as well. Although Honda had teased the BS6 Jazz well before the lockdown was imposed, the coronavirus scare has severely disrupted Honda’s launch schedule for several of their cars. The BS6 Honda Jazz is still sometime away and will be launched only after the BS6 WR-V and the next-gen Honda City. That means the BS6 Jazz could be launched by end-June or even July. The Jazz will continue to rival the likes the Hyundai i20, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the Toyota Glanza, the Tata Altroz and the Volkswagen Polo. Interestingly, only the Tata Altroz and the next-gen Hyundai i20 will be left with diesel engines in this segment.
