Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI), Honda’s automobile business unit in the Philippines officially announces the discontinuation of Jazz. A few days after that announcement it the company confirmed it was going to bring in the all-new City hatchback fueling speculations that a product rationalization was the reason for the deletion of the iconic Honda car from the line-up.
The Jazz, which was initially introduced to the Philippine market last July 2004. It participated in events like the Honda Media Challenge and had a short run amateur racing series. Honda said the Jazz has been one of HCPI’s well-loved models, selling over 25,000 units to date.
The Jazz is known for its spaciousness, versatility, style, and performance. It shared platforms and components with both the City and Civic and in its various forms and iterations caused a huge, almost cult-like following among enthusiasts. Lauded for it power to weight ratio rather than its engine performance alone, the Jazz is a sharp handler and though not deliberate, it also created a strong niche for female drivers.
Two more generations were launched in 2008 and 2014. The third generation received a facelift in 2017, which was a great milestone for the nameplate, as it also saw the introduction of its sporty RS variant in the market.
“The Jazz has been a remarkable nameplate in the Philippine market for around 13 years. However, as we continue to put an emphasis on meeting market demands, we have thoroughly studied the necessity of the models in our current model lineup. After careful consideration, we would like to formally announce the discontinuation of Jazz and all its variants, in order for us to shift our focus and resources to our current and upcoming models.” Masahiko Nakamura, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) president said in a press statement.
All-new City Hatchback coming on April 20
As the Jazz exits, though it will be available in Honda Cars dealerships until supplies last, the all-new Honda City Hatchback will officially Philippine debut on April 20. The launch wa delayed by over a week due to the COVID-19 enhanced community quarantine announcements.
Coming from the introduction of the 5th generation all-new City last October 2020, Honda further leveled up its presence in the popular B-segment category as Honda’s latest contender embodied a stylish exterior design, outstanding interior space, and advanced technologies.
Given the City’s commendable attributes, Honda aims to further elevate the City nameplate by introducing a new sporty 5-door hatchback serving as the brand’s newest hatchback offering. Equipped with an improved overall package and versatility that would complement the diverse needs of customers and their active lifestyles.
The formal unveiling will be made public on HCPI’s official Facebook page on April 20, 2021 at 12:30 pm.
