The Honda Jazz nameplate has been used by Honda of Japan to denote several different motorized vehicles since 1982.

The new Honda Jazz exterior betrays subtle changes from the original supermini.

The bottom of the windscreen has been pushed forwards and lines on the bonnet, around the headlights and on the rear window have been sharpened (bringing it more into line with the groundbreaking Honda Civic).

For now, the Jazz has a choice of just two engines, both petrol units. The 1.2 and 1.4 are perfectly driveable, but we prefer the larger of the two for its extra grunt, which is particularly welcome out of town.

With either engine, the Jazz is already pretty eco-friendly, but if you want an even greener version, wait until later in 2010. That’s when Honda says a hybrid version will go on sale.

You can already buy a semi-automatic gearbox with the 1.4, but it's best avoided, as the gearshifts are slow and jerky. if you are thinking of going with the 1.2, bear in mind that it's more than a few horsepower you'll be missing out on: the 1.2-litre cars also miss out on the clever folding system in the boot and a two-way adjustable steering column.