By enhancing its strongest qualities, Honda engineers claim to have taken the new Honda Jazz small hatchback car to a new level. The new model offers greater flexibility, more interior space and lively, but economical engines raise the bar even further in its class.

The popular Jazz was always going to be a hard act to follow – simply because of the resounding success of the current car. As well as attracting consistently strong demand from customers in every year since its 2002 launch, the Jazz has also won over 30 industry awards, making it one of the most celebrated models ever.

The latest model has a more stylish, contemporary exterior design to appeal to a broader audience. A slightly larger body style brings better visibility and means Jazz is even more spacious.

And the Honda Magic Seats are back – but now they dive down in one action, making carrying large loads even easier. Their versatility is equalled by a new Double-Trunk boot feature in the luggage bay that can be configured in four ways to accommodate different-sized loads. Total luggage space in 1.4 models (with Double Trunk) now measures a huge 399 litres (VDA) – greater than some MPVs and bettering all in the B-sector.

Two new, low emission petrol engines are designed to appeal to customers who might be downsizing, as well as those looking to achieve fuel economy comparable to diesel models. Adopting Honda's i-VTEC variable valve timing technology, the 90bhp 1.2-litre and 100bhp 1.4-litre engines are claimed to deliver lively performance with exceptional economy.

The 1.2-litre engine achieves an exceptional 5.5 litres/00km (55.4mpg) in the combined cycle, while CO2 emissions are also improved, at 120g/km. It's a similar story with the new 1.4-litre engine. Compared to the previous i-DSI unit which produced 83bhp and 119Nm, power is up to 100bhp and torque is 127Nm with fuel economy from 5.4 litres/100km (54.3mpg) in the combined cycle for the manual model. CO2 exhaust emissions are as low as 123g/km.

There's also the option of Honda's next-generation 6-speed i-SHIFT automated manual transmission on the 1.4-litre engine – a first in this class. The unit is a development of the system first fitted to the Civic, with improvements made including; reduced gear change times, smoother shifts and more intelligent automatic mode shift logic. Equipped with this gearbox, the Jazz achieves an impressive fuel economy levels with some models recording an impressive 120g/km of CO2 emissions.

The new SIL (Shift Indicator Light) fitted to manual models, similar to that found on the new Accord, provides a visual prompt of the best gear shift points to maximise economy.

Ride comfort has been much improved through a number of suspension revisions, which contribute to the 'big car feel' of the new Jazz. Meanwhile, a longer wheelbase (by 50mm) and wider front track (by 35mm) give the car greater agility. Honda's stability assist, VSA, is now available across the range.