It seems Honda had to think really hard on how to jazz the Jazz up. Yes, it was due for BS6-compliance (Bharat Stage 6). But addressing that alone wouldn’t have cut the cake. The hatch, although practical and reliable, has faced strong headwinds for years from the competition – primarily on the value-for-money front. So, what has Honda done? It has subtracted the diesel engine option and added a couple of features. Also, the front end looks slightly different. Before getting to all that in a bit more detail, acquaint yourself with the price list:

The Jazz was always on the dearer side in its segment. And it still is. On the downside, and as mentioned before, you can’t have it with a diesel engine anymore. However, on the upside, there’s a new range-topping ZX trim on offer. That offers a couple of new features – LED fog lamps and reprofiled LED-powered headlamps. But, the standout gizmo has to be the electric sunroof. Point to ponder – no other car in the segment offers it. And, for that extra bit, the Jazz comes with a new gloss-black grille with chrome accents and mildly redesigned bumpers.

Obviously, there’s a lot more on offer than just tweaked looks and a roof that lets nature in. Depending on the trim level, you’ll get cruise control, LED DRLs, push-button start/stop, Honda’s Smart Key System and 15-inch alloy wheels. Other features include automatic climate control and a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with built-in navigation and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Sitting at the heart of the Jazz is the tried-and-trusted 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine. It produces a modest 89bhp/113Nm and comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission as standard. Thankfully, Honda hasn’t taken away the CVT option. Mileage? The petrol-MT returns as high as 16.6kmpl, whereas the petrol-CVT combo can go up to 17.1kmpl.

The ultimate question – does the updated Jazz has enough to entice customers away from its rivals. In India, the Jazz competes with the Toyota Glanza, Tata Altroz, Volkswagen Polo and the Maruti Suzuki Baleno.