CEO calls redesigned Fit Honda's comeback car

Takanobu Ito at the Fit’s launch: “This is the most important model. I have high expectations for demand.”

TOKYO -- Launching the third-generation Fit last week, Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito made his lofty expectations clear, calling the redesigned subcompact a key player in the company's comeback plan.

"This is the most important model," he said, citing improved fuel economy, a longer body and more interior room. "I have high expectations for demand."

High, indeed: He predicted the Fit family eventually will supplant the Civic sedan as Honda's No. 1 nameplate. It's now No. 4, behind the Civic, CR-V and Accord. Globally, Ito predicted, sales of the Fit hatchback and its variants will reach 1.5 million by 2016.

He declined to give a sales target for North America. But he said the market holds the biggest growth potential for the Fit hatchback and its spinoffs, which are expected to include a crossover and sedan.

An assembly plant is being built in Mexico with annual capacity for 200,000 vehicles. It opens next spring, and the bulk of that output is expected to be Fit family vehicles for the United States. Honda sold 49,346 Fits in the United States in 2012.

Japan is the Fit's biggest market. Last year, Honda sold 209,000 in its home market.

Firsts for Honda

The redesigned Fit, which went on sale in Japan last week and should hit U.S. showrooms around mid-2014, is key to Ito's efforts to jolt the company back into growth mode on the strength of new technology, more efficient product planning and fresher design.

The redesigned Fit claims a number of Honda firsts:
•  It's the first vehicle showcasing what Honda calls Exciting H design, which is sleeker and has more creases.
• Its hybrid variant is the first using Honda's new one-motor, dual-clutch gasoline-electric drivetrain. That replaces an underpowered one-motor system that delivered what many critics called lackluster fuel economy in previous hybrids such as the Insight.
• The U.S. version will be the first Fit manufactured in North America.

Efficiency imperative

Fuel efficiency will be a big selling point.

The hybrid, which teams a 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, delivers about 86 mpg under Japan's testing regime, which can't be translated directly to U.S. figures. That's a 35 percent improvement over the hybrid version of the current Fit sold in Japan.

The gasoline engines also achieve big gains thanks to Honda's new Earth Dreams engine lineup.

The 1.3-liter Atkinson cycle engine, teamed with either a continuously variable transmission or a five-speed manual, gets about 61 mpg -- roughly a 35 percent improvement. The 1.5-liter direct-injection engine, with either a CVT or six-speed stick shift, gets about 51 mpg, or an increase of about 16 percent.

The redesigned Fit is 2 inches longer than the current model, 155.7 inches, and the wheelbase was lengthened by 1.2 inches.

This allowed for an additional 3 inches between the front and rear seats and a wider cabin, with 1.4 inches of additional shoulder space in the front.


Source:
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130909/OEM03/309099972/ceo-calls-redesigned-fit-hondas-comeback-car#

Leaked catalog shows the Mugen tuned 2014 Honda Jazz (Fit)

by  Nithyanandh K of www.indianautos.blog.com

Images of the 2014 Honda Jazz (2014 Honda Fit) have started appearing on the internet and in Honda’s dossiers . The next gen hatchback is slated to go on sale in Japan this September.

Here is some good news for the Honda enthusiasts! The catalog of the 2014 Honda Jazz Mugen performance version has been leaked on to the internet. Mugen does the performance cars for Honda, in other words, think of them as the AMG of Honda if you may.

The Jazz Mugen is available in two variants – RS (orange car) and S (white car). Both the variants come with accentuated and aggressively styled bumpers with front splitters, a full body kit, diffuser, centrally mounted exhaust tip, vents on the rear bumper, roof mounted spoiler and 17″ multispoke alloy wheels.

Understandably the RS version has a slightly more racier body kit compared to the S version. There is also a chrome cladding below the rear windshield in the RS.

The powertrain details of the new Jazz Mugen is unknown but expect the RS version to be a bit more powerful than the S. Apart from the beefy power outputs, the Mugen versions will also feature a sporty suspension setup with stiffer dampers.

The Honda Jazz Mugen is expected to be released a few months after the world premiere of the regular Jazz.

Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2013/08/2014-honda-jazz-fit-mugen-90193

Motortrend: 2015 Honda Fit First Drive

They say, "When you're on a good thing, stick to it." Honda has followed that formula since launching the first Fit back in 2001. And why not? It's worked wonders for the automaker so far, even if Honda of America took three years to wake up to the car's potential and launch it in the US. Now manufactured at 10 plants in eight countries, the Fit has sold more than 4 million units. The second generation, released in 2007, essentially followed the original's design with bolder headlights and grille, and maintained the car's central fuel tank layout and dimensions. But according to the third generation 2015 Fit's chief engineer, Makoto Konishi, "It's time for a big change. That 'good thing' needs to get better." He rallied his R&D team by urging them to create the "Super Cub" of the car world. The Cub was a 50cc motorcycle launched in 1958 that became the biggest seller ever (60 million in 50 years).  

The New, Polarizing Look
We got a chance to test the all-new Fit at Honda's Takasu Proving Ground in Hokkaido, and the car looks better in the flesh than in photos. The front end is stunningly bolder and adds plenty of street cred. It appears to take design hints from the Clarity fuel-call car, the CR-V, and even the new NSX. Design boss Toshinobu Minami says that in designing the new exterior, he wanted to make a strong connection with a market smitten with smartphones and the Internet, a market fascinated by new gadgets. "We had to give the new model a significantly new face and stronger road presence while maintaining its dimensions," Minami said. The face, especially, had to exude 'new.' That is why Honda opted for a more solid face with an "exciting edge design." said Minami. While the design is certainly fresh and new, it will polarize many potential buyers. We're in the "like it" camp. We drove a pre-production model, but Honda said the new Fit has a slightly longer wheelbase (about 2 inches) but retains almost identical length, height, and width.


Honda offered a few laps in the 1.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid with new intelligent dual-clutch drive, the 1.5-liter RS with the six-speed manual transmission, and the 1.3-liter with the new CVT. But before we hit the road, senior handling and ride quality engineer Terumasa Kotada told us Honda benchmarked the Fit on a certain Volkswagen.  "In upping our game, we wanted to make a stronger international competitor, so we benchmarked our Fit on the Polo. The moment you get in the Polo, you notice how low you sit in the car. This instills confidence. And then when you drive the Polo, you notice how low its roll center is and its huge stability levels, instilling even more confidence. To get our desired result, I tested the car extensively on the autobahns in Germany," he said. To give the Fit better road feel, feedback, and stability, Kotada says the car's suspension geometry was redesigned by adding a new H-beam torsion rear suspension setup and a revised front strut. Taking hints from the Polo, toe control and caster angle were revised. The electronic power steering was modified to give the car a more natural steering feel. The end result is really impressive. 

On the road, all of these revisions are more than obvious. Sitting marginally lower in the new Fit, you can feel the car's straight-line stability immediately. And yes, as Kotada says, the car does instil more confidence in the driver. In a strange way, the Honda actually feels bigger and more substantial on the road, and turns in like a charm with almost no understeer and loads of feedback. It rolls less while going into corners, and is more stable at speed, gripping the blacktop while the rear follows neatly and cleanly. Under heavy braking, the Fit resists nosedive as the back end stays absolutely planted. "Rear end stability is just one major result of our Polo-inspired suspension redesign," adds Kotada.

Stingy Hybrid, Speedy RS
Another factor that might increase interest among buyers is the all-new engine range: 1.3-liter gas, 1.5-liter gas, and 1.5-liter hybrid, which all offer twin cams, in comparison to the outgoing model's single cam. Europe is expected to get a diesel as well. Fronting that new engine lineup is the new 1.5-liter, Atkinson cycle, four-cylinder IMA hybrid mated to a new one-motor, intelligent dual-clutch drive combination. Generating 135 hp at 6000 rpm and 125 lb-ft or torque at 5000 rpm, the new hybrid delivers plenty of power with a stratospherically high mileage figure of 85 mpg in Japanese spec, according to Honda. One engineer did admit that in real-world driving situations, that mileage would come down by around 15 percent. The U.S.-spec Fit hybrid should reach at least 55 mpg.

While the new Fit can travel at speeds up to 25 mph on EV-only mode for short stints, the engine integration is seamless and produces performance that clearly outdoes the outgoing model.  Employing a new seven-speed dual clutch transmission, the Fit hybrid accelerates more than adequately, filling the cabin with a sporty exhaust note that has been tuned and silenced -- with sound-absorbing felt -- to delete all human-unfriendly sounds. Honda tells us the new dual-clutch was a direct effort to quell criticism of the car's CVT, which certain quarters said was loud and full of vibration while sapping the car's power. This new transmission is perfectly married to the 1.5-liter and electric motor unit, allowing drivers to grab higher gears instantly and seamlessly through a paddle shift. The 1.3-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder unit generating 98 hp and 88 lb-ft boasts the new twin-cam configuration and a new CVT. "Getting the CVT to interact smoothly and quietly with the engine, generating enough power while keeping fuel consumption down was our biggest challenge," says senior drivetrain engineer Hideki Wakamatsu. The new engine generates extra power between 2000 and 3000 rpm.  The 1.5-liter RS sports version mated to a six-speed manual gearbox delivers on Honda's S2000 and NSX heritage. Perfectly matched to the 1.5-liter's high-revving engine, the manual's short throws and tight gate with a pleasing mechanical precision allow for quick, sure gear changes at all speeds. While the Fit's dash design is simple yet functional, it is not in the same class as the Polo when it comes to interior trim, materials, and quality. When you benchmark a car on another, you expect to see significant improvements in all major areas, upgrades that put the new car in the same class. Honda says we can expect to see further refinements inside the car before it goes on sale in Europe early next year.

In a strange twist, designer Minami commented that he would have liked Honda's announcement of a return to F1 with McLaren to come a year earlier. That way he could have incorporated some McLaren design hints into the Fit. As it is, he seems happy enough, but does admit that some people may find its looks over the top. But once behind the driver's seat, few potential buyers will find the car wanting, especially in the on-road experience. Honda seems to have found its mojo again. It'll be back in Formula 1; a new NSX is coming out soon; a smaller sports car is on the way; a new Accord hybrid will travel more than 800 miles on a tank of gas; and a new Civic Type R will soon challenge the Megane RS for the fastest lap by a front-drive car at the Nurburgring. If anything, this Fit is a reflection of the company's newfound corporate confidence.


Source (with a ton of pic's);
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1307_2015_honda_fit_first_drive/

2014 Honda FIT/Jazz Production Version Slideshow

Honda wagers on new Fit hybrid variants for United States (and Canada)

by Hans Greimel of www.autonews.com

TAKASU, Japan -- Honda Motor Co. plans to bring hybrid variants of its Fit subcompact to the United States with the car's redesign, as the Japanese automaker wagers that its new hybrid drivetrain will challenge Toyota Motor Corp.'s dominance in the field.

The third generation of the Fit hatchback, one of Honda's best-selling global nameplates, will hit U.S. showrooms by next summer and will go on sale in Japan in September. The U.S. version also will be the first Fit manufactured in North America.

Key to the revamp, which introduces Honda's new design language with a new interior and boldly creased sheet metal, is a newly developed one-motor gasoline-electric drivetrain.

While the United States is not expected to get the hybrid version of the standard Fit five-door, hybrid versions of a Fit-based small crossover and sedan are planned for the United States. Those vehicles are expected to arrive as early as next year.

The new hybrid system, dubbed Sport Hybrid Intelligent-Dual Clutch Drive, greatly boosts fuel economy over the current integrated motor assist system. Honda has been using the outgoing integrated motor assist system for years in such cars as the Insight.

The new Fit is a Honda milestone for several reasons. It showcases Honda's attempt to rejuvenate its styling. And the car is the first product of a revamped global product development strategy that aims to better tailor vehicles to local markets and regional manufacturing abilities.

Finally, the hybrid version pumps up Honda's competiveness in the small hybrid segment. Cars such as the Insight and CR-Z hybrids have failed to gain traction in the United States, even while rival offerings such as Toyota's Prius C successfully carved out a niche. Sales of the Prius C subcompact climbed 27 percent to 20,575 units through June.

Going local
The U.S. version of the standard Fit and its crossover variant will be sourced from Honda's new assembly plant in Celaya, Mexico. That factory goes online in spring 2014. Honda expects the plant to produce 200,000 Fits and Fit crossovers for the North America annually.

Globally, the gasoline-powered Fit will be offered with a 1.3-liter port-injection or 1.5-liter direct-injection version of Honda's new Earth Dreams engine, combined with the company's new Earth Dreams continuously variable transmission. The United States is expected to get only the bigger powerplant. Both engines will be offered with a manual transmission in some markets.

The hybrid gets a 1.5-liter, Atkinson-cycle engine with a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Electric power comes from a 22-kilowatt electric motor and lithium ion battery.

The gasoline-powered Fit sold just 25,541 units in the first six months of 2013, up 5 percent from the year before.

And Honda's U.S. hybrids tallied a paltry 9,011 units sold through June, down from 10,712 vehicles in the same period of 2012.

Targeting Toyota
The new hybrid Fit hatchback achieves fuel economy of 36.4 kilometers per liter, or 86 mpg, under Japan's testing regime. That marks a 30 percent improvement over the hybrid version of the current Fit, which sells big in Japan but never made it to North America.

Those fuel economy figures don't translate directly into U.S. EPA ratings because the testing cycle differs in Japan.

But the Fit's Japanese rating edges the 35.4 kilometers per liter, or 83 mpg, rating for the Prius C here. The Prius C, known as the Aqua in Japan, was this country's second-best selling car for the first half of 2013, trailing only the standard Toyota Prius hatchback.

The new Fit has not yet received an EPA fuel economy rating. But fuel savings from Honda's new small-hybrid system are big enough to warrant its U.S. introduction, Jiro Yamaguchi, managing officer in charge of global vehicle development, said at a recent test drive event for the Fit five-door at Honda's Hokkaido proving ground in northern Japan.

"I was not that confident with the previous model, but this model would absolutely sell well in America," Yamaguchi said.

Launch timing has not been decided. But Yamaguchi said hybrid variants likely will be introduced around the time that the standard gasoline version goes on the market, by next summer.

Hybrid, take 2
U.S. pricing hasn't been announced. But Honda reckons the premium charged for the hybrid has to be within a 10 percent increase over the standard gasoline-powered version, Yamaguchi said.

Unlike Honda's integrated motor assist hybrid system, in which the motor only assists the engine, the new hybrid drivetrain allows extensive quiet driving in electric-only mode, like an electric vehicle.

The hybrid Fit can drive for 1.9 miles at speeds up to 31 mph in electric-only mode. The engine kicks in for blended driving when the car reaches a certain speed or the driver punches the gas for a burst of acceleration. For highway cruising, the electric motor shuts off to let the engine work.

While popular in Japan, Honda's integrated motor assist hybrid system was derided in the United States for being too underpowered and not delivering significant-enough fuel economy gains. Honda's new hybrid blueprint boosts power and efficiency.

"They tried the low-cost, lower-fuel economy strategy and they feel like it was a failure outside of Japan," said Kurt Sanger, an auto analyst with Deutsche Securities Japan. "The question is whether they can do it at a decent profit level, and the first generation of this technology is never really about that."

U.S. sales of the Honda Fit
*Through June

Exciting H
The new Fit also is the first car to showcase Honda's new design language, dubbed Exciting H Design. President Takanobu Ito promoted Toshinobu Minami as global exterior design chief and Yoshinori Asahi as his interior counterpart in late 2011 with orders to jazz up Honda's ho-hum looks.

Outside, the car gets a more aggressive stance than today's egg-shaped Fit. Side panels are dramatically creased and the tail is more tapered for a sleeker look.

The LED taillights wrap around the rear hatch in a double parentheses pattern that increases visibility while creating a more distinct nighttime signature. The grille gets what Minami calls the "solid wing face." The headlights meld into the grille for a shallow V-shaped sweep across the nose.

"We wanted a more emotional contrast in the design," Minami said. "The character line captures the contrast of a round shape being pierced. The back end is sportier, the hood more pronounced. The interior isn't plasticky at all."

Honda did not disclose exact dimensions of the next Fit. But it the overall length and wheelbase grow slightly less than an inch, while the height and width remain the same. The next generation also sheds weight, but engineers wouldn't say how much.

Civic lessons
But the greatest leaps from the current car occur inside.

Still stinging from scathing reviews of the redesigned Civic's plasticky interior, interior design chief Asahi set out to upgrade the feel on the Fit with better materials, a simplified layout and a striking new high-tech center stack.

When the car is turned off, the center stack interface appears as an inanimate sheet of black glass. But it lights to life when the car is engaged, presenting electrostatic-control buttons for everything from heating and cooling to navigation and audio.

The large touch screen, which sprawls down the console, works on the same principle as a smartphone, Asahi said.

Asahi said he wanted to tone down the interior so it was less busy and more upscale. Stylists agonized over the leather grain paneling, a more refined small-print motif for the upholstery, silver-colored trim and the switch from cheaper circular swivel nozzles on the air vents to higher grade horizontal ones.
Looming in their memories: Lessons from the Civic.

"We aren't going to take the attitude, 'This is our cost, so make an interior that matches it,'" Asahi said. "My job is set high targets and achieve them with low-cost technologies. If you don't do this, design quality deteriorates. I think that was the problem with Civic."

Ranking the subcompacts

Subcompact leaders
U.S. sales through June
Nameplate
Nissan Versa	63,761
Kia Soul	63,031
Chevrolet Sonic	44,905
Ford Fiesta	38,164
Hyundai Accent	29,459
Honda Fit	25,541
Source: Automotive News Data Center

Source;
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130718/OEM04/130719845/honda-wagers-on-new-fit-hybrid-variants-for-united-states#

2014 Honda Fit confirmed for September launch

Model will likely be unveiled shortly

Honda has quietly announced the 2014 Fit will be launched in Japan in September.

The company didn't have much to say about the model, but a recent brochure leak revealed the car will have Insight-inspired styling with an aggressive front bumper, angular headlights and a distinctive grille. The Fit will also have upward sweeping character lines, a ventilated rear bumper and Volvo-like taillights.

The car's cabin will be significantly improved with higher quality materials and an improved design. Rear passengers will also benefit from an extra 65mm of legroom.

Little else is known about the model, but it is expected to be offered with Earth Dream engines as well as a hybrid powertrain.

The JDM-spec Fit will be built alongside the Freed minivan at the company's Yorii Plant in Japan. US-spec models will be made Mexico alongside the production version of the Urban SUV concept.

Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/113070959946/2014-honda-fit-confirmed-for-september-launch

New images of the 2014 Honda Jazz/Fit leak out

The 2014 Honda Jazz (called as the Honda Fit in some markets) is the next global small car that you and I are waiting for. As Honda is inching closer to the world premiere of the new car, we stumbled upon a few more leaked images of the new Jazz’s interior.

We have brought you enough number of renderings and leaked images of the car’s exterior which subscribes to an entirely new design philosophy compared to earlier generations. From these leaked shots, its proven that the shift holds true in case of the interior as well.

As you can see from these images reportedly leaked by the same Japanese magazine carrying the earlier set of images, the design and layout have nothing in common with the current car. Smooth and curvy cabin elements have made way for squarish components. However the overall design can be recognized and connected to bigger Honda cars like the new Civic and Accord.

The 2014 Honda Jazz will be a bigger car with a longer wheelbase but the overall length is expected to not exceed four meters.

Caranddriverbrasil.uol.com.br reports that the wheelbase has extended by 8cm while the rear legroom has been enhanced by 6.5cm. Interior packaging is reportedly exceeding efficiency levels witnessed previously.

As far as India is concerned, the new car would offer a diesel engine alongside the 1.2-liter i-VTEC petrol engine. The 1.5 litre i-DTEC diesel motor that debuted in the Amaze has a rich chance of powering the new Jazz when it comes to India next year, while a 1.6-liter version of this oil burner would find a place in the Europe-bound variants.

Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2013/07/2014-honda-jazz-fit-interior-leaked-85515

Production Ready 2014 Honda FIT/JAZZ Press Promo Leaked?

by Shrawan Raja of www.indianautosblog.com

The third generation model Honda Jazz (sold as the Honda Fit in some countries) will bow in the Japanese market in the final quarter of this calender year. From early 2014, it will set off on its world tour to pick up the chase from where the current model retires.

Thanks to these scans of leaked press shots, your patience may not be put to the test until the year end. While we can’t vouch for the authenticity of these leaks, we expect the incoming model to look quite similar to the one seen here. In fact it is reported that these images come straight from Honda’s press desk.

At the tape, the 2014 Honda Jazz is 3,960mm long, about 60mm longer than the current car. The wheelbase is 8cm longer to stretch an already spacious cabin. The boot volume would enlarge to 400 liters. With every passing attempt, Honda has set the bar higher in interior packaging efficiency. Honda’s “Magic Seats” technology that diversifies seating combinations (in 180 ways to be exact) is not going to miss out either.

Under the hood, for Indian and European markets, Honda’s recently launched Earth Dreams diesel engine comes into play. For Europe the 1.6-liter i-DTEC will fill the engine bay while for India, the well-localized 1.5-liter variation would come in as the trump card.

The car will get 1.2-liter and 1.4-liter engines in other markets. The former, used on the Brio and Amaze, should complete the engine range here. According to another media report, Honda engineers have designed a three cylinder petrol engine that can take the redesigned Jazz 35.4 kilometers for one liter of fuel. The availability of this engine maybe restricted to certain parts of the world.

Sub-4m, 1.5L diesel, 400 liter boot, better than ever before fuel efficiency and the pride of owning a Honda..is Maruti sensing the start of a headache?

Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2013/06/2014-honda-jazz-84489

MagX Rendering of Next Honda FIT/Jazz

Here's another speculative rendition of what the next Honda FIT/Jazz may look like, this one from Mag-X.

Source;
http://www.jp-cardesigncorner.blogspot.ca/2013/06/scoop-new-honda-fit-jazz.html

Temple of Vtec Member danielgr finds 2013/14/15 Honda Plans/Rumours

Great find Danielgr!

Here the main infos by order of arrival:

2013
- 20th/21st June : Accord Hybrid, which they call Accord, and Hybrid (not the PHEV already selling in the US). Expected JC08 rating 30km/L, i.e. about that of the standard Prius.

- September: Fit is coming, expected to deliver 36km/L, which would put it right ahead of Toyota's Aqua (aka Prius C)'s 35.4km/L, made it the most efficient car in Japan. They also claim length has increased by 60mm outside, up to 80mm inside.

- October: Arrival of the new Life and new Odyssey (said to become a replacement of both the Odyssey/Elyssion) based on the M-concept shown in China earlier this year. Life is said to lead the 660cc minicars FE ranking at a staggeringly high 33.5 km/L, without using any hybrid tech... Odyssey expected to use both a 2.4L gasoline engine as well as Accord's hybrid powertrain, which would help it lead the segment in FE (they claim 20 km/L, which is what the current gasoline Fit achieves, but on a full-size minivan).

- December, time for the global compact SUV, expected to be rated nearly as high as the Fit hybrid at 34km/L (that's better than a Prius).

2014
- April: new City is coming, not much info on this one, but expect similar stuff to the Fit under the robe.

- May : Stream, which originally wasn't planned for Japan, but recent economic trends have made Honda changed their minds. Said to be available with the brand new ED 1.8L

- June : eSH-AWD Legend

- September : new Beat, 3-cyl turbo with 6MT

- December : it's NSX time.

Source;
http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-message?message_id=1150601

2014 Honda FIT/Jazz Rendered Speculation

Front end looks nice, not sure how close this will be to the actual end result.  We will find out soon enough!

Thanks for the tip Harvey Appleyard!

Next Generation Honda FIT to come with New "City Active Brake System"

Tokyo - In the future, cars will be equipped with features that make the car can brake automatically when a vehicle or other property that prevents the car.

This feature can stop the car in a low speed of about 30 miles per hour even though the driver did not step on the brake pedal. Very practical when motorists amid 'curved' or do not see any other cars.

Automatic brake actually began to develop in 2011, the Volkswagen knows this system as the Volkswagen City Emergency Brake, or Ford's Active City Stopnya in the Ford Focus, Mazda with Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) System in the Mazda6, with Volvo City Safety.

The latest is from Honda. Honda developed the City-Active Brake System. This protection system is one part of the new security system Honda named as "Safety Package '.

"Safety Package" will be adopted at the All New Honda Jazz to be launched in Japan this year.

As with other auto brake feature, City-Active Brake System will notify the driver via visual and audio messages if there is threat of a collision in front. If the driver still does not ngeh to risk it, the car will take over and the system will brake automatically.

Not only automatic braking, City-Active Brake System also has a feature that prevents interference when the car is turned on.

For example, when a car drove at a speed of about 10 miles per hour, when the system was the driver stepped on the pedal too deep because as one stepped on the gas pedal the brake, riders will receive audio and visual warnings. The system also reduces engine power to prevent a speeding car.

Source (used Google Translate);
http://oto.detik.com/read/2013/04/01/141522/2208337/1207/fitur-ini-tengah-ngetren-di-mobil?o991101638

New Honda Jazz/FIT set for November unveil at Tokyo Auto Show

A sporty new Honda Jazz/FIT will be revealed at the Tokyo show in November

Honda has confirmed that the next-generation Jazz will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in November this year, and it will feature a sportier design inspired by the Urban SUV Concept.

The new Jazz - which will be shown as the Japanese-market Fit - is built on a completely new scaleable platform that is also set to underpin a new Juke-rivalling SUV, previewed by the Urban SUV.

Honda UK Managing Director, Dave Hodgetts said: "The Urban SUV Concept really set out a design strategy that we want all our future cars to follow".

"We want it to look sporty but we want the functionality carried over, so Jazz will still have the high seats and practicality," Hodgetts continued.

When it's unveiled in November, the new Jazz will face off against the all-new Nissan Note, which also appeared in Geneva.
Meanwhile, Honda also confirmed that SUVs larger than the CR-V currently don't make sense in Europe and aren't a part of the current product plan.

However, new hybrid systems are under development and the firm is working on a successor to the FCX Clarity hydrogen car, which is expected to be built in the hundreds. The firm sees hydrogen as the future of motoring and is hoping to have a full production model on the roads by 2020.

Source;

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/honda/jazz/63010/new-honda-jazz-set-november-unveil