Honda Jazz hatchback (2007-2015) - Practicality & boot space

Its boxy shape means the Honda Jazz is surprisingly spacious for its size, and there are some clever storage solutions throughout.

Despite its compact dimensions, the Honda Jazz is incredibly practical, with a huge boot and plenty of space for four adults – five at a pinch. It's a joy to live with - easy to get in and out of, hugely thoughtful cabin design, excellent magic seats and decent boot access.

Honda Jazz interior space and storage

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Climb aboard the Honda Jazz, and the first thing that strikes you is the sheer amount of space on offer. The huge glass area gives the interior a really airy feel, while the driver’s seat has height adjustment to help you get comfortable. But although the view out is generally good, the thick windscreen pillars make it difficult to see when pulling out of junctions.

Rear visibility could be better, too, although drivers should soon get used to the car’s small dimensions when parking. Buyers can specify parking sensors as a £500 option if they’re concerned about this.

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There’s loads of space for odds and ends as well as the driver and passengers, with a large glovebox – which is cooled on ES Plus models and above – as well as a number of handy bottle holders and cubbyholes. Things are even more impressive in the back. The rear doors open wide for easy access, and even tall passengers will find there’s plenty of head and legroom in the back seats.

Honda Jazz boot space

What sets the Jazz apart is how versatile the rear seats are – for passengers and luggage alike. Honda calls them Magic Seats, and they can be folded completely flat to maximise boot space. In the standard Jazz, you get 399 litres with the seats up – the Jazz Hybrid has 303 litres, as the batteries sit under the boot floor – and this expands to a massive 883 litres with the seats folded.

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The rear seats split and fold to suit the load you’re carrying, plus the seat bases can flip up, like a cinema seat, and combine with the clever flat floor to allow you to carry tall loads, like upright potted plants or bicycles. Better still, the Magic Seats can be operated single-handedly – ideal if you have to change the configuration while holding some shopping or a small child.

The system has been really cleverly thought out – it’s so good, that it’s not likely to change drastically on the next-generation Jazz – and it ensures that even after nearly six years on sale, the Jazz remains one of the most practical cars in showrooms, despite its compact dimensions.

Honda Jazz towing

Buyers are unlikely to choose a Honda Jazz if they plan to do a lot of towing, but the 1,000kg towing capacity means the car should be able to cope with a small trailer. The Jazz isn’t a heavy car, with most models tipping the scales at just over 1,000kg. The combination of the 1.3-litre petrol engine, electric motor and battery pack in the Jazz Hybrid adds about 100kg to the weight, and while the batteries eat into boot space a little, drivers won’t really notice the extra bulk from behind the wheel.