Which is a better car: The Mazda 2 or The Honda Jazz?

August 26, 2022

There are many reasons that some people opt for smaller cars. But whether it be efficiency, agility, price, performance or a variety of other reasons, the Mazda 2 & the Honda Jazz are two of the most popular cars on the market for the compact solution inclined. As two of the best known names on the planet the trust is likely there already, so the real question that tends to be on everyone’s mind is “Which is a better car: The Mazda 2 or The Honda Jazz?”

Now obviously we are Aspley Mazda, so you might be tempted to think that we’d be biased, however we also sell used cars of all types and automakers and given that these are older models and that our staff are trained to do everything in their power to match the right car with the right driver, we’re going to use older models for comparison (primarily around 2014), meaning we can assure you that this will be an honest assessment. So let’s get into it shall we?

So, why do drivers love these particular cars?

The popularity of these models happened for a variety of good reasons. Are Mazda 2’s reliable cars? Absolutely. For starters (and rather obviously) small cars tend to be more fuel efficient. Whether you’re thinking greener, looking to save money or both, these cars deliver on those promises over their larger counterparts of the era. In 2014, the average fuel consumption of a Mazda 2 was around 4.9 litres per 100km compared to the average Australian car consumption that year of around 13 litres per 100km, while the Honda Jazz sits at around 5.8 litres per 100km around that time. 

When it comes to space, both cars are some of the roomiest in the market. In the spirit of honest assessment, we have to admit that the “magic chairs” feature in the Jazz allowing for 18 different seating configurations was a bit of a stroke of genius, however if space is something that you’re worried about, both cars come out on top compared to a lot of other small cars and the Mazda 2’s large boot area has been a favourite feature of many a car reviewer, in a lot of cases having it come out on top compared to the Honda directly by many a reviewer, so it’s really about what matters more to the driver: Passenger space or boot space. Which is not to say the Mazda 2 can’t offer the former, but depending on how the different seating possibilities might help you, the Jazz could potentially pull out just in front.

Lastly as an example, safety is something that should matter a lot to small car drivers. The driving agility they offer needs to be offset with safety features that are in a lot of cases unique to the driving environment for cars of this nature. You’ll be pleased to know that both cars have 5 star ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) safety ratings, come with 6 airbags and both also come with hill-start assist. The Mazda however edges out in front a little when you consider the rear parking assist available over the simpler rear parking camera in the Honda. These however are only a few common features and you should definitely be sure to learn the specific safety features available for the particular models that you’re looking at. We’re confident that both cars are some of the safest on the road, but this is one of the most important areas for which to do your homework.

But how do the features compare?

This is a slightly tough one to state across multiple models/release years, so we’ll use a 2018 RACV comparison for reference on a few select features, but again please be sure to do your homework on the particular models that you end up considering.

The Jazz models from around this time sport a 7 inch colour touchscreen, bluetooth phone & audio connectivity, LED Headlights, alloy wheels & of course the aforementioned “magic seat” functionality, which allows you to seat passengers and make space in a variety of innovative ways. Other features will vary depending on the year/model.

The Mazda 2 can boast its AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) technology along with rear parking sensors. Does Mazda 2 have bluetooth? You bet! It has bluetooth phone & audio connectivity available and also boasts halogen headlights. It’s important to also not feature-wise, that Honda were a little behind the game with the Jazz on introducing Apple Carplay, while the Mazda 2 introduced it in 2018, so that definitely transforms the infotainment environment in your vehicle quite a bit.

How does the price compare?

We’ll keep this one simple. Price-wise, which is a better car between The Mazda 2 or The Honda Jazz? On average, you can expect the Mazda 2 to cost a little more. But with that difference often being as little as $2000-$3000 when comparing very similar models with similar release dates, it really depends on whether you want longer or shorter term savings given the superior fuel consumption efficiency that the Mazda offers. 

So which is a better car: The Mazda 2 or The Honda Jazz? Honestly, while we feel that Mazda wins hands down among newer models, when you’re looking for a used car, it really depends on your needs.

Need more help?

We hope that we’ve been able to provide some food for thought on the very important decision you’re mulling over right now, but of course if you have more questions then nothing quite beats a test drive or spending time with a professional who can provide you with far more details information than we can cover in a single blog. So why not head on out to Aspley Mazda and have a chat with one of our very knowledgeable staff? We really are here to match the best driver to the best car, which who knows, could be a different model entirely. But that’s why we’re here. Hope to see you soon!