What's the difference?
Honda's Jazz is like the little engine that could.
It occupies a shrinking part of the market but has seen off a bevy of once-were competitors (most notably the Hyundai i20) and continues to battle gamely with the Mazda2.
Honda gave the range a little tweak in late 2017 to hand us the MY18 Honda Jazz. Some features were lost, and a few gained in an effort to keep up with Mazda's finest.
Toyota finds itself in a very unusual position - playing catch-up.
Usually the Japanese brand dominates any market segment it is in - or at least has one of the more popular offerings. But when it comes to mid-size electric SUVs, Toyota finds its bZ4X trailing well behind several rivals including the BYD Sealion 7, Geely EX5, Kia EV5, Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X.
There’s a very clear reason for this, too. Toyota was late to the party. The brand has taken a very slow approach to the electric vehicle (EV) market, launching its first battery-powered model, the bZ4X SUV, in early 2024.
Up until the start of 2026 and a price drop that coincided with surging petrol prices and a spike in EV demand, the bZ4X was something of a bit-player in the EV market. But with sales up more than 300 per cent in 2026 the time seems perfect to expand, with the bZ4X Touring reaching dealerships.
So is this the right SUV at the right time? Or is it too little too late?
The Honda Jazz is an extremely capable small car, with an ace card of virtually unbeatable interior space. While it's hardly an excitement machine, or the best looking or equipped in its class (it is missing out on some useful safety gear), the Jazz deserves its status as a well-loved hatchback.
The best in the range is probably the VTi. There isn't anything compelling further up the variants unless you're keen on bigger wheels or leather trim. Its entry-level offering is a good-value, sturdy car that is packed with its best qualities, no matter which one you buy.
Is the bZ4X Touring the right Toyota for this moment in time or too little too late for the brand to play catch-up to its EV rivals?
The good news for Toyota is that it isn’t too late, at all. The Touring expands the appeal of the bZ4X, metaphorically and literally, and certainly the sales trajectory in 2026 suggests buyers are warming to Toyota’s electric future.
However, it remains a more expensive proposition for its size and the Touring doesn’t really make it stand out amongst the crowd that includes the popular BYD Sealion 7 and Tesla Model Y. It’s unfamiliar territory for Toyota, but it didn’t become the automotive juggernaut it is by giving up, so there is every reason to think the bZ4X duo will chip away at the EV sales leaders.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.