But when you’re driving a funky pink car, you’ll seriously give a thought on how color affects driving pleasure. I know because I drove shades of pink twice and it seemed to be a unique relaxing experience.
The first time was two years ago, when I drove a loud pink almost fuschia Mitsubishi Colt along the winding roads of Hakone, overlooking Mt. Fuji. But then I thought the pleasure came from the adventure of driving alone, with the aid of a route book, and the beautiful landscapes of mountain and lake surrounding me.
The second was a few weeks ago, on my way out of a family crisis. The funky pink Honda Jazz (which goes by the official color title of "Irish Red") was parked in front of the hospital where I ‘lived’ for 11 days). I could not help but smile, and so did many others who passed by. For the next few days, the pink Jazz lifted my mood.
Naturally, it was easy to be charmed by a funky car that also carried the Honda heritage. Except for its actual size 3830 x 1695 x 1525 mm (L x W x H), there is nothing "small" about this hatchback. (To picture its size, compare this with the Civic which has a 4470 mm length and the CR-V which is at 4535 mm.)
It is big on power (1.5-liter intelligent dual and sequential ignition engine – known as iDSI); big on fuel efficiency, and especially big on interior space (unbelievable what you can carry in it!).
The intelligent system that drives its engine is the second I-series engine (next to the I-VTEC series. It achieves best in its class high fuel economy, as confirmed by several audited test runs. (Pocholo Ramirez in the Petron commerical, drove the Jazz from Pagudpud to Sorsogon on a tank of gas. A few weekends ago, a Honda fuel eco run recorded a Jazz CVT that made 32.7 km per liter.)
Honda said the "new technology that was adopted for this outstanding engine achieves a greater fuel economy by a higher compression ratio combined with a higher torque in low to mid speed range."
But it was not the engine efficiency that made me over-load on errands when I had the pink Jazz. It was the pleasure of easy driving, the result of the CVT (continuously variable transmission) with seven-speed mode which eliminates shift shock. I found the smooth drive so relaxing, I didn’t tire from the many errands to a variety of public areas – laboratories, doctors clinics, pharmacies, supermarts and a bookstore. The CVT system was a perfect companion. It took away the effort to pay attention to gear changes, or the anxiety of "what if I have to U-turn in a small space" (it has a minimum turning radius of only 4.7m).
But I hardly got bored driving this matic. A Steermatic feature presented the option for sporty driving. Just press the master control beneath the right steering wheel spoke to enter the 7-speed mode. A button at the side of the steering wheel allows gear shifting control similar to the Formula One race cars. The present position of your gear is reflected on the instrument panel, beside the letters representing your driving mode while on automatic.
Easy driving is not all that makes this hatchback a funky car. It also functions as a good family car – which to me means taking a two-week grocery home with a kid along. That was easy. There’s a mechanism that allows the rear seats to be fully collapsed, making the whole rear open for all our purchases.
According to the Jazz brochure, we could even have passed the garden shop. The floor to ceiling clearance (1280 mm) could take in a plant! Or, if my son could drive on his own, he could take his mountain bike when he stows away two rear seats. (Although I don’t think he’ll want to do that with a pink Jazz.)
Inside the Jazz, I forgot that I was driving a fashionable car. Its functional interior (which by the way includes dual glove boxes, cellular phone tray, and front and rear cupholders) says it’s a practical car.
My mood, though, was not lifted by the practical or the functional that comes with a price tag of
