Honda’s latest supermini model – the Jazz Hybrid - marks the start of renewed efforts to drive down tailpipe emissions.

Despite failing to achieve a sub-100g/km figure, the new hybrid signals a fresh round in the quest for lower CO2 output across the Japanese firm’s range, said Honda UK managing director David Hodgetts.

“Our overall focus is to deliver improvements in tailpipe emissions on each new model we introduce,” he told Fleet News.

“Our current range is not as good as it needs to be in the corporate sector as far as CO2 is concerned and this is a key concern on the European market.”

While the new Jazz fails to achieve double-digit emissions, CO2 emissions are a 23% improvement on the current car.

Corporate sales chief Graham Avent predicted the latest Jazz, which will go on sale next year, would win a ‘significant’ amount of conquest business.

“Fleet sales already account for 30% of Jazz registrations and it is the company’s best-selling model in the corporate market. But we are confident that this new hybrid version will generate additional sales in the all-important public sector.”

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