HONDA is hoping its all-new fourth generation Jazz strikes the right chord with a younger audience and it's packed with youthful characteristics along with a wealth of kit to grab their attention.

And for added appeal there is a new beefed-up Crosstar variant too designed for owners that enjoy an adventurous lifestyle. This five-door model is taller, wider and longer than the standard Jazz so brings mini-SUV styling to the range.

Powering this new car is a very clever hybrid set-up that combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine that works with two electric motors that help the car maximise fuel efficiency.

And it's no slouch either with a 0-62mph sprint time of 9.9 seconds and maximum speed of 107mph. It can deliver impressive fuel efficiency of 58.9mpg as it effortlessly switches into EV mode when the powertrain isn't needed and the 110g/km of carbon emissions will help keep costs down too.

The Jazz Crosstar model is only available in range-topping EX guise with a starting price of £22,635 - increased to £23,585 with options.

There's no denying the car has a thoroughly modern design with two-tone paintwork, sweeping light clusters, privacy glass, LED daytime running lights, along with Crosstar-specific 16-inch alloy wheels and body styling such as wheel-arch cladding and roof rails.

Move inside and the fresh, clutter-free interior is neatly laid out. There are practical water-repellent seats that offer great support and comfort, plus lots of on-board technology to explore.

Features include a nine-inch touchscreen with sat nav and smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. There is an eight-speaker sound system, DAB radio, heated steering wheel and seats, a leather multi-function steering wheel, rear view camera and air conditioning.

The ride height on the Jazz Crosstar is increased by 30mm compared to other Jazz models and that results in a more upright driving position with excellent all-round driver visibility through the large windows.

All controls, dials and readouts are easy to operate on the fly and the automatic transmission is nice and smooth provided you are not too heavy on the accelerator.

The Jazz Crosstar feels nicely balanced out on the open road, and whilst it's not exactly in hot-hatch territory, it is fun to drive with ample power on tap. And we were seeing an average of 52mpg across a range of roads covering a route of well over 250 miles.

On the motorway, it can happily cruise at 70mph and noise levels within the car are well suppressed. Then in busier town centres, the car is agile and easy to manoeuvre and that great all-round view is a bonus with cars, cyclists and pedestrians darting out from all angles.

When it comes to practicality, the Jazz Crosstar really impresses with the company's clever Magic Seats set-up that allows you to fold the rear seats completely flat or lift the seat bases to offer a higher load area. The boot can swallow 298 litres of kit, a limit that increases to 1,205 with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped down.

And there's lots of handy storage options scattered throughout the car, including a glovebox, central cubby, door pockets, cup holder, trays and seat-back pockets.