Honda Logo - a budget JDM retro car
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 พ.ค. 2024
- Honda Logo
The Logo first appeared in Japan in 1996 and was never intended to come to the UK.
It was a sedate, around town vehicle which was popular enough and sat in the range below the Civic as the supermini of the range.
Honda had instead of selling the Logo, decided the car for the British market was the Jazz but it came up against a problem: the Jazz and the Swindon production line weren’t ready and there was potential to lose market share to cars like the Punto, Corsa and 206.
Honda decided the answer was simple: to ship over a boat load of Logos to plug that market gap until the Jazz was ready to roll.
The demand wasn’t excessive which meant one boat load did the job for the 9 month stop gap of April 2000 to January 2001, but what of this little flash in the pan and what did Honda put into a car which was dubbed by The Guardian newspaper as ‘painfully bland’.
For such a small car, Honda had big ambitions and saw congestion and the lack of space in built up areas not as a problem, but as an opportunity and they saw the Logo as the answer to the age old problem of needing personal transport in an area where space is at a premium.
First of all, the car design was considered: the body was short with a long, tall cabin. Honda decided to achieve space you had to mimic a skyscraper: go up and not out with an elavated seating position.
Speaking of seating, Honda said they wanted to reduce driver stress, which was why instead of going for paltry little seats, they used the same size seats as a bigger car which could be adjusted with front and rear height adjusters.
Comfort and consideration didn’t stop there and the car is designed with wide opening doors to make the back as accessible as possible plus the boot lid has a lower than average sill to make loading up as smooth as possible.
The interior wasn’t the only concern and the body shell is stiffened with extra strengtheners and the moulded bumpers are styled around high tensile steel beams.
And whilst it’s not top of the thieves wish list, should they be so inclined, they may be foiled by Honda’s rolling code immobiliser and protectors around the door locks.
There are also other bits which make this a really attractive retro vehicle to the modern driver: vented front discs, ABS, power steering and even air con - which I rave about later on.
The engine is an all-alloy 1343cc single overhead camshaft four cylinder affair. The lightweight design and lower internal friction was said to mean it could and would perform better and use less fuel on those stop start city drives.
Now this is all very impressive - but where are they today? In the UK, they are now an incredibly endangered species killed off by corrosion, scrappage schemes and now, the clean air zones which don’t welcome unassuming little cars like this.
Thankfully appreciation is now growing as this fits neatly into the JDM scene, but hurry, the good examples are fast disappearing. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
The Nineties and early two thousands were the peak era for cars in my opinion. Very capable, good performance but without the gimmicks and complication of more modern cars. Honda made some great cars and some excellent engines in that era.
And now it's wall to wall SUVs
I’ve always thought the Logo looked like a shrunk Civic of the era. Therefore a precise, well made machine. That’s not boring to me.
Fun that boring applied to Honda but not to other brands… With VW and Audi offering the same design for how long?
I was wondering what it looked like and your right a Civic, thanks' it was going to do my head in. 👍
I don't understand why cars like this are no longer made. They do everything most of us need.
They do, they exist BUT you can thank Dept of transport & Governments that they are banned/restricted because some pen pusher considers them "safety risk" "under powered" or what ever excuse. Japanese "kei cars" ( like those under 700cc) are fantastic machines but NOPE not allowed.
A small Honda from the eighties, nineties and noughties is always a good choice, Steph. My late wife owned a1986 Civic Wagon from brand new, and had it for ten years of trouble free motoring. That one would be a real classic now if still around. You can't go wrong with a Japanese car from that time period.
The Logo was a dull car in its day - the Jazz by comparison was superb! Today a surviving Logo is a great thing to see and (ironically) more interesting than a Jazz 😂
great little motors Steph
Great video Steph and love your honest review of this underrated little nugget ❤ perfect little car for Fred and the IDAC fleet 🥰
Thanks for a lovely day, Adam (current owner) xx
Thank you for trusting us darling. We cannot wait to pick her up even though it’ll mean saying goodbye to you 🙂↕️ xxx
@@idriveaclassic not forever, friends for life ❤️ xx
You are so lucky to be getting that car. I'd love one myself.
Dad had a Honda Jazz, so I can identify with many of the things being said here. The low boot line, the seat space (I sat in the back for most journeys as the front seat was mainly Mum's). Most of the interior looks familiar too, as if we were in a shrunken Jazz.
Why have I never heard of this car before? I love it!
They were sold in The Netherlands too! Only available in very low spec, but with a Honda D engine, same as Civic. My niece has one as her first car, bought from its elderly first owner. There are almost no amenities, no power windows, no a/c, no central locking, so these can't go wrong. And like in the UK, the button for the rear fog light really looks like it's been added later. But it does have a nippy engine, it drives really well and with great fuel economy. All in all a great first car.
Interesting. I’ve never seen one that didn’t have power windows, AC or central locking
@@JaysGarageZero in the first years they were for sale in The Netherlands (1999/2000) they didn't come with ABS. I did find out AC was available as an option, but at a cost of roughly 10% of the car's price. Central locking, power windows and power mirrors were also available, in an option pack, again virtually no one bought that option as the Logo was seen as a cheap but reliable car. A CVT auto box was available and this option turned out to be quite popular, appealing to elderly customers I guess. After a lot of searching I have found deleted ads for a Logo with AC, so they were actually sold with that, but quite rare! I am now searching for AC retrofit options so my niece can enjoy cool air while driving in hot summer...
What a find…nice little car👍
Brilliant Steph ❤ love Hondas from this period
Got one myself, great little cars
Cool to see one you may well own soon!
I think the logo was one of the inspirations for the honda jazz.
They appear to me as a stop gap between two generations of Honda Jazz.
You are 100% correct, my daughter has a Jazz and I can see the lineage. The slightly raised seats and big glass area are exactly what you need in the city. I absolutely love taking the little Jazz for a spin.
As a faithful owner of several Hondas over the years I can testify to their quality, reliability and extra features. Great seeing this unusual model tested that was never sold here. Another enjoyable test drive once again!
As a long term Honda owner I totally agree with you.
Do you think that legendary reliability still stands up? I've never owned a Honda car but I've owned dozens of Honda bikes and from around 2010 the build quality and reliability started dropping off. At the moment I have a mate who has owned audi for years but about 2 years decided on a change and bought a 2019 civic, it's spent more time back at Honda than it has on his drive with problem after problem. My ex wifes partner also has a civic and again has had multiple problems with it. Then today I was at a customers house and hisvwifevwas about to go out in their crv and the cambelt snapped, apparently for the second time. The reason I ask is because I do a lot of miles, around 50k a year, and my 2001 golf tdi is getting tired with 396,000 miles on the clock. I've been looking at the accord 2.2 diesel but I don't want to get rid of one of the best cars I've ever owned and end up with a dog.
Lovely little car, and very practical. Methinks Steph is falling in love with that Honda engine too, as pretty much everyone who encounters them does!
Very nice example of a rare Honda. The thing is this car was at the end of its lifecycle when Honda UK decided to import some. So it was up against some more modern and up to date B segment products. Namely the sharp MK1 Yaris which launched in 1999. The Logo was a fundamentally good car though.
Love seeing cars from the 80s and 90s on this channel. Great video!
Just bought one from a little old lady had it from new . A great car and I have had heaps of cars. Im 74. The only thing i am doing is polishing the alloy tappet cover. Love it. Oh and its immaculate and wow... yellow
Is anyone else thinking how come an N reg motor is on a classic car youtube channel, but then realised it will shortly be 30 years old?! I had so many Japanese cars from this era, from the quirky Mitsi RVR & Toyota Raum to Mk1 Ravs, Honda Accord coupes & civics, CRVs, HRVs, Nissan Sunny's, Mk1 MX5s etc (and things much older). Many cost peanuts, too, even when being sold from OAPs garages with low mileages, evidence of polishes every weekend, handwritten notes of all work done and no Winter use.
My brain still doesn't see any of them as classics. In my mind, picking up an E36 328 coupe on an N reg when it was just two or three years old, feels as though it were ten years ago max! As for "lightweight design" I currently have a 1990 Suzuki Carry pickup; if you are of reasonable strength, you can actually lift that up at the rear ;)
Great vid as always, even though it has made me realise I'm officially old.
30 years old, to me at my age it's New, still a classic though
Another great video Steph.
I was 19 in '99/00 working as a trainee salesman in my local Honda dealers. We'd a supersonic blue S supplied to us as a demo, was supposed to be my first demo when I hit my targets. Missed my targets and got shifted to a different role in the company (parts), was gutted. 4 or 6 months later it was still there, so I bought it 😁 loved that little thing. Worst thing they built at the time and still miles better than anything else the competition was producing 😁 I keep checking the tax website now and then, it's still out there
Yeah matching outfit. (for the interior )
Another cracking video review 👍🏾
Nice little car 💥
I’ve had one of these. Great little car.
Enjoying the content on the channel well done everyone 👍👍👍
I had a Japanese built N reg Honda Civic Saloon. It was interesting to see the interior of the Logo was very very similar to the larger and what may have been considered more 'upmarket' Civic Saloon
Feels a bit like my 2006 Hyundai Amica. Another little car panned by the critics yet feels old school charming to me.
A similar purpose to a Toyota Starlet, perhaps Steph should try a GT Turbo or Glanza V Starlet? Then there is the Audi A2 now coming into or already is a cult Classic.
Thanks for sharing Steph, a pleasure as always 😊👍
Thanks Allan!
It’s the Honda version of the Suzuki Ignis of this era.
When I was young I remember being enraged by a letter from an Old Person in Practical Classics saying Minxes, Standard Pennants etc were not and never would be classic cars, they belonged in scrapyards and he had zero interest in reading about them. These days I know how he felt - that's a yawn-inducing modern blob ... but then I'm old now 😂😂😂
PS Steph your channel is excellent, love the variety of cars.
Hahahaha. That’s hilarious! I’d love to know what stuffy definition they had 😂. Honestly, this is a modern car to me but respectfully I appreciate to the younger generation they love and cherish it in the way I love and cherish 70s motors. Imagine if every item on earth had somebody who would cherish it, we’d have a lot less discontent and waste.
Nice car . It reminds me of a 2 door FIT . Glad you're buying it .
The Honda Logo, at around £9,000, was not a "budget" car in 1996, Steph! The BMC mini, the Metro, the Nissan Micra and many more models of that time would have been at least £2,000, if not £3,000 cheaper to buy. Not to worry, I very much enjoyed your video, as always, especially as the Logo was a model that I missed knowing about, even though I was around at the time!
Looks like the lovechild of MK1 Yaris and old honda civic
As someone born in 99 I see this car (or any car older than 2005-10 ) as a classic car , which confused my parents because they're born in the early 60's but then I remind them that when they were my age in the early/mid 80's car from the 50'/60's were just seen as old thing and sent to scrap , and now sadly its the case for the car of the era of the Honda but at least now I think there more young enthusiast about their childhood cars 🙂
A compact car with fuel efficiency and reliability as standard!
I had a Honda prelude mk 1, and the engine was sweet. Yes german engines are great so are others but the Eastern manufacturers do great sweet engines too
Great wee cars,but the legend Jazz was just around the corner
Very pleased to hear that we will be treated to more on this lovely little car!
Best wishes from George
There are a couple doing daily chores around here.
And they came in Jordan racing yellow!!
I really don't get this "boring" tag that some people bang on about. It's all down to personal opinion, one person's love might not be to another. There were other cars that I would find boring.I think it's not bad and I can see some parts that are familiar to me that were in other Honda's that I have owned. Personally, I think it doesn't matter how nice a car is but when it comes in silver, it immediately is a negative point for me. Any other colour including white or even yellow 😮 would be okay for me. Overall it's grand.
Loved my logo! Fantastic little thing
You missed a control, was that a headlight height adjuster next to the handbrake?
Ahh yes, sorry!
@@idriveaclassic not used to you missing one🙂
I like all the extra B roll you have been putting into these.
Great vid. 🙂 And a really interesting sideways look at "classics" people usually miss. 👍
That's from when Honda made really good cars!
They still do. Wife has a two year old CR-V. Zero issues and great mpg's.
Another very interesting video, Steph. I don't remember ever having seen this model before.
This would be an ideal first car for anyone. Im glad its going to you. It will be definately looked after. This should have sold better.
Very few of these came into Barbados as foreign used cars in the late 1990s, but they tended to be the five door variant and most of them were white. I don't know the last day I saw one.
In Portugal we had a Honda Logo circuit track trophee
Oh one other thing if you have a logo or any car with cvt transmission change the oil at 100k ( use Honda CVTF OIL 3.5 LTRS) and add a tube of "Revitalizant additive " then YOUR car will last nearly forever. I have done it and its fantastic. enjoy your LOGO...
Hi Steph, looks a great little car, im the same as you Steph, love the traditional analogue dashboard layout, not into all this social media in cars centre screens etc.... i currently have a focus mk1 on a y reg and i love it, it was a stop gap but ive had it 4 years and cant part with it, its had to be welded in certain areas and brake pipes replaced etc... my passion is to get a mk3 escort at some point in sunburst red in nice condition, had one when i was 18 when i passed my test, sadley got wrote off by someone going though a red light i was gutted, im 45 now but would love one again, sort of nostalga, just love a mk3 in sunburst red, thanks Steph great video
I remember these and they weren't very popular when new and it was mostly the elderly that had them
When I worked for a Skoda/ Proton dealership in 2005-7, we looked after the Proton Satria Neo press car for Proton and had to deliver it to various reviewers. I remember dropping it off at The Sun's offices and being told "Oh he probably won't even bother driving it". This was a total shock. I assumed the journalists did actually review the car before writing a report. You wonder how many cars ended up with undeserved reviews as a result. In the case of the Satria Neo, with the Lotus input, it was actually quite fun.
I like the Logo too. It reminds me of the K11 Micra/ Toyota Starlet/ Yaris ethos of building a well thought out small car, around the occupants, making good use of the space, constructing it well and actually making it very easy to drive. In this case,Honda's reputation would very much help it too.
I love this era of car too. Reliable enough to use as a daily but not beset with too much tech so you can actually feel part of the driving experience
You shouldn’t be allowed to write a review for a main publication like that without driving, however, it’s The Sun 🥲
@@idriveaclassic I agree. Not a paper I ever forgave after Hillsborough
The rear reminds me a lot of a 90's Toyota Starlet.
Production of Jazz switched back to Japan in 2014
My 2019 example states “made in Japan”…tho various bits such as the rear light lens which state “made in China”.
The Logo would have been a great little entry product, sitting below the Jazz/Fit which isn’t really a small hatchback at all-certainly not the newer ones. Logo was prob a better bet than say the VW Fox, looks better specified and almost certainly more reliable.
My hunch is the current Jazz/Fit inc immediate predecessor (mine) use the AC pump from the logo….eg, only just powerful enough. Seems like it came out of a smaller car.
PS: I beg your pardon, Steph - I originally missed your point that the Logo was only available from "one boat load" for 9 months in the years 2000 to 2001, when prices would have been a little higher than I indicated in my original comment. A very rare car with RH drive, eh!!
I've owned three Hondas. Looking forward to seeing you do more in-depth content on this one!
I’m looking forward to Fred picking it up later this summer. It’ll be such a good car for him.
@@idriveaclassic I'd dare say so! That Logo finds me of my CRX HF...only taller. Still miss that ol' thing. Put over 200K miles on the old dear, and she just laughed it off.
Morning Steph the logo is The best kept secret that Honda ever had ,over the years I must have sold half a dozen logos to customers most of which are sadly no longer on the road they are a great little car and as you would expect from Honda very well built also pretty dam good at taking a knock couple of things to watch out for but nothing that costs an arm or leg for that matter,allways thought that the logo could have been a great candidate for Roveriseation,shame that it wouldn't fit in the model line up at the time .
Honda Logo is pretty confusing on a search engine though
❤❤❤❤
Steph you are right l have never seen one of in Australia and its a Honda which they are reliable and not boring l think it's great feature packed and l think it more boring sitting in your unreliable car at the side of the road waiting for a tow truck this is an interesting and reliable car and fully equipped and for a budget car so much kit as usual a great review
Hi Steph, we bought our son an earlier classic Honda, a 1988 crx, still very drivable at 36, its four years older than my son, it replaced his 1956 beetle which was great but almost undrivable in sydney traffic, 7 year restoration didnt make it a daily driver though.
Oooh, the Honda Logo! One of the Japanese only cars I know of from Gran Turismo, like the Honda Today or Nissan Cube xD never knew they sold them here! & interestingly I'm looking into a cheap old hatchback as a potential first classic, & this car reminds me a lot of another car I've been looking at - the Toyota Starlet! 😊
Steph you should look at the honda stepwagon. Only marketed in Japan but a world wide success for our side of the road markets with people like myself importing them privately. I'm on my third one. Probably the most versatile vehicle in the world. Comfortable 8 people, carrier or van, whatever you want it for. Under 2meters high so fits on the ferries at car rates. Take a look at one.
I will add if I can find one! If you’re UK based and wanna film, message me x
There was one of these (I think it still exists) in my town and I thought for a JDM product it's a really good car, not bland at all. A shame it wasn't a 5 door and I didn't know we got them too, even if was for only 9 months.
It was so brief I think we can be forgiven for missing it!
@@idriveaclassic I don't blame you and Freddy for getting first refusal on it, it's a no brainer car in my opinion. I can even get over the fact that it's not a 5 door, not keen on 3's.
They did a 5 door version. It wasn’t available for the UK market
@@JaysGarageZero Have just done a search for at least what they look like and had they been available here I would have had one. Doubt it would make sense to import one if I could find one though.
@@graemew7001 There’s a least two 5 doors made it here as great imports. One’s in Scotland for sure
Must have been a wonderful car for the driving school market I like to feel of that steering wheel
Hello Steph. Never heard of this model, and so enjoyed the video. what a great small / mini car! Best wishes from Lincolnshire
There doesn’t appear to be anyway to shut off the main centre dashboard vents…..that’s the same on my Jazz.
Incredibly annoying minor negative.
It looks like it doesn’t like rough roads-again same on the jazz. Very crashy over rough roads. Nowhere near like a Citroen/Peugeot (with conventional suspension).
The roads of this country actually wind me up so much. It’s disgusting how much is paid in and yet nothing changes.
Great review of a great car. I have been a fan of Honda cars and bikes for many years I personally cannot ever see myself ever buying anything else. It would be nice to see you do a review of a mark one Jazz.
I’d kill for a car like this these days.
It's perfect for Hub Nut's festival of the unexceptional. It may be dull, it may be grey but, like all Hondas, it's as solid as a rock.
Ian doesn’t run FOTU my lovely, it’s Hagerty 😊
I thought most cars were silver for yr 2000
You could get these in Red , Black , Yellow , Blue , Silver . I think at the time these where over spec on things like a Saxo , Corsa and more expensive and also people that bought them held on to them for a long time .
Any Honda
Any year
Any model
Great video as always but how about an update on the fleet ànd how many cars do you own and what are they
Lots of people have said they’re not too bothered. Happy to do one if people want to see it.
My Miss still has hers purple automatic been a great car absolutely lovely car with 45 thousand miles
Hi,
great little japanese city car.
I dont think that there were selled in Germany in greater numbers, i have seen them only in videos.
Thank you for presenting that little Honda
Greets and cheers from Germany
Great little car. Sadly we never had the LOGO in Australia. I agree with all your observations. I agee with some-one before that it was a "little Civic", it has many of the features and many styling cues of the equivalent Civic of the same era. "Boring" because people were expecting a Hot Hatch rather a Commuter Car when they were reviewing it. If they had been sold in Australia I would track on down. Regards from a member of the Honda Car Club of Victoria (Australia)😂😂😂
Funny to see the engine and gearbox mounted the other way round as nowadays…. Never saw it this way
That’s because the vast majority of Honda engines run anticlockwise
Was that turn signal indicator light switch on the LEFT of the steering column ? That must be a modification for the British/Euro market. In Japan and therefore in New Zealand due to the prevalence of Japanese vehicles, turn signal indicator stalks are almost always on the RIGHT side of the steering column. Indicator stalks on the left is only dominant in British or European designed cars.
My grandads got one of these. Smells weird.
One of the issues they have is the roof which leaks at the rear near the top of the hatch. The water eventually gets into the rear footwells and boot and can go moldy .
@JaysGarageZero It's more likely 24 years of cigs and cheap air fresheners.
Grandad or car smells weird?😃
No offense but a geo metro would beat it 0-60 and that car was ridiculed for being slow.
Here, here Steff u know you love it buy it Honda
I'm a bit nerdy with round dials (speedo/rev counter). In my opinion, if you're going to put in round dials, they should be complete circles, not the bottom edge flattened like a flat tyre. I just find fully circular dials more visually appealing.
Under statement of decade jornos lie in reveiws
Tbh it’s a travesty that people will have read those words and been put off by somebody who hasn’t driven the car.
I had to look up JDM.
I think that with some reviews, they entirely miss the point and purpose of the product they are meant to be reviewing. To me the Logo is a brilliant looking car, made with a certain user story in mind and is well executed. And, it does not need a subscription for anything. Odd how insurance treats this as classic, as DVLA definition would not treat this as such. Unless I miss understood.
I don’t think I’ve missed the point, if that’s what you’re implying. I wanted to create a review which showed the Logo respectfully and honestly and actually DRIVEN, which is what all the initial reviewers of the 99/2000 missed out on.
DVLA don’t have ‘classic’ as a definition and instead it’s historic at 40+. Typically your classic car insurers will insure a car aged 20+ on a classic policy and day insurers don’t like covering 20+ vehicles as they fall into this. Murky mixed definitions but there you are!
@@idriveaclassic I was trying to say if I misunderstood, and reviews done by others , i.e those who assess a product but dont get the market its intended for. Sorry if it came over the wrong way, not at all refering to you in anyway. Your reviews are bang on, and wish when cars were new they were reviewed the same way. As always, great work :-)
@martinday2815 ahh thanks so much x
It's really silly that it isn't considered ULEZ compliant.
Nice video. Just wanted to mention, though, that this "modern" idea of black dials with white writing annoys me. In sunshine I find my eyes don't react quickly enough from looking out the window on a bright day to looking at the dash to see the speed I'm doing. I have to stare at the dials for 2-3 seconds until my eyes adjust and I think that's dangerous. If I'm wearing sunglasses (as I do in bright sunshine) I can't see anything at all!
Yes I remember the odd one of these over here in Ireland- they were indeed slated at the time but I’ve no doubt they were very reliable. Quite pricey too after import from Japan and couldn’t compete with mainstream polo, fiesta, pinto etc not to mention the new and much more modern Toyota Yaris