News of Honda’s...

News of Honda’s latest arrival should be music to the ears of Jazz fans. It has turned its supermini into a baby SUV!

The soft-roader uses the front-wheel-drive platform of the Jazz as a starting point, but the body gets a chunky, off-road-style makeover.

Performance promises to be strong, too, as under the bonnet is a 1.8-litre petrol engine. While the concept is a five-door, there are rumours Honda is working on a three-door. Buyers should get a wide choice of trims, while a range of exterior graphics will allow them to personalise their car.

The model is the fresh face of Honda’s new youth brand, Li Nian, which it says means ‘subject’ or ‘idea’ in English.

Unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show in China, the marque is set to follow in the wheel tracks of Toyota’s Scion subsidiary, which has proved a hit with US drivers. Honda is reluctant to confirm whether the brand will still be called Li Nian when it goes on sale, though. There are rumours the name could be used only in the Chinese market, where it is due in showrooms in 2010.

The SUV will be made at China’s Guangzhou Honda plant, which already builds the Jazz and Accord for export to Europe.

This facility is also likely to produce the next Jazz, which goes on sale later this year in Japan – where it’s badged Fit – ahead of a UK launch in 2009. But there are no immediate plans to bring the Li Nian model here.