Honda Logo Hatchback 2000-2001

The tiny Logo was Honda's first attempt to conquer the European subcompact sector since the early 80s when they dominated with their Honda Civic. Since the Civic grew in size from generation to generation, the Japanese manufacturer soon found itself with a strong foothold in the subcompact market. The Logo wasn't a confident claim to a slice of this market. It was more like a spy sent in to check what the situation is and to gather intelligence. It is understood that all through the late 90s the forthcoming Jazz model was already in the pipeline and the Logo was never taken too seriously.

Pros and Cons:

• Won the JD Power customer satisfaction survey
  Good level of basic equipment
  A nice looking vehicle
  Consumes very little fuel

• Still relatively expensive
  A horrible engine with 2 valves per cylinder
  Not a lot of fun in handling

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Exterior and Interior

Although the Logo wasn't expected to last on the market for many years, the designers have put a good deal of effort into the car. It has a contemporary design, a dynamic silhouette and well-proportioned body. It slightly resembles the first generation Civic, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the designers had actually taken inspiration from the old evergreen. The Logo first appeared in 1996 in Japan and limited European markets and by the time it reached Britain in 2000, it still looked fresh and fashionable.

In order to keep the price down, it was decided to make the interior as simple as possible. Sometimes this level of simplicity translates into bad results. The Logo is no different than other attempts to quickly build a subcompact car. It is uncomfortable and crammed. All four seats are lacking in size, making even short journeys rather uncomfortable especially as there's not enough head room or legroom.

When it comes to options, the Logo, despite its low price, is decently equipped. It's got a security system, basic audio, electric windows, a driver's airbag (passenger's airbag is an optional extra) and other basic comforts.

Safety-wise, it received 3 out of 5 stars in the EuroNCAP rating. The crash-test report said that the car has a structurally sound body frame but serious injuries can occur to the feet and shoulder zone of the driver and the front passenger.

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Engines

Although the D-class engines are well regarded and some of its modifications appear on Civics, the Logo received a less-sophisticated version with just 2 valves per cylinder. It's a 1.3-litre 64bhp petrol engine. The same engine with 4 valves per cylinder is capable of over 90bhp, but the 4-valve Logos are very rare.

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Performance and Economy

The fuel economy is very reasonable but it comes at a price which is the lack of performance. The Logo averages 44mpg, which is very good for a petrol engine. The entry level model comes with a manual gearbox while the most popular option is the CVT (continuously variable transmission) version that, despite being automatic, also gives almost the same average mileage figure.

The customers have no choice other than the poor 1.3-litre petrol engine. It delivers 64bhp, which is nowhere near its possible potential performance. The CVT is a very convenient option for a city car as it means that there is an infinite number of combination of gear ratios because the car decides in real-time what gear ratio is needed to get the most out of the engine. It helps maximizing the torque produced, but it also lacks control and slows the car down tremendously. With the manual gearbox, the car accelerates to 60mph in 14 seconds. With the CVT Honda didn't even bother disclosing the data.

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What it's like to Drive

It's a decent car for short journeys around the city, but it is far from the best car that Honda has ever produced. The car lacks finesse and it is obvious that they've been trying to cut corners. It's got a good chassis and a comfortable suspension set up, but that's about it. The car would need a lot work to it in order to provide a good driving experience. Handling is well below par and the driving controls are laid out inconveniently making for a confusing driving experience.

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Faults and Repairs

The car was very basic and considering it was made in large numbers by an established mainstream car manufacturer, there are very few serious issues. Hondas are usually very reliable and the Logo is no exception. In fact, in 2000 it topped a survey for customer satisfaction. The small engine does make a lot of noise but that is normal and the Logo was born this way. It's not necessarily considered a fault but a design issue.

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