Jefferson Baluyot Palma has taken his lifted 2015MY Honda Jazz/Fit to almost every terrain in the USA
Honda Car India is almost ready with the BS6-compliant Jazz sub-four-metre supermini (“premium hatchback” in Indian market terms). Also known as the Honda Fit in global markets, it competes against the Tata Altroz, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota Glanza, Volkswagen Polo and Hyundai Elite i20 (next-gen coming soon). Compared to rivals, the Honda Jazz is not particularly strong on the sales chart. It was only recently that Honda Car India launched the ‘5th Gen City’ C-segment sedan.
Rumours suggest that the upcoming Honda Jazz BS6 minor facelift will come only in petrol format. On the other hand, the Japanese automaker has already launched the fourth-gen 2020MY Honda Fit/Jazz internationally (not available in North America). It would take at least two years for the model to hit our market.
Across the globe and especially in Asia, there is an active community of Jazz/Fit enthusiasts. The hatchback is also a popular choice for customisations that may not always turn out impressive. Meanwhile, Jefferson Baluyot Palma (@jeff_palma03 on Instagram) from Bellflower, California has a different story to tell. He has modified, lifted and driven his 2015MY Honda Jazz on almost every form of terrain on Mother Earth.
Meet The ‘Baja Camper’
Jefferson has shared a short overview of the ‘Honda Jazz Baja Camper’ project on his YouTube channel, Whatzs Production. After buying the hatchback used, Jefferson did what most budding car enthusiasts would — installed aftermarket bodykit and wheels.
Sadly, the car got into an accident and Jeff started reconsidering his initial plans to lower it; especially after installing a roof rack and rear bicycle rack (another stage of budding automotive enthusiasm). He decided to go the opposite way and lift up the body. The conversion was carried out in stages to assess the practicality of each upgrade. One of the main highlights of Jefferson’s offroad-spec Jazz is its go-anywhere capability despite being a FWD. Still, many would find the overall aesthetics a ‘bit’ overboard.
Of course, it would not be as capable as a conventional AWD or 4×4. But from the trips documented on Whatzs Production, one can say that FWD vehicles have the ability to take on tricky terrains with the right mods (and skills).
Key Upgrades
Evidently, Jeff’s off-road Jazz project has a long list of upgrades. Notable additions include lift-kit (2.5-inch front; 4.5-inch rear), 30-inch all-terrain tyres, front steel bumper, winch, rock sliders, Jeep Cherokee fender flares, functional snorkel (sourced from an LC100 Toyota Land Cruiser), spare wheel mount, tow hitch, auxiliary LED bar and fog lamps; jerry cans, signal boost antenna and more.
Jefferson’s Jazz Baja Camper may not be the best choice to drive on paved, level roads. However, this compromise is easily neglected once the car takes the alternative route. Check out his YouTube playlist to get a better picture.
