Although Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) is still recovering from operation problems caused by last year's disasters in Japan and Thailand, its products still enjoy a significant following among local car enthusiasts.

For instance, the Honda Jazz brought here (known as the GE for its chassis code) is still a keeper and is still a much sought-after vehicle, especially since it totes a bevy of refreshing changes for any occupant.

Outside, the front fascia sports a more angled chin, looking more like a character out of Alex Ross's comic artwork in which protagonists sport block-like chins.

The lower part of the front bumper has a lot more lines than rounded areas (save for the revised foglight section), and has a better-looking honeycomb grille.

The taillights now sport two vertical rows of light-emitting diode lamps and using up less clear housing for the turn signals. Plus, the rear bumper has slats that resemble intakes for air to go through them and into the rear wheels, but are actually more of a design aesthetic.

Inside is where more of the Jazz's changes reside. The USB port below the middle dashboard area has a larger docking area, so you won't fumble with engaging your external MP3 player to the audio entertainment.

There's a vanity mirror within both sun visors, and the head unit display has bright red backlighting on black readouts. The moquette fabric-lined seats are comfortable, and are never hard on the bum or on the hamstrings.

All of these changes-along with the location of all knobs, buttons, levers and switches-make for an enjoyable driving or riding experience, and heaps praise on Honda for doing its occupant ergonomic research prior to the GE's production.

But what makes any GE-even the 1.5V A/T loaned for this test-drive-worthy of anyone's ownership is its ability to carry a lot of items in its relatively small confines.

Retained was the ULT (Utility, Long and Tall) rear bench feature that allows for storage of large, tall and odd-shaped items by either folding the rear seats flat or folding the rear seat thigh cushions like an accordion.

One ULT upgrade from its predecessor, however, is the ability of the rear left seat to swallow small, flat items like folders, papers, thumb drives and anything not exceeding five inches of thickness.

Storing small items within the doors and front area of the car is also a plus, as the unit retains its numerous cubbyholes and cupholders, including those in front of the aircon vents nearest the front doors, around the handbrake, directly below the secondary aircon controls and the bin parallel to the driver's left knee.

The two-tier glovebox also gets an upgrade, with a pen holder integrated within its upper tier and a cardholder within its lower area.

You'll find that the 1.5L straight four is more apt to move itself and its occupants quickly, more than the 1.3L versions. The L15 (the alphanumeric code for this Jazz's engine) rarely strains itself from rest or at low engine speeds, and the A/T is willing to downshift most of the time.

Frequent accessions to spirited driving can be tapped when you use the manual mode and its steering wheel-mounted paddles, as the shift points are higher. Honda also got it right with the driver's seating position and the gas pedal location.

With regard to the former, it's always easy to adjust any body structure to the steering wheel and seat. With regard to the latter, the gas pedal feels like a racing car's-all you have to do is pivot your ankle and you can easily modulate the L15.

Much like its precursor, the lateral behaviour and ride comfort are praiseworthy. The GE is rarely twitchy on turns at speed, and for some reason the hatchback shape contributes heavily to its steadiness on corners.

This writer surmises that due to the lack of a proper trunk, the centre of gravity is moved much closer to the centre of the car, resulting in great handling. Combine that with the ergonomic seating and pedal feel, and you have a driving experience that merges with you seamlessly.

The steering feel and feedback are much improved from the first-generation Jazz, but still tends to be wanting when the GE encounters chicanes or switchbacks. And the braking ability is decent, but not outstanding.

Indeed, the current-model Jazz-minor revisions and all-still deserves major consideration when looking for a subcompact car or entry-level vehicle.