The Honda Jazz nameplate has been used by Honda of Japan to denote several different cars since 1982.

It was the European-market name for the Honda City Mk I from 1982 to 1986, as City was already trademarked by Opel.

In Japan, the Jazz was a badge-engineered version of the Isuzu Mysterious Utility (MU), known in some countries as the first Opel Frontera and Holden Frontera.

More recently, it has been used for a five-door hatchback automobile introduced in mid-2001 in Japan, early 2002 in Europe, late 2002 in Australia, early 2003 in Brazil, and late 2005 in Mexico. In some markets (namely Japan), it is called the Honda Fit. There is also a sedan model sold in Japan, the Fit Aria, which is produced in Thailand, where it is known as the Honda City. Honda originally intended to name the car Fitta, but the word's inappropriate meaning in some languages ("fitta" is Swedish and Norwegian for "cunt") forced a last-minute change.

Depending on the country, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 or 1.4 liter 8-valve engines and a 1.5 L VTEC engine are available. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is standard in Japan, whilst export markets have this as an option and a 5-speed manual as standard.