The third-generation Honda Fit (sold as Jazz in Europe and other markets) has been on sale since 2014. The mild update applied in mid-2017 might help keep it relevant for a couple of years, but the truth is Honda needs a new-generation model.

As it turns out, the automaker has already begun testing the fourth-generation Jazz, as you can see in these first spy shots. A test prototype with German number plates was spotted somewhere in southern Europe.

Considering that the vehicle has no padded camouflage, testing must be quite advanced. The car does have a full body wrap, but the camouflage is light and allows us to spot the one-box design of the car, which is traditional for Hondas subcompact model. It does look better proportioned, sportier even than the current model. The vehicle also appears to be wider but thats just our assumption based on the photos.

As reports have it, when the new Fit/Jazz debuts sometime in 2020, it will feature both gasoline engines and hybrid options. Sources from Japan claim the new Jazz Hybrid will get the same powertrain from the new Insight. There will also be an all-electric Jazz sitting at the top of the range.

A Nikkei report from earlier this year said the upcoming Fit EV would cost approximately $18,000 and would feature a small battery enabling a driving range of around 300 km (186 miles). The model will debut in China in the first half of 2020 but details about its availability in the United States and Europe remain scarce for now.

Photo credits: CarPix for CarScoops