Here we have Jazz in his vehicle mode, bringing back the Pontiac Solstice that hasn't been seen on a Transformers toy since 2010! It's got a nice amount of silver paint all across the toy, and there are also some nice details for the rest of the altmode, such as the grill of the altmode, the small vents on the sides of the car, and a tail-lights being painted. I do wish the tires had more paint on them, but at least the rest of the car looks really nice. And the translucent plastic being light blue works well for this car.
The altmode can store the Crescent Cannon on the back with a small clip that slots onto the spoiler via friction. It's unwieldy, and it looks weird, but it is the only way to store a weapon that big for the figure.
For a vehicle size comparison, here we have Jazz next to some of the Autobots from the first movie (funny enough the same ones from the first movie toy commercial. While Optimus and Ratchet look good next to each other, and while Bumblebee and Jazz look good next to each other, putting both pairs next to each other makes them look weird. Also, Bee abandoned the classic Camaro altmode when he met up with the Autobots.
Transforming Jazz is almost like a simpler version of the Human Alliance version. It's got the rotating torso that the original toy was known for, and it makes the chest look more broken up and accurate compared to the original Deluxe. The rest of the transformation is straight forward, with the arms straightening out, the backpack collapsing, and the feet tabbing in place for their robot mode positions. When you transform Jazz in his vehicle mode, remember to rotate his head before hinging it in the cavity where it's hidden in so you can access the head better with the antennae.
Jazz's robot mode looks pretty good, although the arms do look a bit skinny for my liking, and the feet not having the more extended toes. From the front, the robot mode looks great, but I do wish that there was a better consistency between the light gray plastic and the parts painted silver. From the side, the hands are obscured by the panels of the doors, and there's a massive backpack that is there due to the smaller size of the figure. And from the back? It's pretty big. I do wish there was a way to transform the backpack to at least replicate the rear of the altmode becoming Jazz's back. It would be cool to see, though it's likely not possible because of the toy's size.
The head is definitely Jazz, but the mouth could use a few more paint apps to make it look a bit more distinct. Maybe a wash would work and pick out the details.
Jazz's articulation is pretty good! His head is on a ball joint, the shoulders swivel forwards and backwards, and hinge in and out. The elbows are on double elbows, and the hands can sort of hinge down a bit. While there is no waist swivel, the hips move freely on ball joints and swivel at the thighs. The knees bend, and there's a good amount of ankle pivot! Because of how light the figure is, it can actually do a kick without toppling over!
For his weapon, it can be held in two ways. Here, it's tabbed into a peg that replaces the right hand, and it makes the weapon look like it transformed from the arm. Alternatively, you can have Jazz hold the weapon with the left hand as it has a peg hole on the hand. It does look weird that his hands are different from each other, and that left-hand does look worryingly thin.
We finally got a repaint of this guy in 2022 as part of a 5-pack with his fellow 2007 Autobots, but he's actually the highlight in terms of improvements. With a less distracting darker blue for the clear plastic and.more metallic gray plastic, Jazz feels better than ever apart from the stock photo goofs.
For a size comparison, here we have Jazz next to his MV1 Autobot allies. Considering how weird the sizes have been for the characters in previous lines, it's great to see a more consistent display.
That said, it's not 100% perfect. Putting him next to Bumblebee does make me feel that Bee should be a little bit bigger. Also, Optimus could be a little bit taller than he currently is.
For a robot mode comparison, here he is next to his original self from the 2007 toyline! What a difference there is! Obviously, there is a difference between a toy from many years ago, where the accuracy wasn't quite there, and neither was the engineering. While the original Jazz wins in size and value for money, was it ever that great of a mold? Not saying that Studio Series Jazz is worth the money because of its size (though I did get him for 12 bucks), but everything else about him is better than the original in my book!
Overall, Jazz is a shiny good rendition of his character in plastic, and one to fit in with the new figure sizes! While the price may seem a little too steep for him, I do like how he turned out for the most part. Some other issues are present here and there, but this the perfect Jazz figure for fans that want to get a version of the character that better scales with modern displays.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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