Enthusiasts worldwide hung their heads when the Geneva Auto Show called off its annual event this year. With concerns of mass gatherings creating a potential environment for the spread of the coronavirus, the Swiss government and auto show officials agreed it would be safest to cancel the show. Honda fans were hoping to get a glimpse of the newest generation of the Fit half-cousin, the Jazz Crosstar. Honda not only had to forgo the new vehicle launch in Geneva, but for Americans, it’s also a Honda Fit variation that we’ll never see this side of the big pond.

The Honda Jazz Crosstar you’ll never meet here in the U.S.

This newest Honda Fit version actually debuted last year but was set to get an official introduction at the Geneva Auto Show, allowing the Honda Fit/Jazz fans to get a closer look at the handsome cousin, the Jazz Crosstar. Some suggest it’s a more rugged looking Fit model, with roof rails, increased ride height, and some nifty water-resistant seat covers.

Honda says it’s ‘rugged,’ but MotorTrend calls that a stretch. The Honda Crosstar is really just an adaptation of the Fit, still offering front-wheel drive and the subcompact hatch capabilities. Despite its subcompact size, the Crosstar’s rear seats are foldable for great cargo space. It’s still adorable and comes with two-motor hybrid technology. The advanced hybrid engine is dynamic and designed to contribute to efforts in reducing emissions, and fall in line with current regulations and hybrid goals at the government level in Europe.

The Honda Fit is good enough for Americans

The 2020 Honda Fit, as Edmunds says, is often underrated. It’s not as popular as the Honda CR-V or the Civic Type R, but it’s sporty and fun and ideal for the budget-conscious consumer. Much like the new Crosstar relative, the Honda Fit has “magic seats” with a variety of folding and cargo options.

It has a modest four-cylinder engine that makes it great on gas. It’s peppy around town and through the curves, making it an excellent choice for real-world driving lifestyles. You have your pick of trims – LX, Sport, EX, and EX-L – but you get plenty of features at the lower levels. You will have a six-speed manual transmission standard on LX and Sport, but there is the option for a continuously variable transmission at the higher trims.

In short, having the America-ready Honda Fit means we probably won’t have a need for the latest Honda Crosstar.

The Honda Jazz Crosstar may be best suited overseas

Sometimes, automakers launch new models in other parts of the world while the U.S. misses out. The latest Honda Fit Crosstar cousin is one of those cars we won’t get to play with here. We may not need the Crosstar, though, as it offers much of the same as the Honda HR-V and the Honda Fit.

Consumers looking for a subcompact SUV would more than likely opt for the HR-V, or even the CR-V, instead of the Crosstar. It makes more sense to make the Crosstar available in Europe or other parts of the world where larger SUVs aren’t quite as popular as they are here in the states.

It’s too bad we weren’t able to learn more and see the latest Honda Crosstar at this year’s Geneva Auto Show. Some might even be a little sad that the sporty hatchback isn’t going to be available here in the U.S. Rest assured that even though we’re missing out on the Crosstar, we have much of the same in our very own Honda Fit. And, for those looking for a little more SUV, the Honda HR-V and Honda CR-V are perfectly suited for our American-style driving.