If there is any car in the segment that deserves its name truly, it is the Honda Amaze. After covering about 500 km of driving in the latest third-gen version, it came off truly impressed. The question is not whether the new Amaze is an improvement or not; the question now becomes how much.
The 3rd Gen Honda Amaze has never looked so racy and premium. The front facade is dominated by the massive gloss-black front grille with LED DRLs integrated into LED projector headlamps and LED fog lamps. The chrome detailing on the grille and bumper adds a subtle touch of class, all in all, balancing between sportiness and elegance. The rear too looks very stylish with 3D LED tail-lamps, while the inspiration from the Honda City is obvious-and we dare say from BMW as well.
The silhouette remains mostly unchanged is a good thing. The three-box design continues to be a charmer. The new alloy wheels and chrome door handles are a welcome enhancement, while smarter functional details like proximity-based smart entry on both doors, shark fin antenna, and LaneWatch camera add to the upmarket appeal.
Cabin Experience
The interior carries much improvement in layout and finishes. Now the dashboard gets a free-standing 8-inch infotainment unit with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The redesign of the AC vents follows a cleaner design, while components such as the steering wheel, climate controls, and center console have been carried over from the Elevate and City, upping the premium appeal.
Soft-touch door pads are now in play (though the fabric texture could have been more premium), and you do get a wireless charging pad upfront. Rear-seat passengers get AC vents and a center armrest. But adjustable rear headrests are still very much missed. The semi-digital instrument cluster is easy to read and decently designed, and wouldn't it have been great if Honda had used the screen more optimally to fit in an extra map?
Feature and technology
The completely new Amaze packs in an impressive number of features for the segment. Auto headlamps, cruise control, LaneWatch, wireless charging, rear AC vents, proximity-based keyless entry, and a smart MID screen - all are there.
Moreover, the most significant factor that distinguishes it from the others is the availability of Honda Sensing. In terms of safety, active technology like ADAS, this is the only sub-4m sedan in India on which is a big plus for tech-savvy buyers.
But then there are some misses. A front center-armrest is absent; the IRVM is manual; there is no rain-sensing wiper; there is no cooled glove compartment- some features offered by some rivals bring out the glaring omissions.
Performance & Driving Band impressions
It continues under the hood, as last year, with the refined, rev-happy 1.2L i-VTEC 4-cylinder petrol engine. It is free from the vibrations associated with 3-cylinder rivals. Mated to a 5-speed manual, this effectively drives the car in this class. Gear shifts are very slick, though slightly shorter throws would have been welcome. This has 90 bhp and 110 Nm, and the Amaze definitely can't be called underpowered. The engine loves to be revved and coordinates well with the lightweight nature of the car.
Amaze has been impressive with how it steers, controls the body, and behaves on the road, even on winding hill roads and long stretches of highway. The suspension is on the considerably firmer side, but that gives terrific cornering stability. It does not soak up broken roads as well, but it does not crash into any harsh bumps either.
Adequate brakes correlate to the performance on tap. Verdict Shopping for a sub-4 meter sedan should list this on the radar- the Honda Amaze. One among the smoothest four-cylinder engines, active safety features, premium feel cabin, and sporty driving dynamics make it stand out from the rest. It's good for both city driving as well as weekend outings.
Pricing, however, is a bit on the higher side with the V MT variant starting around Rs 8.1 lakh (ex-showroom). Compared to rival sub-4m sedans such as Tata Tigor, Hyundai Aura, and Maruti Dzire, these starting prices are significantly lower. Honda would benefit from introducing a lower base trim (say, an S variant) to attract more buyers.
Room for improvement
AC should function considerably better during summer.
The wireless charger did not charge the phone, but drained the device's battery in the test unit with no front center armrest.
The instrument screen could show map/navigation info.
Fuel gauge visibility could be an issue, depending on the seating/steering position.
The fabric on the door pads could be softer.
Lane Watch camera feed eats into infotainment display.
Rear headrests are still fixed.
No auto-dimming IRVM or cooled glovebox.
However, the new Honda Amaze boasts more than just its dazzling name- it amazes. For anyone craving a compact sedan that is solidly built, refined, full of features, and promises a bit of driving flair, this is it.
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