[Omkar]

2024 Honda Amaze Review

Honda Amaze Pros

• Smart styling with clean lines. Looks contemporary and well-proportioned
• Practical interior with good cabin space
• 1.2-litre petrol engine is rev-happy and delivers adequate performance
• Suspension offers comfortable ride quality with neutral on-road behaviour
• Only car in the segment to offer a proper & smooth automatic transmission (CVT). All competitors have jerky AMTs
• 416-litre boot is one of the biggest in the segment
• Safety features include ADAS Level 2 tech, 6 airbags, hill start assist, lane watch assist, ISOFIX and ESP
• Features list includes remote engine start, connected car tech, wireless smartphone connectivity, auto headlamps, rear AC vents and more
• 3-year unlimited km warranty, extendable to 5 years / unlimited km and Honda's unique 10-year Any Time warranty

Honda Amaze Cons

• Misses out on an approachable base variant. Starting price is higher than competitors (although the top-end MT variant is priced on par with the Dzire)
• CVT variants command an ex-showroom premium of Rs. 90,000–1,20,000. We feel 1.2L is a bit on the higher side
• Headroom for tall rear passengers is tight
• Short gearing of the 5-speed MT and lack of 6th gear means the engine is unusually busy at 100-120 km/h. CVT is good in the city, but suited to calm driving on the highway
• We miss the unique Diesel + CVT combination of the 2nd-gen Amaze
• Missing features that are expected today like 360-degree camera, auto-dimming IRVM, a sunroof (Dzire gets it), and adjustable headrests for rear passengers
• Only car in the segment to not offer a factory-fitted CNG option
• Quality of plastics in the cabin is very ordinary

This review has been jointly compiled with Chetan_Rao. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

In times when you have a thousand life-related decisions to make, it helps if the one related to the car is simple. That’s where Honda cars have proven themselves in the past. They’re no-nonsense cars that are known to be hassle-free with good reliability. The latest generation of the Amaze aims to follow the proven Honda formula. It carries over the tried and tested 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder naturally aspirated i-VTEC petrol engine and 5-speed manual transmission from the outgoing car. If you want a proper automatic, the Amaze is the only car in the segment that gives you a CVT. All the other cars in the segment get an AMT. Honda has also added a bunch of features to bring it up to speed with the competition. In essence, it is a car that tries to get all the basics of a compact sedan right.

This segment has always been an extremely competitive space with the Maruti Dzire dominating for quite some time now. Just look at the monthly sales and you’ll see the Dzire sailing smoothly at ~11,000 units per month and the Hyundai Aura in the second position at ~4,500 units per month. The previous generation Amaze was in the range of ~2,300-2,500 units per month which was pretty decent, but Honda will want to get those numbers up. Interestingly, Honda plans to sell the 2nd generation Amaze (petrol MT only) alongside the 3rd generation to help in sales. Is that a good enough move to keep the Amaze in contention? We’ll find out.

Honda Amaze Price & Brochure

The 3rd generation Honda Amaze will be available in 3 variants – V, VX and ZX. The ex-showroom price of the base V MT variant is Rs. 7.99 lakh, while the top ZX CVT variant costs Rs. 10.90 lakh. Compared to the previous generation Amaze, the prices have definitely increased, but the jump isn’t much. However, when you compare the prices to the other cars in the segment, primarily the Maruti Dzire, the Hyundai Aura and even the Tata Tigor, the starting price seems a bit high. The Dzire starts at Rs. 6.79 lakh, the Hyundai Aura starts at Rs. 6.49 lakh and the Tata Tigor starts at Rs. 5.99 lakh. The current base variant of the Amaze is priced close to the mid variants of the Maruti Dzire and the Hyundai Aura.

Let's have a look at what’s on offer. A big USP of the Amaze is that it comes with a CVT automatic while the other cars in the segment come with an AMT. Then there is the Honda Sensing (ADAS) tech, which is a segment-first. However, the inclusion of these technologies means that the top-end price of the Amaze is also the highest in the segment.

All the other cars in the segment are offered with a factory-fitted CNG option while the Amaze doesn’t. Honda is offering a CNG option but as a dealer fitment. The company will extend some warranty benefits (details not yet known), but people tend to trust the CNG cars that have come directly from the factory. All in all, knowing that this segment is price sensitive, we believe that Honda should’ve gone with aggressive pricing and should’ve also had a cheaper base variant.

You can download the Honda Amaze brochure here - 2024 Honda Amaze Brochure.pdf

[Omkar]

Exterior

Design & Styling

Since the concept sketches were released, it was quite evident that the new Amaze had drawn some inspiration from the City and the Elevate. In person, the car does look similar to the outgoing generation. Yes, there are new design elements, but overall, the new Amaze looks more like a major facelift rather than a new generation car. Some of the lines are similar and you can see the silhouette of the previous generation car here.

Up front, you can tell that the headlamps draw inspiration from the City, while the grille is similar to the one we’ve seen on the Elevate. In the side profile, there haven’t been any major changes apart from the alloy wheel design. At the rear, you have the new tail-lamps and a redesigned bumper. The new Amaze measures 3,995 mm in length, 1,733 mm in width (+38 mm) and 1,500 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,470 mm. Some notable exterior features include LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs with integrated turn indicators, LED projector fog lamps, LED tail-lamps, 15-inch alloy wheels, shark in antenna and more.

The Obsidian Blue Pearl colour is a new paint shade that has been introduced with the 3rd generation Amaze. The remaining 5 colours have been carried over from the previous generation – Radiant Read metallic (our test car), Golden Brown Metallic, Meteoroid Grey Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic and Platinum White Pearl.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The Amaze platform uses 46% high tensile steel with a high rigidity design on the front cross member, side sill and rear parcel tray area. In terms of kerb weight, the Amaze has gained 29-32 kg across variants and weighs 952 – 986 kg. The panel gaps are wide in some areas, but consistent. The bonnet has a fair deal of weight to it and the doors shut with a nice thud. The paint quality is satisfactory.

Wheels & Tyres

The base variant V comes with 14-inch steel wheels that are shod with 175/65 section tyres. The VX and ZX variants get the 15-inch alloys with wider 185/60 section rubber (2nd gen had 175/60 section tyres). The recommended tyre pressure is 32 PSI at the front and 30 PSI at the rear. The spare is a 14-inch steel wheel with a 175/70 section tyre.

Ground Clearance

Honda has increased the unladen ground clearance by 2 mm to 172 mm. We took the Amaze on some bad roads and over some high speed breakers as well. The car didn’t scrape anywhere. However, we didn’t load up the car with a full load of passengers and luggage either. So we’ll wait for Team-BHP ownership reports for the same.

Standard & Extended Warranty

The Amaze comes with a standard warranty of 3 years / unlimited km. The warranty can be extended up to 7 years and unlimited km. You can further extend the warranty up to 10 years / 1,20,000 km by renewing it every year. That should definitely build confidence in the long-term ownership of the Amaze. As always we strongly recommend you get the maximum coverage.

Safety

Honda has equipped the Amaze with Honda Sensing which is its Level 2 ADAS. This makes the Amaze, the most affordable car with ADAS. It is a camera-based system and doesn’t have a radar. Some of the features include Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Keeping Assist System, Auto High Beam and Lead Car Departure Notification. Apart from this, safety features that are standard across all variants are 6 airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all passengers, ESP and traction control, hill start assist, ABS + EBD, brake assist, emergency stop signal, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and rear parking sensors.

The safety rating of the 3rd generation Amaze safety ratings have not yet been revealed. It is worth noting that the prime competitor of the Amaze has recently received a 5-star safety rating from GNCAP. The 4th generation Dzire is the first Maruti car to receive a full 5 stars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtbH1LIrNlI

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

Step inside the cabin and you immediately feel at home because it’s a familiar Honda cabin. You get a new dashboard. This one is sleeker than the outgoing model and has a simpler design. The colour scheme is the same though and you still get a dual-tone black and beige dashboard. A big change is the floating 8-inch touchscreen. You’ll mostly see hard plastics here except for the armrest on the doorpad which gets a fabric insert. The overall design isn’t too loud or futuristic. There are simple design elements here and you won’t find excessive use of piano black or chrome.

The seats are draped in beige fabric which tends to soil easily. The steering is shared with the Honda Elevate and the City but doesn’t get leather wrapping. Glad to see physical buttons in the cabin. They’re nice to use and feel like they’ll last in the long run.

Space & Comfort

Getting in and out of the front seats isn’t very difficult. Honda has increased the width of the Amaze which they also claim has translated into cabin space. The difference isn’t noticeable right away, but there’s good cabin space up front. The headroom is also good for tall people. The seats have a good amount of side bolstering and lumbar support as well (not adjustable). After spending a long time in the driver’s seat, I found it to be a bit uncomfortable. Chetan however was fine with it. The underthigh support for the front seats also isn’t great which also can get uncomfortable over long distance driving. The front passengers don’t get an armrest as standard, but Honda offers it as an accessory. They should’ve just added it to the car!

Driving Position & Ergonomics

As we have come to expect with Honda cars, the ergonomics are perfect in the Amaze. Everything just falls into place and you will get acquainted with all the controls pretty quickly. The steering is adjustable to height, but not reach. One thing that needs to be mentioned is the to-and-fro adjustment of the driver’s seat. The range has been limited to free up more room at the back. We saw the same on the Elevate as well and this is an issue for tall drivers. At 5’10”, I was just okay with it, but someone with a slightly laid-back driving position or anyone who is taller than me will want to move the seat further back which is not possible. Talking about the pedals, the CVT was fairly comfortable. In the MT, the dead pedal was almost non-existent. Also, the clutch pedal was pretty high which can get very annoying if you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the city, especially stop-and-go traffic.

Cabin Storage

You’ll find a decent amount of storage in the cabin. All the door pockets can hold a 1-litre bottle and some other knick knacks. You get 2 cupholders in the centre console and a mobile holder / wireless charging pad. The glovebox is fairly sized as well. In the backseat, only the left-side passenger gets a seatback pocket. The rear passengers also get cupholders in the centre armrest.

Air-Conditioning

The base variant of the Amaze gets a manual air conditioner while the VX and ZX variants get automatic climate control. They also get rear AC vents which is a welcome feature for the Amaze. Honda has of course updated the blower motor for the rear AC vents. There is a Max Cool function which works quite well to cool the cabin quickly.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

This segment always sees a battle with features with manufacturers trying to add a lot of features while keeping the price in check. Honda has equipped the Amaze with ADAS making it the most affordable car with ADAS features. Other features include a lane watch camera, LED projector auto headlamps with follow me home / lead me to car function, LED tail lamps, LED fog lamps, reversing camera, auto-folding ORVMs, multi-function steering, rear AC vents, keyless entry & go, remote engine start (CVT only), walk away auto lock, and wireless charger.

The 8-inch touchscreen comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The car also comes with Honda Connect (connected car features). It does miss out on some features like 360-degree camera, rain-sensing wipers, centre armrest, auto-dimming IRVM, driver seat lumbar adjustment, a sunroof (Dzire gets it), and adjustable headrests for rear passengers. I think we’ve reached a point where type-C charging ports are a necessity and the Amaze doesn’t get even one. All the USB ports are Type A.

Audio System & Sound Quality

The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system is paired with a 6-speaker sound system. The touchscreen user interface is pretty basic and straightforward. There aren’t many menus to play around with and you can access a bunch of controls from the menu. The display is crisp but reflective. It even gets physical buttons on the side for quick access to certain functions. In terms of sound quality, it is pretty basic and feels flat for the most part. You can play around with the equalizer settings as per your preference, but all in all, this is a very average system and par for the segment.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

Things haven’t improved drastically in the rear seat department. The cabin width has gone up slightly, but seating 3 adults in the back seat is still tight. Getting in and out of the rear seat isn’t as easy as in a SUV. You have to ‘sit down’ in the car. Shouldn’t be a problem once you get used to it. The cushioning is soft and the rear seatback angle is also comfortable.

One big miss is that the Amaze gets fixed headrests for the rear passengers. Honda really should’ve given adjustable headrests here. Even the previous generation of the Dzire that came out in 2017 had adjustable headrests in the backseat. In terms of space, there’s adequate knee room (thanks to the restricted front seat movement) for someone of my height (5’10”). The front seatback is also scooped out to free up more space. Like the previous generation Amaze, the headroom is limited. I had about an inch and a half worth of headroom and people taller than me will find it tight. As mentioned earlier, the rear seat passengers do get AC vents and a 12V power socket.

Boot Space

The Honda Amaze has a boot space of 416 litres which is 4 litres less than the previous generation car. Compared to the other cars in the segment, this is a spacious boot. For reference, the Maruti Dzire has a boot space of 382 litres, the Hyundai Aura has a 402-litre boot, and the Tata Tigor has a boot space of 419 litres.

[Omkar]

Driving the Honda Amaze 1.2L Petrol MT

When we look at the compact sedan segment, we now have an all-petrol lineup. The 1.2-litre iVTEC SOHC petrol engine has been carried forward from the previous generation and it makes 88 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 110 Nm @ 4,800 rpm. It is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Some tweaks have been done to the gearing for better acceleration, but overall the engine-gearbox combo is very similar to the outgoing car. Honda claims that the new Amaze is 1.4 seconds faster in acceleration from 40-100 km/h. With a kerb weight of 952 kg, the power-to-weight ratio & torque-to-weight ratios are 92 BHP/ton & 115 Nm/ton respectively. This means that the car is fairly quick and good to putter around town in, but not something that you will enjoy driving fast.

One of the first things that we noticed is that the clutch travel is long. It’s light for sure, but the travel is noticeably long. With the clutch depressed, start the engine by pressing the engine start /stop button. You can get off the line with ease and very smoothly without any throttle input. Initial power delivery is smooth and there are no unnecessary jerks here. The clutch engagement and disengagement are seamless and you can drive the car at slow speeds smoothly. The engine has excellent driveability and in the city, you can drive around in second gear and occasionally third gear. It is effortless and can pull from low rpms with ease. The gears have been well spaced out so you don’t have to keep shifting often.

Get on the highway and you can flex your right foot to get a feel of the entire rev range. Power comes in at about ~2,500 rpm and stays till ~5,500 rpm. The engine revs till 6,750 rpm which is good to see in a naturally aspirated engine. The engine is free-revving and there are no flat spots as such in the rev range. It has a nice pull which makes the engine very predictable and you can plan your overtakes accordingly. The cruising rpms are on the higher side and you will see the engine spinning at 2,950 rpm while doing 100 km/h in 5th gear and at ~3,500 rpm while doing 120 km/h. You will have to drop down a gear if you want to make a quick overtaking manoeuvre.

The 5-speed manual transmission is great to use. It is slick and sure slotting. The throws are not short, but of perfect length and the gates are well-defined as well. The clutch is light, but as mentioned earlier, the travel is long. Moreover, the resting angle of the clutch is also high which can get uncomfortable while driving around in the city for a long time:

Driving the Honda Amaze 1.2L Petrol CVT

The Amaze remains the only car in the compact sedan segment to offer a proper automatic transmission. Honda has carried forward the petrol 7-step CVT powertrain from the previous generation and in a sea of AMTs, it still remains the go-to choice if you want a smooth automatic for driving around in the city. It even gets paddle shifters to move through the CVT steps. Honda hasn’t made any major changes to the engine, but they’ve made some tweaks to the transmission logic. The changes are claimed to improve the responsiveness of the CVT. In the real world, the changes are pretty minor to notice and the behavior of the CVT is almost the same as the previous generation Amaze. You will notice that our observations are also similar except for a few tweaks.

To begin with, the seamless power delivery to the wheels (which is typical of CVTs) and the refined i-VTEC engine are very relaxing within city limits. The Amaze CVT doesn't feel laggy here and there is sufficient grunt to get you moving. The response to throttle inputs is decent and the CVT is smooth in traffic. At times the throttle response can feel a bit too sharp when coming on and off the throttle. With a light foot, the experience is refined, while noise levels are kept low. The Amaze does make for a great urban commuter.

As the road opens up, until mid-range accelerator inputs, NVH and the trademark 'rubber band effect' are controlled. Performance is reasonably peppy too. On the downside, start getting heavy with your accelerator inputs and the driving experience becomes awfully annoying. Kickdown response sometimes takes a good 2-3 seconds in D mode and it's best to prepare the car before making your overtaking moves. On ghat sections, D mode feels particularly lethargic and needs a heavy foot to get going (I preferred S mode here). As we've seen with so many CVTs, there is a huge mismatch in engine revs and the actual road speed - you'll see the rpm needle climbing with no corresponding increase on the speedometer. Transmission whine is also audible when it's made to work hard.

The high-revving i-VTEC gets irritating with its noise in the CVT. CVTs usually perform better with larger engines / more torque and we have seen that in the City 1.5. However, there's no escaping this rubber-band effect & resultant lag with the puny 1.2L petrol. The actual performance is acceptable and the Amaze CVT accelerates alright - the engine's strong top end is the saving grace, but we still didn't enjoy pushing this car due to the CVT's behaviour under heavy throttle input. The CVT is at home with a gentle & easy driving style only. You need to be calm behind the wheel of this car. For travelling long distances, the CVT's ability to cruise in a relaxed manner is good. The cruising rpms of the CVT are much lower than the MT model. 100 km/h comes up at just 1,600 rpm, while 120 km/h is seen at just above 2,000 rpm. The same speeds come up at 3,000 rpm and ~3,500 rpm in ‘S’ mode. Note that these rpms are higher than our readings of the previous generation of the Amaze.

S mode basically keeps the engine revs higher. S mode can be very useful in preparing the car for overtaking (before actually making the overtaking move). It also gives you some more engine braking. But don't be fooled - this S mode isn't sporty! For more control, it's best to use the paddle shifters. To engage manual mode, use the paddles when in S mode and the MID will show "M" with the current gear (actually, step) selected. In M mode, the gearbox will take the revs to ~6,000 rpm before upshifting. Use M mode for overtaking & engine braking. We found the paddle-shifter's response times to be decent. Do note that the paddle shifters can be used in D mode too, although the gearbox goes back to full auto mode after a few seconds of not using the paddles.

New console for the transmission mode selector, but the same operation:

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

In terms of NVH, Honda has worked on certain areas to improve the cabin experience. There seems to be a new design for the torque rod (the link that connects the engine to the chassis) for better vibration control. Honda has also made changes to the dashboard insulator and used spray foam application for better noise insulation.

The MT and the CVT have different cabin experiences when it comes to NVH. What’s common is that the engine doesn’t sound very sporty at high revs. In fact, at high rpms, the it starts sounding strained which is not pleasant. With the manual transmission, the rpm levels at cruising speeds are on the higher side which means that you hear the engine inside the cabin. This, over a prolonged period of time, can get annoying.

In the CVT however, the rpm levels are low at cruising speeds which means that the cabin isn’t noisy. However, while overtaking the rpms are high which again increases the noise in the cabin. At low speeds, while driving in the city with a light foot, the cabin is pretty silent. Some wind & road noise is audible at 90 km/h and gets louder after 100 km/h.

Mileage & Fuel economy

The claimed fuel efficiency for the MT is 18.65 km/l and that for the CVT, is 19.46 km/l. When you compare these numbers with the previous generation car, the MT number is pretty much the same, but the CVT number has gone up by almost 1.1 km/l. We’ll have to look for some Team-BHP ownership reports for a real-world picture.

The Honda Amaze is now E20 compatible. Fuel tank capacity = 35 litres:


The 1.2-litre iVTEC SOHC petrol engine makes 88 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 110 Nm @ 4,800 rpm:


No insulation under the bonnet. Given the loud nature of the engine at high rpms, some insulation would’ve been appreciated:

Suspension

Ride Comfort

Like before, the Amaze gets a McPherson strut suspension setup at the front and a torsion bar rear. The suspension is compliant and the priority here is comfort. At low speeds, the bump absorption is pretty good and the ride remains comfortable. The suspension also works silently over small bumps and potholes. The big ones do register themselves with a loud thud. Out on the highway, the ride quality remains compliant. There isn’t excessive vertical movement and over road undulations, the car manages to settle down nicely. Within limits, the car manages to maintain composure.

Handling & Dynamics

Like the previous generation, the Amaze is more of a neutral handler than a corner carver. There is a slight improvement though and the car feels more planted than before. High-speed stability is good and the car doesn’t feel twitchy or nervous. We found some undulations on the highways of Goa and while we had to struggle a bit with the steering, the car never felt nervous at high speeds. You get wider 185 mm tyres now which should help with the grip. Around the corners the grip level is satisfactory, but the tyres squeal when you corner hard. Our test car had MRF ZVTV ECOTRED tyres which aren’t really meant for enthusiastic driving. There is body roll, but it's not excessive and is well controlled. To sum it up, the car is a good handler and on par for the segment.

Steering

If you’re used to Maruti or Hyundai steering, you will find the EPS on the Honda Amaze to be on the heavier side. There is heft even at low speeds which isn’t something you see normally. It’s not excessively heavy though, but some people don’t like a heavy steering. In terms of feedback, it is fairly direct and gives a good feel in the corners.

Braking

The brakes work as expected; nothing to complain about, nothing to write home about. There is no drama under hard braking and the car stops in a straight line. The brakes have sufficient stopping power, but they are not what we would call 'excellent'. You'll want more bite, especially if you are driving the automatic fast. ABS + EBD is standard on all variants of the Amaze.

[Omkar]

Honda Amaze Exterior Images

The front face gets a major makeover with a new grille, new headlamps and a new bumper. While the previous generation looked more aggressive, the 3rd generation Amaze has a more mature look. The design is more subtle:


Same can be said about the rear as well. The Honda City-like tail lamps make the rear look sleeker. The lack of chrome looks good here:


In the side profile, the car looks very similar to the previous generation car. Honda says that the Amaze has a traditional sedan 3-box design, but it does look like it has been chopped off at the rear:


Overall build quality is satisfactory and up to segment standards. The Amaze manages to look good in person:


It measures 3,995 mm in length, 1,733 mm in width and 1,500 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,470 mm and the ground clearance has gone up by 2 mm to 172 mm:


You now get these sleek dual pod LED Projector headlamps with integrated LED DRLs:


The DRLs double up as turn indicators as well:


The grille adorns the Honda badge and gets a big chrome strip on top. It also gets nice detailing in gloss black:


LED projector fog lamp gets a stylish black plastic insert around it:


Front gets a good amount of underbody protection:


Very sculpted bonnet like the previous generation car. The two bulges on the side are visible from the driver’s seat which is something new drivers appreciate:


The Amaze gets a camera-based ADAS system. As of now, it is the most affordable car to get ADAS:


Honda has moved the placement of the ORVM from the A-pillar to the door. It aids visibility from the inside and also provides more space for the lane watch camera:


15-inch alloy wheels on the VX and ZX variants. The design is more simple and straightforward and quite likeable:


Wheels are shod with 185/60 section tyres. Rear wheels get drum brakes:


Not a big fan of the chrome door handles. Both front doors get request sensors:


A look at the body-coloured roof. No sunroof here:


The Sharkfin antenna sits towards the rear:


A look at the LED tail lamp. I like the detailing and the unit looks sleek. Also, check out the ‘Amaze’ badge on the boot:


Bumper gets reflectors at the bottom and you can see the rear tow hook in the middle. Glad that the thick chrome strip on the bumper of the 2021 facelift has been removed. Also, the exhaust pipe is more concealed than before:


The reversing camera is tucked in between the number plate lights next to the boot release button:


This is the Amaze in the Obsidian Blue Pearl shade which has been newly added. I think it looks similar to Maruti’s Nexa Blue:

[Omkar]

Honda Amaze Interior Images

You get a new dashboard design on the inside. Like the previous generation, it is also finished in black and beige. It still very much feels like a Honda cabin with good ergonomics:


New steering wheel from Honda City and Elevate makes its way to the Amaze as well. No leather wrapping though. The steering is adjustable to height and not reach:


Buttons for the infotainment system, MID, telephony and voice commands are placed on the left spoke, while buttons for cruise control, adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist are placed on the right spoke:


On the CVT variant, you get a nice set of paddle shifters behind the steering wheel:


Left stalk has the wiper functions, whereas the right stalk controls the headlamps and front fog lamps. While automatic headlamps have been provided, automatic rain-sensing wipers have been left out:


Since the ORVM has been moved from A-pillar to the door, the visibility has improved:


Part-digital part-analogue instrument cluster is similar to other Honda cars. The speedometer is analogue and you get a 7-inch full-colour MID:


The digital MID displays a lot of information like fuel consumption, trip meter, outside temperature, G-meter, and ADAS-related functions:


Here’s a look at all the menus of the instrument cluster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jKnIBijxko

Horizontal AC vents have a simple design. The brushed silver insert below looks nice:


Engine start / stop button gets a gloss black finish and a ring around it:


The key fob has the same design as the previous car, but it now also gets remote engine start (for CVT variants):


Traction control button has been placed on the right-hand side of the driver along with the headlamp leveller. Dummy buttons don’t look good:


The doorpad also carries a black and beige theme. No brushed silver here, but you get a piano black strip at the top:


The armrest gets a cloth finish which is nice to see here. Power window and mirror control console have been carried forward:


Front seats provide good side support, but the under-thigh support is lacking. I also found the lumbar support to be excessive which can get irritating over long drives. They’re finished in fabric and also have side airbags, so please do not add seat covers. You get height adjustment for the driver’s seat:


All passengers get grab handles. These are of the soft-closing type:


Footwell is similar to the outgoing car. The pedals are well spaced and the dead pedal is also set at a nice angle. We wish Honda would’ve given a stick-on for better grip though (reference image):


In the manual variant, the dead pedal is almost non-existent. The clutch pedal as you can see is pretty high and the travel is long as well:


Bonnet and fuel cap release flaps are placed on the right:


Even the driver-side sunvisor gets a mirror. But none of the sun visors get a light:


IRVM is decently sized, but gets manual dimming:


Visibility from the mirror is alright. The new rear headrests do reduce the visibility:


As mentioned above, the new rear headrests obstruct rearward visibility:


ORVMs provide a good view of the back:


The 8-inch floating touchscreen display gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The display is clear and crisp and you also get physical buttons on the side for quick access. The interface isn’t very laggy as well, but the screen is pretty reflective. Just in this picture, you can see the passenger-side headrest on the screen:


It has a simple user interface. You can control a bunch of vehicle-related functions through the touchscreen. The camera display of the lane watch camera could’ve been better. The reversing camera has 3 views:


Here’s a look at some of the additional functions of the screen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm2kAyaAvhE

It’s good to see physical controls for climate control. You also get a ‘Max Cool’ button to cool the cabin faster:


Below, you have a wireless charging pad and two regular USB ports. Surprisingly, no USB-C port in the Amaze. Once you keep your phone on the charging pad, you have to press the button below to start charging:


You get two cupholders ahead of the transmission mode selector / gear lever:


No center armrest here. It is available as an accessory, but Honda should’ve offered it as standard:


Passenger side of the dashboard gets this unique textured design:


The glovebox is well-sized, but doesn’t get illumination or ventilation:


Yellow cabin lights don’t feel premium. Should’ve been white LEDs:


A look at the rear seat. Honda says that the cabin width has gone up, but it would still be difficult to seat three adults in the back seat. All three passengers however get 3-point seatbelts and fixed headrests:


This is me seated behind my driving position (I’m 5’10” tall). I had decent knee room (thanks to the scooped front seats), but the headroom was just enough. Anyone taller than me would have their head brushing the roof. Under-thigh support also could’ve been better, but it’s not very uncomfortable. The window area is good and you won’t feel claustrophobic here. The backrest is also set at a nice angle:


It’s sad to see fixed headrests even in this generation of the Amaze. The previous generation Dzire had adjustable headrests for rear passengers:


The center armrest just drops down on the seat and in the resting position, feels a bit low. It has 2 cupholders:


Rear passengers finally get AC vents. The blower motor has been updated for the additional load:


You get a 12V power outlet at the bottom:


The Honda Amaze has a boot space of 416 litres which is 4 litres less than the previous generation car. It is still one of the biggest boots in the segment:


Spare is a steel wheel with 175/70 section tyre:


Boot gets a halogen bulb. Check out the exposed wiring here. Honda should’ve covered it up:


Thankfully, the boot lid gets full covering:

[Omkar]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[UD17]

If i had to choose one between Amaze and Dzire, i would go-ahead with Amaze for:

- 1.2 iVTEC engine and its characteristics
- CVT vs the AMT
- Fuss free ownership experience with Honda brand
- Will age better than Dzire. Overall build quality of amaze seems better than Dzire (yet to see new generation of both)
- Low service cost (dealt with both brands, i am sure DZire will cost more in service)
- Honda brand feels more premium than Suzuki/Maruti

[professortarzan]

I had the first generation Brio for ~13 years and I have been looking around for a new car. I was quite hopeful for the new Amaze, but once the spy shots were out, I suspected that it will quintessentially be a (low priced) Honda. And I am not wrong.

While I appreciate Honda giving more appealing design and making some improvements, they still did not address the undesirable aspects of their product. For instance, why isn't there an auto IRVM even in the top-end? Why aren't the rear headrests adjustable? In CVT, why aren't the shifter modes backlit? Why is cabin insulation still sub-par? How hard or expensive is it to address all these points? The cabin by itself doesn't look very desirable (no pun intended) and other ergonomic issues mentioned in the review can make it a pain in the longer run. A leather wrap on the steering wheel would also be appreciated, but I understand they don't want to give the full 'City' experience in a lower priced car. The design sketches were drool worthy, but reality is just meh. I admit that I am nitpicking, but for me, these aspects make a lot of difference in the ownership experience.

I would happily trade a digital tachometer, wireless charger, ADAS for the above mentioned points. And I did. I eventually got a Glanza where all these points are addressed. I am quite happy with my decision but every now and then, I used to have a slight apprehension if I overlooked the Amaze. Not anymore. The new Amaze is a good car, but it won't lead the segment. I understand that the mass market's priorities are different to mine. It should be able to bring in decent sales for Honda, but by no means would it be their savior.

PS: I know that Amaze has undergone massive upgrade after the first gen Brio/Amaze. So my personal ownership isn't necessarily a yardstick. However my neighbor has the second gen Amaze, I have driven it and it is undoubtedly a better car in every aspect.

Edit: It is pointed by saikishor that the shifter modes are indeed backlit.

[UD17]

Originally Posted by professortarzan

I was quite hopeful for the new Amaze, but once the spy shots were out, I suspected that it will quintessentially be a (low priced) Honda. And I am not wrong.

You can witness and experience the car in dealerships now.

While some issues (like auto ORVM, Cabin feel etc.) you highlighted are true but please understand this is a no-nonsense budget family car. IMHO Amaze still provides a great value in this segment with CVT transmission and nice sleek design to the dashboard.

[saikishor]

The gear lever does have backlit markings. I had seen this in a showroom vehicle. Please verify and correct.

[professortarzan]

Originally Posted by UD17

You can witness and experience the car in dealerships now.

While some issues (like auto ORVM, Cabin feel etc.) you highlighted are true but please understand this is a no-nonsense budget family car. IMHO Amaze still provides a great value in this segment with CVT transmission and nice sleek design to the dashboard.

I agree, it is a no-nonsense budget car and Honda would definitely have data to believe that the features offered make more sense to the masses.

But personally, while upgrading, I do not want to be dealing with the same niggles in a new car. It should be offering a better experience in areas that matter to me. The top-end automatic costs more than 10 lakh ex-showroom, which means I have to shell out extra 5% on registration and still compromise on the downsides. Or I have to settle for ZX MT or VX CVT, which is even a bigger compromise. I am not blaming Honda for the pricing, just saying that addressing minor issues would make it even more appealing to shell out the final on-road price.

This is the evaluation of someone who knows how bulletproof a Honda can be and still prefers a competing vehicle. I can live with an AMT instead of a CVT as it is a matter of convenience rather than spirited driving. Again, this is purely a personal point of view. What would be the thoughts of a new car buyer, or someone who is looking at Honda for the first time, or a conscious buyer who sees Honda not doing well with the sales numbers? Only the monthly charts will tell.

[Katryks]

Thanks for the detailed review. The car would definetly bring in lot more volumes for Honda. I own a Jazz CVT and its a breeze to drive around the city. The car looks a lot more premium compared to Dzire or even Aura in my opinion with all the bells and whistles added. This car will age very well. Would definitely go for the Amaze compared to Dzire any day.

[JonSnow]

What is the servicing schedule for this vehicle? I think Honda used to have a 6 month servicing schedule but not sure if they changed it to annual schedule or not.

[PB65]

Well given Honda's current state in India, one would've expected a better effort. The leanings from the botched Elevate launch could've have gone into making the Amaze a better product. At launch the Elevate had just one USP, ADAS. Similar to this scenario. We all know what happened next.

Next, if Hyundai launches a new Aura, with ADAS, we are going to see the same Maruti Hyundai dominance in this segment.

Again, expected better positioning / a more rounded product from Honda. Honda's reliability doesn't have the strong pull nowadays, and we've already seen that.

[AYP]

Is the top speed of the 3rd gen Amaze limited to 140KMPH like the previous generations?