Honda went back to the drawing board for the second-generation Amaze, and this car, unlike the previous, has been developed ground up, on an all-new platform, to be a base for future models. It’s no longer a Brio with a boot, but a fresh, all-new compact sedan. It is longer, wider and taller than the outgoing car, while the wheelbase is a significant 65mm longer than before.
Look, feel, functionality
Overall, the design is striking and nothing like the previous car’s. The buff and vertical nose look unconventional and could split opinion, but what works to make the Amaze look wider than it is, are the thick, signature chrome grille bar and the stretched, flat bonnet. The sides are a lot cleaner and get a single character line which looks neat but not quite as distinctive as the prominent two slashes across the earlier Amaze’s flanks. The car looks premium, with the chunky C-shaped tail-lamps giving it a mini-Civic look.
Like before, there’s a 90hp, 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol and a 100hp, 1.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine, mated to either a five-speed manual or an automatic (CVT). The diesel-CVT makes 20% less power compared to the manual, done to preserve the life of the transmission and for smoother performance.
In addition, Honda has made several enhancements to improve efficiency, as well as reduce the vibrations and harshness levels in the diesel. Its 100hp, 1,498cc, four-cylinder diesel behaves just like before, and remains very responsive to accelerator inputs. Power builds in a very linear manner, and although the boost comes in at around 1,800rpm, there’s ample power available even below that — so those used to shifting-up early in diesels won’t have to deal with delayed power delivery. Even at high revs, this engine doesn’t sound unrefined. While the diesel drone is still present in the cabin, that rattling from the engine is eliminated.
Brisk, effortless performance
The five-speed manual gearbox is one of the best in the business with short and precise throws, while the clutch is light to use. The talking point is the diesel CVT that’s a segment first and a first for Honda too. Power and torque have been reduced by 20% to 80hp and 160Nm, but the good news is that the Amaze doesn’t drive like it’s got such a deficit.
Yes, there is a bit of that rubberband effect, and the engine does drone when you’ve got it wound up to max revs, but the minute you ease off, the CVT lets the engine revs drop to let the Amaze cruise happily and without fuss.
The petrol is the familiar 90hp, 1.2-litre engine and there’s hardly any change in the way it drives. As long as you’re gentle with the accelerator, the engine rewards users with smooth and refined performance in the city. Unfortunately, the weak mid-range of this engine is also carried over, which calls for frequent gear changes. Although the five-speed manual is easy to drive, there’s also a CVT option, which works seamlessly in the city. However, when driven hard, it holds the revs at higher rpms, making the engine feel a bit stressed, and this becomes more pronounced when the car is loaded with passengers and luggage. The petrol CVT also gets paddleshifters.
Ride comfort
The car handles rough roads very capably and doesn’t toss passengers around on broken roads. If there was one concern though, it was that, with four passengers and luggage, the rear of the car bottoms out (just like the older Civic) on speed breakers, as a result of the soft rear suspension and long wheelbase. The steering has a bit of vagueness around the centre position, but it remains well-weighted and precise as the speeds build. Overall stability is fantastic, and the Amaze has a secure, planted feel of a bigger car.
There’s a significant step up on the inside too — be it space or appeal. The two-tone dashboard might seem a bit busy with lots of design elements, but, more importantly, it offers a big jump in the quality. The plastics though not ‘soft-touch’ are nicely textured and have a premium feel. Certain bits like the steering controls, climate control knobs and buttons are superbly finished, and the meaty steering wheel is great to grip.
A huge improvement are the well-contoured front seats, which now get adjustable neck restraints and high-quality fabrics. The touchscreen is smooth to operate, and it is easy to navigate through the various menus, but the hard buttons on the side are too tiny and feel flimsy to operate. Also, we wish Honda offered a good old-fashioned rotary knob for the volume. The Amaze comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in addition to satellite navigation, which is now de rigueur in today’s competitive market. The back seat is very comfortable with a comfy recline angle and ample thigh support. Legroom is huge too for a car of this size, and because the front seatbacks are scooped in, knee room is ample.
Although the new Amaze misses out on rear air-con vents, the air-con compressor has been upgraded to larger capacity units, and yes, it cools the cabin very rapidly. In terms of equipment though, the top variants feature cruise control, keyless entry/go, tilt steering adjustment, touchscreen infotainment system, climate control and the petrol-automatic gets paddleshifters. Safety kits like ABS, EBD, dual airbags and Isofix child seat mounts on the rear seat are standard across the range. What’s nice is that there are several well-shaped storage areas across the cabin, including bottle holders in the doors. The boot is now larger by 20 litres, taking the total cargo capacity to 420 litres, which is segment-best.
Can Honda’s new Amaze take the fight to the segment-ruling Suzuki Dzire? No doubt it offers a lot more, but will all that come at a price? Honda knows it has to be priced competitively to lure customers away from its rivals, and that’s what it’s most likely to do. Finally, there’s a strong alternative to the Dzire.
