New Honda Amaze Petrol MT First Drive Review

The otherwise stagnant sub-four-metre sedan segment has been revived with the launch of the new generations of the Dzire and the Amaze in quick succession. The folks of Maruti have given the Dzire all the bells and whistles, including a five-star NCAP rating. But does the new Amaze have what it takes to win a larger chunk of the pie in this segment? We find out.

Yes, the 2024 Amaze has taken inspiration from its elder siblings a fair bit, including the posterior of the City and the front, specifically the headlamps and the grille, from the Elevate. But there isn’t any reason it shouldn’t, as both these cars are a success for the company in India, and having a familiar or family design only makes one feel more connected with the car and the brand.

What does stand out though is the roofline, which now tapers more than that of the outgoing iteration, thus lending it a semi-coupe styling if I may. Thankfully, the Amaze takes a duck when it comes to the connected light setup, something that has become more than just a norm in today’s age.

The cabin of the new Amaze is fresh and gets loads of changes all around. The front seats now get more bolstering on either side, and the visibility out at the front is marginally better thanks to the revised and now sleeker A-pillars. There are a few elements such as the dual-tone black and beige theme and the overall steering wheel design, which remain largely unchanged, not that we’re complaining. The quality of plastics is on par for the segment, although we would’ve appreciated minor updates such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever.

Moving to the second row, the first notable addition is the rear AC vents, which are pretty useful, and Honda has updated this without compromising on the storage space between the front two seats. The armrest, though a useful feature, can be a tad bit tough to use, considering that it sits down flat on the seat, not mid-way, which would be ideal for occupants of multiple builds. What doesn’t help this case is the lack of a strap to pull it out of its conventional closed position.

The second-row space with three occupants is a bit limited, especially with respect to the shoulder room. There is ample legroom even with the front seat set to my position, although the headroom leaves only a few inches of space to the roof. What truly stands out for the Amaze is its bootspace, which is certified for 416 litres, and easily gobbled up two small suitcases and four backpacks with more room to spare.

Honda hasn’t really skimped in the features department, and it gets niceties like six airbags, eight-inch touchscreen unit, LED projector headlamps, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, height-adjustable driver seat, air purifier, and LED taillights right from the base variant. The top-spec ZX variant is further equipped with LED projector fog lights, 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, wireless charger, remote engine start function, and adaptive cruise control. It also boasts a segment-first Level 2 ADAS suite and a lane watch camera. If we had to nitpick in this department, it would be the lack of an electric sunroof and ventilated front seats.

Under the hood of the Amaze is the customary 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated iVTEC petrol engine. Sending power to the front wheels via a five-speed manual or a CVT gearbox, it develops 89bhp and 110Nm. Notably, Honda is the first automaker in the segment to offer an automatic version even in the base V variant. The OEM claims a mileage of up to 19.46kmpl, something that we plan to put to the test in the near future. A CNG version, fitted at the dealer level, will also be introduced soon.

Twist the key, err, push the button, and the Amaze comes to life with a slight and pleasant rumble. Honda claims to have worked on the manual transmission for more low-end torque in the first two gears and this is noticed instantly as you roll off a speedbreaker or the like midway. It requires lesser accelerator input and moves ahead without any drama in most of the aforementioned cases. That said, give it an incline of about 20 degrees or more and it begins to struggle until you downshift from second gear to first, and it is only then that the surge of torque actually kicks in.

What left us impressed was the suspension and the way it handled bad roads without passing the majority of the effect in the cabin. No doubt then that the ride is aimed at comfort and thus sits on the softer side. The NVH, not including the exhaust note on startup, is well contained too, and the refinement of the engine results in a fairly quiet cabin unless the car is pushed hard.

We even tried our hand at the ADAS suite which is a segment-first offering. Starting with the lane departure warning, it worked accurately when the car noticed even a slight deviation in the path. That said, with the lack of or incomplete markings on our roads, it did lose its way once in a while. Next up was the lane keep assist, which, though it had a similar issue with unmarked lanes, helped us maintain our track on the otherwise free roads of Goa. The final one was the adaptive cruise control, which has various levels to adapt to when keeping a distance from the car ahead. The car effortlessly holds the speed of the car in front, as accurately as possible, with a rare deviation of 1kmph due to undulations, potholes, and the like. Again, what doesn’t work in its favour is the undisciplined drivers who abruptly cut lanes, thus sending the car into an alert along with a sudden drop in speed. The latter could also result in a mishap if the following car doesn’t keep an appropriate distance.

The new Amaze has a lot going for it, be it the family-esque design, the impressive set of features it offers, including a few segment-firsts, or the value-for-money proposition it offers, right from the base variant itself. Sure, it does have a few drawbacks such as the lack of powertrain options or a few feel-good features that have been given a miss, but it more than makes up for it in various other departments such as the ride quality and the huge bootspace.

Key rivals to the 2024 Honda Amaze include the new Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Aura, and the Tata Tigor. It is priced between Rs. 8 lakh and Rs. 10.9 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). At this price, the Amaze should definitely be in your consideration, if not the final few.

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi