Amazing HONDA
The Amaze is based on the Brio Hatchback and is specifically targeted to the Indian Market. Amaze has a lot of advantages. It is a sub four meter sedan, but it does not look like hatch with a boot, the boot is perfectly joined to the car with some amazing design works, the Amaze certainly looks like a sedan. The 1500 cc all aluminium earth dreams diesel engine which can boast of a mileage of 25 kmpl which can go and capture the heart of mileage conscious Indian customer.
What makes this car stand out from other sub four metre sedan is the cohesiveness of the design. Unlike its competition the Desire which is the currently best seller in this class, the Amaze does not look chopped from the rear. The side line flows effortlessly from the front to the back. The reason it doesn’t look like a hatch fitted with a box is. Honda planned this Brio-based saloon from day one
Honda has spent money in lengthening the wheelbase and as a result there is more cabin space. Amaze has plenty of cabin space. . The Amaze can easily accommodate four large adults inside, with enough head-, shoulder- and legroom for all. The longer doors also make getting in and out of the back really easy. The Amaze gets driver seat height adjustment and rear-seat passengers get a new foldaway elbow rest as well. Other plus points include the dashboard that gives you great forward visibility.
The interior and especially the dashboard look similar to that of the Brio, and while this works well on the hatchback, but not quite impressive for a sedan. There are seven cup holders. The interior can be called decent with no luxury splash. The interior design focuses on functionality than on luxury. But with the price and functionality and the market segment luxury can take a back seat. The driver seat adjustment the longer armrest also makes it stand out from the rest of the sedan.
Honda’s first diesel for India
There have been some mixed reviews for the Honda Diesel Engine. The power delivery and driving manners are brilliant, but on the other hand the engine is a little bit noisy. The all-aluminium engine, though lighter sends out more noise than a typical diesel engine. There is no much turbo lag and starts accelerating even at 1200 RPM. The Amazes’ power delivery hides its performance because there is no sudden surge of power. The Amaze is absolutely a really nice to drive in city traffic, where you need a responsive engine. Honda engineers say they have tuned the Amaze to suit the Indian driving style of shifting up early and rarely exceeding 3,500rpm.
The petrol motor is as same one in the Brio and that means it has good parts throttle responses. But, when you try to push it for overtaking you can feel a slight dullness, and it can be a problem, but the top end performance is really good. The Amaze petrol’s super-light curb weight of 965kgs, will post a rather impressive 0-100kph time of 13.27Sec. The automatic gearbox-equipped petrol Amaze and it felt quite energetic. Initial responses to the throttle are good and the Amaze takes off from the rest with a considerable amount of acceleration.
The Japanese major has also given the Amaze a good amount of ground clearance almost the same as the Brio. That means the notorious Indian roads will not take a toll on the under body even with a full load. The raised long-travel suspension also helps it ride well over Indian roads. Apart from the odd stuttering noises, the suspension tackles potholes and bumps rather well. The improved really compromise driving manners. The Amaze feels well planted and precise around corners, and this feeling of confidence and poise remains even at higher speeds. The power steering which is electrically assisted gives you a precise driving experience in low speeds and even in higher speeds.
Honda is set to break some sales records with the Amaze, the strength of Amaze lies in the fact that despite being a sub four entrant it does not ill proportioned like its competitors. The interiors are spacious. The diesel engine is tuned to the Indian customer and there is a good amount of power and torque when it is needed. The big news is the mileage the diesel motor provides which is a record breaking 25.8kmpl as per ARAI test rules. Actual figures may be lower but one can expect the Amaze to be incredibly frugal in daily use. To achieve such low fuel consumption with a 1.5 litre engine and near 100bhp is in itself an achievement.
When we look at the overall picture, however, and the new Amaze clearly has almost everything else buyers in this class are looking for, and now with prices announced its become even more desirable too. The Honda Amaze prices start at Rs 4.99lakh for the base petrol and goes upto Rs 7lakh for the top-of-the-line VX variant. While the Amaze diesel price starts at a low Rs 5.99 lakh and the top VX diesel will set you back by Rs 7.60 lakhs. These prices match the Maruti Dzire and it is only about Rs 10,000 more expensive variant.
