Boasting a flatter front end highlighted by an expansive chrome logo bar, headlights seemingly derived by from the Accord and diamond cut alloy wheels taken from the City (Ballade), the Amaze measures 3 995mm in overall length (+ five millimetres) with a height of 1 501mm, wheelbase of 2 470mm (+65mm) and width of 1 695mm (+15mm).
The gain in dimensions has also attributed to a slight increase in overall weight, with Honda quoting 940kg-1 075kg versus the old car’s 905kg-1 039kg. The Amaze’s longer wheelbase has however improved boot space by 20-litres to 420-litres, with Honda further claiming a 10 mm and 25 mm uptake in shoulder and rear headroom.
In spite of being more conservatively styled than its more youthful looking predecessor, the Amaze has been reworked inside, with a new seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system incorporating Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation on top-spec models, redesigned climate control switches, multi-function steering wheel seemingly taken from the CR-V and dual USB ports.
Model-wise, the Amaze will be offered in four trim levels; E, S, V and VX with power coming from a normally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol developing 66kW/110Nm of torque, or a 1.5-litre turbodiesel making 74kW/200Nm in models fitted with the five-speed manual gearbox.
In addition to the aforementioned ‘box being standard on the petrol, a CVT with paddle shifters can be had as an option, although its application on the diesel sees power dropping to 60 kW and torque to 160 Nm.
Set to rival home-grown models such as the Volkswagen Ameo, Ford Aspire (Figo sedan), Hyundai Xcent and top-selling Maruti Suzuki DZire, the Amaze is yet to be confirmed for local introduction with the same applying to the still-to-be-seen Brio, shown in concept form as the Small RS Concept in Indonesia earlier this month.
PRICING
MODEL | PRICE |
Amaze 1.2 E | Rs 560 000 (R103 433) |
Amaze 1.5 DTEC E | Rs 660 000 (R121 903) |
Amaze 1.2 S | Rs 650 000 (R120 056) |
Amaze 1.2 S CVT | Rs 740 000 (R136 679) |
Amaze 1.5 DTEC S | Rs 760 000 (R140 373) |
Amaze 1.5 DTEC S CVT | Rs 840 000 (R155 150) |
Amaze 1.2 V | Rs 710 000 (R131 138) |
Amaze 1.2 V CVT | Rs 800 000 (R147 762) |
Amaze 1.5 DTEC V | Rs 820 000 (R151 456) |
Amaze 1.5 DTEC V CVT | Rs 900 000 (R166 232) |
Amaze 1.2 VX | Rs 758 000 (R140 004) |
Amaze 1.5 DTEC VX | Rs 868 000 (R160 321) |
IMAGES from autocarindia.com