Vehicles such as the Civic, the Jazz and more recently, the Brio have cemented this good brand perception. More recently though, the brand has introduced a new small car, badged the Amaze.
Previously, the Amaze was the sedan version of the budget Brio, then badged Brio Amaze, but much like its Suzuki rival, the Dzire, the Amaze is now a standalone model. Unlike the Suzuki though, the Amaze has not been accompanied by a new Brio. Likely as a result of Honda Southern Africa sourcing its budget models from India, where the Amaze is preferred to the Brio, it still begs the question; would a hatchback not be a more viable sales option within the current automotive market locally?
I think that the question I’ve posed above is more rhetorical than anything else because all sales statistics point to hatchbacks being the preferred budget car choice. Then we get on to the styling, which is something that you’ll either love or loathe. The large chrome grille and protruding bonnet line do give the Amaze a unique appearance, even if it’s a controversial one. With the elephant(s) in the room addressed, we can continue to the press unit that I drove recently.
The unit in question was the top-spec Comfort model albeit equipped with a manual gearbox and not the CVT automatic. For the R193 900 asking price, you’ll get a relatively old-school, but easy-to-use radio with Bluetooth/USB/ AUX and four-speaker sounds, system, a multi-function steering wheel, climate control, electric windows, ABS and two airbags.
Powering the Amaze is the familiar 66kW/110Nm 1.2-litre naturally aspirated i-VTEC motor which is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The powertrain makes for acceptable progress and exceptional fuel returns which read 5.7-litres/100km after a week of driving.
In terms of practicality, the Amaze doesn’t disappoint with a large 420-litre boot and respectable space at the rear for passengers. Although, in typical budget sedan fashion, the rear seat doesn’t fold flat, limiting loading possibilities. In terms of the interior ergonomics, the layout is simple and quite elegant, but expect cheap plastics to be prevalent, par for the course in this segment.
