2018 Honda Amaze Review

Exterior Design and Features of the new 2018 Honda Amaze

At first glance, the new Amaze does looks a bit quirky, I will admit it does take some getting used to the unusual design scheme. On closer inspection, however, one can easily point out the origins of its design from a variety of elder siblings. For instance, the front and side profiles are distinctly Honda and draw strong character lines just like the City while the tail lamps in the rear are quite like the units on the new Honda Civic, which will soon be making its way to Indian roads.

The Amaze has a tough and boxy look to it. The nose is flat and bold with a fat slab of chrome bearing the Honda logo in the front. The LED DRLs in the headlamp cluster look rather simple but fit in well with the straight line philosophy of this sedan. The shoulder line runs seamlessly out from the headlamps and into the tail and  paired with the pronounced wheel arches, the Honda Amaze looks the stunner.

Honda will also be offering the new Amaze with 15” alloys on the higher trims. The new alloy design does add a touch of sophistication to this dapper looking sedan. A few subtle additions on the exterior front are shark fin antenna, keyless entry and a touch sensor to lock and unlock the doors. The new Amaze also features parking sensors and a reverse parking camera. Honda has upgraded the ORVMs as well which look more premium now and feature LED strip turn indicators. The new Amaze has been built on a brand new platform. This has also resulted in a marginally longer wheelbase which now stands at 2470mm. The new Amaze is also wider with the front tread going up by 17mm and the rear tread being increased by 25mm.   

Interior Design and Features of the new 2018 Honda Amaze

Honda has made some major improvements to the cabin of the new Amaze. The sedan now looks a lot more premium on the inside. The black and beige colour scheme does add a touch of class to a very modish design scheme on the inside. The dash, centre console and steering all look quite contemporary. Honda has improved the quality of materials used in the cabin. However, there is still scope for improvement in this regard.

The seating inside this quite cozy and adequate bolstering keeps the driver and co-driver well ensconced on the front seats. Since the new Amaze has a longer wheelbase, there is more room in the cabin and this is quite evident for rear seat occupants but one could still do with a little more headroom. Honda has also added adjustable head restraints on the new Amaze, a much welcomed addition. The floor on the new Amaze is rather flat with the transmission tunnel not intruding too much into the cabin space. Seating four adults in the cabin is quite easy, but five would make things a little cramped.

In terms of technology, Honda has added quite a few things to the feature list. These include a touch screen infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link. The list also gets electrically adjustable and retractable ORVMs, keyless entry, push button start/ stop, cruise control, steering mounted controls, height adjustable driver seat, turn indicators on ORVMs and hands-free telephone controls. One can also plug in to two separate USB slots in the front and Honda is offering an additional 12V power socket. Another mention must also be made to the increase in compressor size for the air-conditioning unit. This has resulted in faster cooling time.

Engine and Performance of the new 2018 Honda Amaze

Honda continues to offer the Amaze with two engine options, the 1.2L i-VTEC and the 1.5L i-DTEC diesel. The petrol motor belts out 88.7hp at 6000rpm and 110Nm of torque. This motor comes mated to a CVT as well as a 5-speed manual transmission. The i-VTEC engine from Honda has always been a delight to drive for any ardent petrolhead and that continues to be the case. The CVT gets 7 distinguishable steps and also comes with paddle shifters. Honda has made improvements to the clutch and gearbox, both of which seem to be lighter and smoother.

Honda is also offering their 1.5L diesel engine with a CVT transmission….. yes let that just sink in for a second. The diesel i-DTEC engine has been mated to the CVT transmission and in my opinion they have done a fabulous job with the gear ratios and the tuning. The 1.5L diesel churns out about 98.6hp at 3600rpm and 200Nm of torque. These figures are for the variant that comes mated to the 5-speed manual transmission. The one mated to the CVT have downscaled power and torque figures. The compromise is basically a tradeoff for a subtle and refined drive experience.

We sampled all four powertrain options. The diesel i-DTEC mated to the CVT seemed like the most fun to drive and actually one of the most refined offerings in this segment. This is barring the fact that it may not come with a top spec trim option. The diesel mated to the manual transmission is rather punchy to drive while the petrol i-VTEC continues its high revving nature and linear progression. Out of all four options, the Diesel manual continues to be the most efficient of the lot returning nearly 27.4kms to a litre of fuel. The Diesel mated to the CVT returns around 23.8kmpl while the petrol manual and the petrol CVT return 19.5kmpl and 19.0kmpl respectively.  

Honda has also improved NVH levels and this is quite evident when you drive their diesel powered sedans. Another improvement comes in the form of better handling and ride comfort, Honda has generously utilised urethane in replacement with natural rubber and has also increased the shaft size. The results are a slightly stiffer ride with more shock absorbing capacity. The damper angle has also been increased, contributing to more stability and ride comfort. We drove the new Amaze over some broken and patchy roads and were quite comfy in the cabin. Even ground clearance goes up from 165mm to 170mm.

Verdict

 Honda seems to have done their due diligence with the 2^nd Gen Amaze. Safety has not been compromised and features like driver and passenger airbags, ABS and EBD come as standard fitment. Another factor that comes into play here is the three years unlimited kilometres warranty which can be extended to 4 and 5 years as well. The overall package does look quite attractive and if they get the price right, the company may just have a hot seller on their hands.