Honda Amaze Long Term Review
Excellent driving dynamics and an easy to drive nature make the Amaze the ideal compact sedan to buy for commuting
When the Honda Amaze joined the MotorBeam long term fleet, everyone was overjoyed because it’s a practical and good looking compact sedan, it’s also ‘MotorBeam Car Of The Year 2018’ which means everyone has given it a positive nod. But the most happy were the accountants as the diesel Amaze has been constantly returning a fuel efficiency of more than 20 km/l, soaring up to 22 km/l sometimes. No wonder, it instantly became the camera car.
The Amaze looks refreshing, upmarket and proportionate
The design of the Honda Amaze looks pleasant, unlike some compact sedans where too much teamwork is involved in the design and little communication. Honda has successfully pulled off the retro theme with plenty of chrome for that premium appeal. That said, the small size doesn’t give the car much presence although, in silver colour, the car just blends in with the rest of the vehicles on the road without any fuss.
Apart from the laggy infotainment, the cabin of the Amaze is flawless
Step inside and there is a lot to like too with the dual-tone finished cabin giving an airy feel. Fit-finish is good albeit with some hard plastics which seem fine at this price point. The infotainment system is quite capable with plenty of connectivity options but sadly isn’t as fluid and the Bluetooth reception isn’t the best. Honda needs to up their infotainment game as this seems to be sticking a sore point in an otherwise well done up interior with plenty of features including cruise control and rear parking sensors/camera.
Compact dimensions & a punchy diesel engine make city driving exciting
The boot is decently accommodating while rear-seat space is good as well. However, it’s really the ease of driving where this car truly excels. With a compact footprint, light steering and almost lag-free oil burner, driving in the city is as easy as it gets. Power delivery is linear but there is a good punch in the mid-range and I rarely have revved it close to the redline, primarily because I don’t need to and secondarily because it just goes out of breath in the top-end.
Despite being on the lighter side, the steering provides excellent feedback
The Amaze not only handles like a dream but also feels quite stable at high speeds
If there is something to love, it’s the driving dynamics of the Amaze, it drives like a car a segment up and is well tied down to the road at all speeds. Ride quality is good but the handling is excellent, the steering offering good feel as well. The car remains glued to the road at high speeds, the brakes are strong and outside noise is well contained, the diesel engine can be heard though.
Practicality and performance, the Amaze has it both
The Honda Amaze is easily one of the best compact sedans in the market and there is little to nit-pick other than the infotainment system of course. It’s comfortable and practical and very easy on your pocket too, without compromising on performance, that’s not an easy feat to attain. I don’t need to quote horsepower figures here but 100 horses in a compact sedan is a lot of oomph, maybe an Amaze RS is what Honda should consider.
Even the rear seats are spacious and comfortable
What’s Cool
* Compact and charming design
* Feature-loaded and spacious interior
* Frugal and smooth diesel engine
* Easy to drive
What’s Not So Cool
* Infotainment system is a bit glitchy
* NVH levels could have been better
Superb fuel economy figures have made the Amaze our go-to camera car
Further Reading –
2018 Honda Amaze Review
2018 Honda Amaze Video Review
2018 Honda Amaze – Pros & Cons [Video]
Honda Amaze – Pros & Cons In Hindi [Video]
Honda Amaze Facelift Long Term Review – First Report
Honda Amaze Facelift Long Term Review – Second Report
2016 Honda Amaze Facelift Review
Honda Amaze Long Term Review – Initial Report
Honda Amaze Long Term Review – Final Report
2013 Honda Amaze Review
2013 Honda Amaze vs Maruti DZire – Shootout