Getting to know Honda’s entry fighter a little better
The end of the year is a unique time for us motoring writers. One of the advantages is that certain carmakers are open to handing us vehicles for a ‘holiday test’. Which means we have triple the time with the car and get to know it better than usual. We try to balance our December fleet to serve out needs, which included getting to know some base models a little better, too.
The Honda Amaze has been around for a while but it recently benefited a major makeover to make it attractive and interesting. And quite intriguing too. Honda may be a Japanese badge, but like many affordable small cars these days, the Amaze is built in at Honda’s in Greater Noida and Tapukara, Rajasthan plants in India.
Sporting latest Honda family design cues it shares with the likes of Civic, C-RV and H-RV, the baby Amaze carries the same squared-off hexagonal grille, sparkly LED headlamps and neat alloy wheels. It’s an unfussed look that’s as handsome as it’s anonymous.
A good blend of Amaze value and features
A popular subcompact sedan, the Amaze offers a fine blend of value and impressive features. All of which will be just as popular for someone seeking the space and convenience in an inexpensive family or mum’s runabout. As much as it will suit a rep or uber driver.
Powered by a 66 kW 110 Nm 1.2-litre four-pot, ours had CVT automatic transmission turning the front axle. There is also five-speed manual gearbox available. More on that anon. More premium than some market rivals, Amaze has a spacious and surprisingly comfortable cabin that features some handy spec and a neat little infotainment package.
Plain looking, the seats are comfortable enough and while its’ pretty handsome, some may consider the fascia a little plasticky. That said, it packs a pretty decent spec for the price. Automatic climate control, push-button starting and stop and six airbags are all part of the deal.
Amaze infotainment works very well on Carplay
Getting back to the infotainment, it works well on its own and excellently on Carplay. It’s also great to have proper buttons for the AC, audio and other main controls. Looked at from an uber perspective, the large 420 litre boot and surprising cabin width will come in handy on hotel or airport type runs as an uber or taxi.
Talking of runs, the 66 kW 110 Nm four-pot Amaze’s unsophisticated performance impressed us when we tested the 5-speed manual a few months back. This one was however saddled with a constant velocity automatic transmission. While the CVT makes it simpler and easier to drive, it also robs the car of a great deal of performance.
It dithers around for a second and a half thinking about getting off the line, by the time the manual is long gone. So it’s a second and a half slower across the board, except in overtaking. Where its’ almost as good as the stick shif.
Life’s not a drag race
But life’s not a drag race and beside the CVT being a little peaky and droning on at certain speeds, it’s a boon for those who want, or need an auto. If not, ignore it. The manual is the better call.
Stability control and ABS stand it in good stead. As do those LED headlights and rear camera with parking sensors. The Honda Amaze also appears to hold its value well and prudent owners can expect reasonable resale values too. Honda also runs a well-established dealer, parts and service operation in South Africa.
The Amaze operates in a pretty competitive niche against the likes of the Suzuki Dzire and the locally built Polo Vivo sedan, which slips between the two on price, but is a bigger car. Never mind a number of other sharp rivals. But that Honda badge and reputation should stand it very well there, too.
Amaze did us proud over shutdown
Spacious, smart enough and with a big boot and decent cabin space, the Honda Amaze did us proud over shutdown. We came to better appreciate its sophisticated driving experience and decent build quality. As well as frugality and even a bit of fun in its engaging driving experience, even if we’d pick the manual at a heartbeat over this CVT — Michele Lupini
Images & test data: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Honda Amaze 1.2 Comfort CVT
Engine: 66 kW 110 Nm 1.2-litre petrol I4
Drive: CVT FWD
TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 6.04 sec
0-100 km/h: 12.30sec
0-120 km/h: 17.13sec
400m: 18.7sec @ 125 km/h
80-120 km/h: 8.37 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 180 km/h
Fuel: 5.5 l/100 km
CO2: 132 g/km
Range: 640 km
Warranty/Service: 5y 200K/4y 60K km
LIST PRICE: R294K
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