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-   -   Honda Amaze @ Auto Expo 2018. Now launched at Rs 5.60 lakhs (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/195177-honda-amaze-auto-expo-2018-now-launched-rs-5-60-lakhs-7.html)

Sadly, doesn't look like any variant gets 6 airbags; only 2. (please correct me if I am wrong)

IMO, the HONDA pricing of diesel + Automatic + 6 Airbags would have took Amaze into City territory.

Even with 2 airbags, it's going to get some serious competition from Ecosport(Automatic-P). The USP that this car has going is (Diesel + Auto) combo. But with the market converging towards petrol now, Honda is late into the game. Imagine this combination getting launched when Amaze was introduced to Indian market.

How the market reacts to Diesel Automatic in CS segment remains to be seen - Pricing is the key here.

Received this on WhatsApp:

Ignis Delta AMT diesel retails for less than 7L ex-showroom, has hefty discounts too if I am not wrong. Not sure why you think it's not possible to have CVT at that price.

P.S: I was talking about the market in general, Honda would surely price this car close to 11L no doubt. :)

Good low end torque improves drivability in the city and Honda definitely could do that either by changing the tune of the engine or by gear ratios.
The only reason they don't do is probably fuel efficiency. But I'd any day prefer a car with better drivability than squeeze out 1-2 kmpl more. Hyundai uses this equation - lesser fuel efficiency but nice low end grunt in their petrols.

The Vtec is built like that. Not only the 1.2L, even the 1.5L has a weak low end. All the fun on this engine unleashes when you revv it hard. Give a bit of stick and you'll see the Brio turning into a cheetah in terms of acceleration.

Even with the driving experience I have across a variety of brands, I haven't understood till today how or why torque on a higher band is even remotely fun to drive. Hyundai with their SOHC engines like in the Santro and Getz were superbly fun to drive with both flying even if the clutch was released, but their VTVT DOHC engines have reduced the fun by atleast 50%. Vtecs are much worse when it comes to torque off the blocks. Maybe its just me but I want an engine with uniform torque spread and more towards the bottom end than at say 4000 or 5000 RPM which is fully useless inside a city. Free-revving or freely breathing engines.. my question is how overrated are they? Phrases like "you've got to make the engine sing" or "once you know how the Vtec works" are often used.. as far as I see it its simple - find an open road and floor it, wait for the needle to painfully climb to 4-5k revs and then see the car fly.. question is how is that fun?

Whatever brand it may be, give me a car with a manual shifter and a nice NA engine with adequate weight-power ratio and with a tune that starts building at <1000 RPM, now THAT is fun. Electric cars should be a pleasure in that department.

I drive my wifes Brio during the weekend for short drives and I can tell you its nothing like that at all! It revvs hard, but when you look up the speedo you would think you are doing 100, whereas you might actually be doing less than 80. I find it very uninspiring! The motor in the Honda city is better but nothing exceptional. Or may be its just me, since I have always driven torquey diesels and somehow unable to appreciate the Honda vtecs.

Now that Honda has mated CVT to Diesel engine, can we expect the same to be available in Jazz and City going forward? Any information of this sorts from your birdies/sources?

We already know how fuel efficient 1.5D is in real world, coupled that with CVT and Cruise Control, city and highway commutes are going to be both comfortable and efficient. This should propel Amaze to 2nd spot in Compact Sedan space.

Jazz, I do not think so. With the news that Honda may not actually develop the jazz under the new Honda city platform in 2019/2020, I think any such variant is ruled out in the jazz.

Plus the sales Of the jazz is not good enough to keep adding more variants. Secondly, even the Amaze CVT Diesel May end up being prohibitively expensive, it may end up in the 12-13 lakh territory. With the market moving towards petrol, the petrol CVT should find more takers. The only reason Honda would be doing this is to sort of push their diesels, which have not exactly generated great sales like say that of Hyundai or even Suzuki.

This is great news although this would make our 6 month old Amaze pretty obsolete and outdated. I feel this means that there could be a diesel automatic for the upcoming Civic as well. Wishful thinking though!

Honda seems to have nailed it this time, Diesel CVT is the icing on the cake, this will definitely give the Dzire a run for its money and i hope Honda prices it aggressively. Plenty of folks would definitely prefer this over the Dzire. In Chennai we don't see a lot WRV and in fact i don't think its a hit, at least in TN and i hope Amaze does well.

I don't think Honda needs to price it aggressively this time. Even the dzire is priced on the higher side now. People who want good features in the sub 4 meters segment are willing to pay the bucks.

The amaze seems excellently (not 'decently') equipped this time both on the inside as well as on the outside. (Cruise control, diesel cvt etc)..

Even if Honda keeps the pricing above the Dzire, Amaze will still sell in good numbers and will fill the void in sales that Honda is experiencing now.

The Diesel NVH in Amaze is poorest among City, BRV, WRV and Amaze. Unless Honda works on it in greater detail; the addition of CVT would just be half-hearted attempt to pit it against the principal rival Dzire.

I have driven the new Dzire diesel and the cabin is much better insulated compared to the previous gen Dzire. The Honda 1.5 diesel mill is undoubtedly the loudest even when compared to a VW 1.5 diesel. If CVT is targeting a specific segment, which is not all that price sensitive, it is all the more important for Honda to address the NVH issue in the car.

None the less; now in sub-four meter, there will be two compelling choices for diesel lovers i.e. Ameo with DSG and Amaze with CVT.

AMT is no automatic !

Well done Honda! Excellent upgrade, all round!!

Also, it does seem like Honda is going to place Amaze slightly higher! I think the prices should start around 6L and stretch to 10L for the petrols (ex-showroom from 5.99 for E, 6.35 for EX, 6.85 for S, 7.5 for VX and 8.75 for the petrol CVT) and a lakh more for the diesel models respectively.

Worth the price IMO. Essentially this also allows them to position the City higher (with more functionality like 6 airbags, ESP, etc) for the all new 2020 model.