Honda Amaze CVT or Maruti Dzire AMT? And a joker!

giri1.8 · 23rd June 2018, 10:41

If you don't mind a slow car, then try Tigor AMT(car that no one suggests

). I use it mostly within the city, and AMT has adopted to my driving style and now feels much better that what I expected. Lot of space, narrow cabin, good ICE, list goes on. Pricing too is decent at around 7L on-road.

DO take a very long test drive if you wish to check it out, not everyone will like the AMT experience, but this is better of the recent petrol AMTs.

Frankly, go for it if you wish to save some cash and not worry about expensive parts replacement. It's like a scooter among the cars. If performance is important, budget is not an issue then Polo TSI would be the best bet, car would easily last 7 years, if the running is less than 10K Km/Year.

herculesksp · 23rd June 2018, 15:07

Alright, so I went out and TDed the Baleno CVT. I like the looks of the car; its not offensive. Very spacious, good creature comforts and nice sporty interiors. The CVT was nice and smooth, however it is not fun. It doesn't have a sport mode and no manual mode. So its good for relaxed driving and steady climbs to highway speeds.

Like I said, I don't hate it, but I am not in love with it either.
Now I am unable to decide between the Baleno and Amaze. I have dropped the Dzire for now - AMT and all.

Ecosport is still in the back of my head. My parents are slightly short and aged and cannot climb into a tall car. They had trouble with the Ertiga middle row as well. Now I am 6' and I can just sit down into the ecosport, but I am unable to judge for them. The Hexa was really tall and I had to climb into it. My concern with the ecosport is that it has that 200mm clearance, so shouldn't it be tall to get in?

For the life of me however, I am not able to qualify the ride comfort of these cars. All are good in their own right. I drove over some potholes and they absorbed the bumps quite well. In fact I think the ecosport was the best in terms of not letting any bump noise into the cabin, but I just cannot objectively compare the ride quality of the three.

Does that mean it shouldn't be much of a concern? I'm seeing in reviews that the ecosport doesn't have much body roll. On the other hand, Baleno has mixed reviews where some say it is super plush, whereas some other reviews says it is stiff.

My younger child probably gets sea sick with rocking motion and she has vomited in the Ertiga, and well as in an Innova Crysta. I don't know what triggered it, but I am assuming it was the car bobbing up and down on road undulations at speed, rather than curves.

Should I be looking for a stiffer suspension then which is better damped, rather than a softer one which might bob a few times?

for_cars1 · 23rd June 2018, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by herculesksp

Is the petrol underpowered, or is the 80bhp diesel that good

Its that oodles of readily available high torque right from the lower RPMs in the Diesel variant thats contributing to your feel good factor. The petrol sibling will always feel relatively under-powered in comparison.

However, the petrol CVT Amaze would be a better choice among the two for the following two reasons.
1. The paddle shifters the petrol CVT V variant offers in the S mode makes it more FTD.
2. The i-vtec petrol engine is the segment best and most refined petrol engine out there. High revving, fuel efficient (with further reduction in friction) and highly reliable in the longer run. Honda has indeed mastered the art of making amazing petrol engines.

autorahul · 23rd June 2018, 23:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by herculesksp

Alright, so I went out and TDed the Baleno CVT. I like the looks of the car; its not offensive. Very spacious, good creature comforts and nice sporty interiors. The CVT was nice and smooth, however it is not fun. It doesn't have a sport mode and no manual mode.

Baleno CVT does have sports mode as mentioned in the official Team BHP review.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aditya

Driving the 1.2L Petrol CVT

The CVT gearlever. Black button on the right side engages 'sport' mode. No paddle shifters like the Jazz:

If you are 6 feet tall, then Ecosport back seat space would not feel generous, not in comparison to Baleno. Stiff suspension might cause fatigue and uneasiness. With most premium hatchbacks, I feel most of them would be upto to the task of being a city clicker

GTO · 25th June 2018, 10:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by smartcat

Personally, I would not buy Brio, Amaze (old and new gen), WRV and Jazz (lower variants) because the rear headrest is set low and is fixed.

If this really matters to you, get them fixed in the after-market. Any good seat shop will easily do it for you. I wouldn't eliminate a car based on this factor alone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gautamkhadse

You really need to drive the Nexon AMT to see a different side of AMT , its in a different league compared to the currently available AMTs .

I've driven the Nexon AMT and will agree that it's well-tuned. However, it still is very jerky when compared to a CVT / torque-converter. Saying it's in a "different league" is a bit of a stretch. End of the day, it's still a very cheap AT with which you have to make compromises.

Quote:

Originally Posted by herculesksp

Now I am unable to decide between the Baleno and Amaze. I have dropped the Dzire for now - AMT and all.

TD the Amaze Diesel CVT too. Because of the diesel's inherent torque advantage, it's the superior.

Quote:

My concern with the ecosport is that it has that 200mm clearance, so shouldn't it be tall to get in?

I find it very easy to get in. Maybe your parents would prefer it over a low-slung sedan. But keep in mind that the EcoSport's low speed ride will make you feel bad roads.

herculesksp · 5th July 2018, 22:56

I decided at long last to go with the Baleno CVT. In the Alpha variant, I found all the bells and whistles. The leg room seemed more spacious than the Amaze and the low seat height might be more conducive to my mom. She has always complained about tall cars and how difficult it is to get in / out.

I made a deposit for the Baleno and am awaiting an allotment. I cancelled the booking I had made previously for Amaze; Magnum Honda in Bangalore is still to return my deposit.

So the story goes from a sedan to a hatch. I'll update my experience in an ownership thread once I get possession of the car.

23rd June 2018, 10:41	#16
giri1.8 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,762 Thanked: 4,719 Times	Re: Honda Amaze CVT or Maruti Dzire AMT? And a joker! If you don't mind a slow car, then try Tigor AMT(car that no one suggests ). I use it mostly within the city, and AMT has adopted to my driving style and now feels much better that what I expected. Lot of space, narrow cabin, good ICE, list goes on. Pricing too is decent at around 7L on-road. DO take a very long test drive if you wish to check it out, not everyone will like the AMT experience, but this is better of the recent petrol AMTs. Frankly, go for it if you wish to save some cash and not worry about expensive parts replacement. It's like a scooter among the cars. If performance is important, budget is not an issue then Polo TSI would be the best bet, car would easily last 7 years, if the running is less than 10K Km/Year.
	(1) Thanks

23rd June 2018, 15:07	#17
herculesksp BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 373 Thanked: 241 Times	Re: Honda Amaze CVT or Maruti Dzire AMT? And a joker! Alright, so I went out and TDed the Baleno CVT. I like the looks of the car; its not offensive. Very spacious, good creature comforts and nice sporty interiors. The CVT was nice and smooth, however it is not fun. It doesn't have a sport mode and no manual mode. So its good for relaxed driving and steady climbs to highway speeds. Like I said, I don't hate it, but I am not in love with it either. Now I am unable to decide between the Baleno and Amaze. I have dropped the Dzire for now - AMT and all. Ecosport is still in the back of my head. My parents are slightly short and aged and cannot climb into a tall car. They had trouble with the Ertiga middle row as well. Now I am 6' and I can just sit down into the ecosport, but I am unable to judge for them. The Hexa was really tall and I had to climb into it. My concern with the ecosport is that it has that 200mm clearance, so shouldn't it be tall to get in? For the life of me however, I am not able to qualify the ride comfort of these cars. All are good in their own right. I drove over some potholes and they absorbed the bumps quite well. In fact I think the ecosport was the best in terms of not letting any bump noise into the cabin, but I just cannot objectively compare the ride quality of the three. Does that mean it shouldn't be much of a concern? I'm seeing in reviews that the ecosport doesn't have much body roll. On the other hand, Baleno has mixed reviews where some say it is super plush, whereas some other reviews says it is stiff. My younger child probably gets sea sick with rocking motion and she has vomited in the Ertiga, and well as in an Innova Crysta. I don't know what triggered it, but I am assuming it was the car bobbing up and down on road undulations at speed, rather than curves. Should I be looking for a stiffer suspension then which is better damped, rather than a softer one which might bob a few times?
	(1) Thanks

5th July 2018, 22:56	#21
herculesksp BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 373 Thanked: 241 Times	Re: Honda Amaze CVT or Maruti Dzire AMT? And a joker! I decided at long last to go with the Baleno CVT. In the Alpha variant, I found all the bells and whistles. The leg room seemed more spacious than the Amaze and the low seat height might be more conducive to my mom. She has always complained about tall cars and how difficult it is to get in / out. I made a deposit for the Baleno and am awaiting an allotment. I cancelled the booking I had made previously for Amaze; Magnum Honda in Bangalore is still to return my deposit. So the story goes from a sedan to a hatch. I'll update my experience in an ownership thread once I get possession of the car.
	(1) Thanks