Checked out the Amaze in i-DTEC avatar at Ring Road Honda in Peeragarhi. No autobox TD yet. And compared it with the DZire at Maruti next door as well.
Here is my attempt at a neutral comparison & first impressions :
+ It is just awesome in terms of Space. I compared the rear space in Amaze and City thrice side by side, after pushing back front seats fully - AMAZE WAS MORE OR LESS EQUAL TO ITS ELDER SIBLING. DZire was not even close on the rear seat space, let alone compete with Amaze.
+ Headroom in Amaze (front & rear) is at least thrice that available in DZire, and I'm 5'10". Turbanated persons will feel at home in this car, but definitely not in DZire.
+ Inside, the Amaze feels just like the City in terms of quality, fit & colours of the interiors. The steering wheel and driving position is spot on & sweet, as though the car was made for me.
- The dashboard feels really spartan in terms of gizmos & equipment. In a car costing >8 lacs OTR, DZire ZDi feels more premium inside from the the front seats, than the Amaze VX i-DTEC. Wooden inserts, Auto Climate Control AC, makes DZire feel plush sitting in the front seats.
+ That said, the premium-ness in the back seat is definitely more in the Amaze.
+ Rear Headrests are SPOT ON like City, and DZire inspite of having adjustable headrests can not provide the same comfort.
+ Seat Cushioning is really thicker and softer in Amaze than DZire. Amaze feels like a much more premium car in the back seat.
+ Armrests had cupholders in Amaze, DZire lacked cupholders.
- DZire armrest did not touch the seat and were firmer than Amaze. Amaze armrest felt a little flimsy.
+ The rear floor center tunnel was flat and narrow in the Amaze, DZire had an ugly plastic cup holder trim with taller and wider tunnel. The rear seat is the Place To Be in an Amaze!
+ Boot space is huge for a car its length. Leave DZire, heck it's more than Chevy SAIL which is longer than 4m! Boot space is illuminated with scuff protectors factory-installed (NICE!)
+ The exteriors, esp in Blue & Wine Red colours, are just too classy. The car looks & feels premium! Status will come along with it automatically come what may. No other entry level sedan comes even close. In fact a lot of buyers were turning up to book Amaze and cancel their Swift hatch booking (Swift VDi i heard is as costly as Amaze EX i-DTEC).
+ Rear three-quarter looks like the current City, the side profile made me reminisce the Fluidic Verna. Definitely a looker when compared to DZire or even current City.
- Only the Front of Amaze is slightly quirky & too Brio-ish. The headlamps could've been sleeker. However it looks a wide stance car from the front. Not to say DZire is not quirky, it's just been around longer. Front Looks of DZire felt stronger in terms of Road Presence
- The rear wheel well in Amaze definitely looked as though it was designed for 15 inchers but it seems Honda focus on Fuel economy made them go for 14 inchers with 175 section! Rubber/wheel upgrade will be a de facto for those looking for even better handling. DZire top-end wheels look much more meatier.
- The i-DTEC engine starts & stops with a slight shudder. Noise is definitely lesser than DZire at start-up & idling. It's the shudder that is slightly more. I was told this is only true when the engine is 'not warmed up'. That remains to be seen. [That said, I felt the vibration was quite acceptable, after all it is a Diesel, not an i-VTEC
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+ The Noise levels at idling, and low rpms are much QUIETER in Amaze than DZire. The noise frequency (the pitch/tone of the sound) is different so it may sound higher, but it definitely is quieter than DZire.
+ No vibrations in Amaze are felt on the Steering Wheel or Cushioned Seats at engine idling and low rpm. Compared to DZire where slight vibrations were coming through steering wheel and the firmer seats.
- Beyond 3000 Rpms, Amaze noise felt slightly more than Dzire. The point I noted is that the hum of the i-DTEC is at a higher frequency/tone (the pitch of the sound & not loudness), so it seems like the engine is screeching louder. This may be due to the fact that it is an All Aluminum engine block & head & lightweight engine.
+ Saying that, I'll mention simultaneously that I rarely needed to floor the accelerator or rev up in the Amaze. A light press is enough.
+ The torque is felt right through & through from 1200 RPM, no turbo lag, strong mid-range, and goes through to >3000 rpms without any surge or drop! AMAZING Driveability : almost similar to Duster 110 ps engine! i-DTEC is definitely better in terms of acceleration from start or in-gear. This is the new benchmark when it come to Diesel engine performance-wise. DZire engine lacked any low-end punch, but the Turbo spools up at 2000 odd RPMs, with the engine red-lining higher than the i-DTEC but Torque drops off steeply after 3800 RPMs. Definitely the more drive-able engine is the i-DTEC.
+ The gear ratios are spot on and the gearshift has a positive slot feel to it.
- The gearshift is really smooth in DZire (but slotting in 5th felt like 3rd many times). I clearly preferred the Amaze box to the DZire one. But people will like the smooth shifting Suzuki.
- Road Noise filters in more into the Amaze compared to the DZire. This seems to sound as if the Engine is noisier, but it is most definitely Tyre and Road noise. Honda needs to up it's road noise insulation package in the car, may be put in accessorized mats / door seals / wheel well sound absorption material
+ The steering is so amazing, just like Autocar review stated. The car pointed where I wanted it to, the turning effort is extremely low, yet steering feels well weighted. The feedback is excellent. DZire feels toyish to steer, and takes a wider turning circle when turning.
- DZire had an extra mute button on its steering mounted control for audio. Amaze misses it.
+ In terms of Braking, both DZire ZDi and Amaze VX i-DTEC feel at home. However I've read at many sources that LDI/VDI brakes are slightly inferior. I couldn't test that out personally.
+/- Getting in & out of the DZire was slight bit more difficult than the Amaze. However Amaze had lower seating than the DZire - something that elders/oldies with Knee trouble will like about the DZire. This dept. remains a mixed bag depending on the type of user of the vehicle. For me, Amaze low seating means my parents will have trouble getting out of the vehicle.
So for now, back to waiting for the EcoSport, because as it is my Diesel booking is due to be processed by May end. Petrol AT's are also on at least a 4 week waiting!!! The rush at the Honda showroom was Amazing, and I was feeling pity for the staff. I was there at the evening, and each one of them looked famished! (Yet happy).
I think the Amaze is a winner. I had very few dislikes like dashboard & equipment levels, low seating, but all in all, I think this car is the new de facto standard of the entry sedan segment, especially with the mid-variant pricing (variants that sell the most!)