[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Finally we made up mind and thanks to the exhaustive review done by GTO. It was terribly influencing us in the decision to book the Amaze. Have booked the Honda Amaze Vx Variant in Diesel. Had to cancel the Figo Titanium.
Bit confused if Vx is the best option or settle in for the S Variant which seems to be more of a VFM option. The only stuff that we would be missing would be the air bags & rear Defogger apart from which the rest of pluses seem to be more of a cosmetic value

Alloys, Heat Absorbing Wind Shield, Dual Tone Beige Interiors, Beige Carpet, Turn Signals on the ORVMS, Auto Folding ORVMs.
Do they actually deserve the additional cost of 111K

Any Pointers that I can get so that I can consider them if I have overlooked them in my thought process.

Only major thing you are missing between S and V are the airbags which we cant install after market !!

Apart from that :

1. There should be aftermarket sun films which offer Heat rejection and you can apply them, They will be light, but offer UV rejection. 12K ?

2. S variant comes with only 2 speakers on the music system(Isnt that a good news?) You can upgrade to sound system of your choice now 5-6K ?

3. You can go for seat covers of your choice 10K ? May people anyway install seat covers

4. Not sure if S variant comes with fog lamps too. Fog lamps and defogger is based depending on your needs

So i am unable to make out why the premium of 1.2 lakhs over S variant too. Airbags should not cost 30K plus. isnt it ?

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Please do find my responses and believe it will be very much a premium.



But yes the alloy wheels do look good on her. But the spare wheel is the standard steel wheel. Think this weekend I would have to spend some quality time at the showroom and also work with Excel as this would be under Car Lease.

This is where luxury quotient comes in
Alloys are good, but not a must. But if one has extra cash.. why not ?

But spare wheel being steel, its a pain doing 5 wheel rotation or in case of punctures. I have seen that mostly that spare wheel reaches end of life without having run more than few thousand kms entire life. !!! If you are going for alloys, make sure you pay extra and get the fifth one too

I would rate Airbags above Alloys any day. ABS a must which honda has provided in S as well.

[Carb]

The Shocking Disappointment From Honda

A BIG LET DOWN BY HONDA - NOTHING AMAZING !

Honda is one of the leading Japanese brand which is known for its superior Petrol Engine Technology. Their cars are normally aggressively designed attracting lot of young customers. Even though they were more reluctant to divulge themselves in diesel engine, finally they had to give-in for the pressure of increasing demand for diesel vehicles. (thanks to government subsidy)

Last couple of years due to non availability of diesel engines, Honda had to lose a lot of its customers to tough competition. They lost the race even with futuristic models like Civic and Jazz. It was a dramatic change for Honda as they were once leading the sedan segment with its Honda City models.


Then ............Honda announced the development of Diesel engines and the launch of Honda Amaze (An extension of their, lets say, "less impressive" Brio)

The Advertisement focused more on their new diesel engines. The expectation was high and it was a given sleepless nights for Suzuki and Toyota and other manufacturers in the same segment. ( Entry level sedan)

And finally Amaze is launched .........

Amaze is shockingly disappointing. Honda has underestimated Indian market/ customers for the first time . All their remaining products were well ahead of time. Honda had a huge fan following for their simple and impressive design and comfort at a reasonable cost.


Amaze has it Plus too:
It is small and compact , the rear seats are spacious than Swift Dzire, good mileage (need to confirm on reality), Driver seat height adjuster, small turning radius, powerful diesel engine, very light weight car -easy to handle , shortest car, has electrical folding ORVM (segment first), heat absorbing front glass, the cup holders are bigger and useful and has AT option in petrol.

Lets see where Honda went wrong. ( First time for Honda) :
* The head rest in the front is integrated like Tata Nano, some times it becomes a problem as it may not support your neck or head appropriately
* Body roll on corners are high - poor turning stability
* Highway stability is not as good as Toyota Etios or Ford Fiesta but not as bad or scary as a Hyundai.
* Brake pedal and Clutch pedal seems to be hard.
* Vehicle vibrates like a truck while start and switch off - engine (diesel)
* The Engine noise is too loud , i.e NVH package is very poor. (can be compared with Tata Indica)
* Diesel engine is powerful but the petrol engine is very very lazy , it struggles a lot as it is the same engine of Brio. ( 1.2 L)
* Beware of speed breakers, Amaze kisses the speed breakers generously with lot of love as the ground clearance is low and also the tyres are small (14inches)
* Lets now talk about suspension: it is stiffened to tackle the small tyre size and low ground clearance. and they are hard. They feel like the shock absorbers are welded together
* Dash Board is too basic and bland, it doesnt give a feeling of Value for money (Top end being Rs. 8 lakhs)
* Interior fit and finish doesn't belong to Honda DNA.
* Dynamic stability not as good as Toyota or Ford
* Rear seats cannot be folded.( poor utility)
* No Auto- AC like in Dzire
* Looks like a fragile and delicate car lack some muscle. (like micra, it belongs to that cute segment)
* Lot of Gaps on the external body panels not Honda-ish ! (Rear boot and tail lamp etc)
* Honda has used the thinnest tyres available, probably to increase fuel economy by reducing rolling resistance of the tyres.
* Beige floor carpets look good in the dealership, but very difficult to maintain.
* Rear view through IRVM is very poor ( with the additional rear speaker tray)
* Rear seat position is tough for senior citizens ,getting in and out is really tough ( Door opening is limited )
* Rear seat is only comfortable for 2, not for 3, The Rear arm rest when folded in, leads to lot of discomfort while sitting and also Amaze is narrower than Dzire.

It is a good car, if you have a driver. As the rear seat comfort is good. But if you need to drive.... then Etios or Swift is better.
Gear shift in Diesel version is too hard, the lever is short and looks great but - sure to be a pain in the driver's arm.
Engine vibration can be felt in the foot pedals, highly irritating
Rear seats too soft with poor padding , may be uncomfortable on long drives
Single Horn is provided in mid, while top end models have 2 horns
Diesel engine is a low rpm engine, doesn't rev up beyond 2000 rpm!!! 1.3 fiat engine is better .
Not cheaper as assumed, prices are on par with Dzire, and top end is expensive .

Like the "Dirty Picture" - Movie is all about " Entertainment" , "Entertainment" and "Entertainment", the Amaze is all "Diesel Engine" , "Diesel Engine" and "Diesel engine".

May be Honda wanted to sell only their diesel engines and probably thought that customers will buy anything fitted with diesel engines...

Honda , could have benchmarked their own cars.

Here, the clear winner is Swift Dzire .

But if we have to compare with other Japanese makes then it has to be

Swift Dzire, then Toyota Etios and Amaze comes last !!!

[anurag.somani]

I would wait for an year; and a refreshed version; before putting my money on it.

Somethings I would like to see (at slightly higher prices of-course):

* Proper head-rests.
* More contemporary dashboard
* Thicker tires
* Black carpet
* A more aggressive front-grill.

It is a good product.
But customer feedback and actual road testing should help make it a more "mature" one.

[harry10]

Test drove Amaze diesel at Classic Honda faridabad and booked it as well.
The only disappointment is 6 months waiting period been given. Called every dealer in Delhi and all of them confirmed the same waiting period.
Is it true for other states as well?

Most things are covered in the review. Few observations-
Did not felt any vibration on start and stop.
NVH is good. Was skeptic due to reports here that there is a lot of engine noise but its quiet less if i compare it to my Manza.
Paint quality is top notch. Impressed.
Interiors are plain jane. Honda could have done better.
Boot space is alright and so is suspension as i drove it on a rough road as well.
In City driving will be great but missed the turbo surge of cars like swift or i20.. its quiet linear.

Overall i am satisfied with the product. Drove the S model in red color and booked the same as well.
Honda staff was courteous but all of them boasted that this car will kill dzire like anything which i highly doubt considering the long waiting periods already.
Dealer confirmed 400+ bookings for his dealership alone.

Accessory list was not provided. If anyone has the list kindly post it here.

[rangarx]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Query to those who of you who have had a test drive of this car:

There is no doubt that rear seat leg room is pretty decent for the class and we can stretch our legs a bit more in this.

How about the rear seat width ? Can 3 people be accommodated on this ? or is it a comfortable 4 seater only ?

The width is certainly not as good as, say Liva / Etios / Manza. Space for three well build adults (read 6.xx ft) would be a tight exercise. But it is on par with that of Dzire.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by rangarx

The width is certainly as good as, say Liva / Etios / Manza. Space for three well build adults (read 6.xx ft) would be a tight exercise. But it is on par with that of Dzire.

I beg to differ.
I own a manza and it accomodates 4 as well in the back seat if required.
However it was a tough job seating 3 comfortably in amaze at the rear. Its best a comfortable 4 seater.

[rangarx]

Originally Posted by harry10

I beg to differ.
I own a manza and it accomodates 4 as well in the back seat if required.
However it was a tough job seating 3 comfortably in amaze at the rear. Its best a comfortable 4 seater.

My bad! I skipped a word in between! Post corrected now. Thanks.

[shashant]

Hi,

I am moving from my swift diesel to AMaze EMT diesel.

Need quick info from you guys

1> Can Amaze accomodate 6 X 9 oval speakers in rear parcel tray?
2> Is 185/65/R14 a good upgrade? I am considering Energy XM2
3> Suggest a 2 DIN HU with bluetooth connectivity (Budget < 8K)

Thanks
Shashant

[amitk26]

Finally booked Petrol VX MT at Dakshin Honda C- Red pearl color.
Delivery will be in may end or june first week. Got an assurance from them in writing on the booking form that they will provide cover note for insurence from outside. In the afternoon there was not much rush and a lady attended me who was much more knowledible then SA at other dealership.

Experience at Dakshin Honda Singasandra Showroom was much better I could take longer test drive on a variety of surfaces.

1. Car does not bottom out on humps and broken roads.And this time AC performance felt similar in petrol and diesel sales advisor confirmed it is same unit in both.

2. Petrol engine feels OK for city driving though not as good as Diesel.

3. VX MT has double horn so sounds OK but in lower varients horn is too feeble.

4. Horn sits in front of radiator quite low so don't know if it will be affacted by rains. SA said please don't compare with your safari in all honda cars horn is usually placed low and it works.

For those who are considering Diesel versus Petrol apart from the number of KM you drive do consider the fact that warranty is 40K KM.
In modern Diesel engines nothing goes wrong in this limit and problems if any will surface post 50K KM. The Common Rail and Injecters are denso
as per information given by Carb.

So I am not sure if you can maintain outside Honda A.S.S. so factor in possibility of fat maintenance bills later on

Originally Posted by Carb

The diesel variant NVH levels aren't the best in class as you mention.
The NVH levels in Etios have been improved since the March launch. the AC compressor specs are different for the petrol and diesel variants. And, if you wanna experience the best-in-class AC effect, forget the Tata. Check out Etios You'll be frozen in seconds

I did not notice much improvement in new Etios either in terms of NVH or AC
but each to his own and Amaze NVH was not bad either.

Amaze engine has timing chain instead of belt still NVH is amazingly low and not like other chain drive diesel engines. Advantage of chain is that you are protected against catastropic failure and timing belt life is nearly 60K to 1 L KM and it does not come cheap.

Well NVH is not bad for a diesel car and one important point here is that engine is mounted on liquid filled mounts so NVH will remain like this after 30-40 K KM as well. In other vehicles NVH is low in new vehicle but as engine is on rubber mounts it starts getting loose and after 20K KM the NVH increases. Even if the mounts are changed it will not be as good as factory and NVH comes back to sqaure one in 2 months.

Just listen to sound of new Etios / Linea / Verna/Innova/Safari/Scorpio or any other Diesel car and compare the sound with a 6 months old car and you will know what I am trying to say.

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Only major thing you are missing between S and V are the airbags which we cant install after market !!

Differences are Airbags , Height adjustible driver seat , Elctrically folding OVRM , Heat absorbing wind shield. Out of these first 2 are really important.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by amitk26

Differences are Airbags , Height adjustible driver seat , Elctrically folding OVRM , Heat absorbing wind shield. Out of these first 2 are really important.

The Diesel S Variant has the height adjustable driver seat. But the petrol S Variant does not get it though. Yes Airbags are important from a safety perspective.

[rohit_dce]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Query to those who of you who have had a test drive of this car:

There is no doubt that rear seat leg room is pretty decent for the class and we can stretch our legs a bit more in this.

How about the rear seat width ? Can 3 people be accommodated on this ? or is it a comfortable 4 seater only ?

I took a TD for the same reason. And I am 5'10" , and my friends are somewhere in the same range, a couple of inches more or less. Each of us has booked a car. We were 4 people and coupled with the sales rep, we all could sit comfortably in the car so the space is sufficient I believe.

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by Carb

The Shocking Disappointment From Honda

A BIG LET DOWN BY HONDA - NOTHING AMAZING !


The Advertisement focused more on their new diesel engines. The expectation was high and it was a given sleepless nights for Suzuki and Toyota and other manufacturers in the same segment. ( Entry level sedan)

Amaze has it Plus too:
It is small and compact , the rear seats are spacious than Swift Dzire, good mileage (need to confirm on reality), Driver seat height adjuster, small turning radius, powerful diesel engine, very light weight car -easy to handle , shortest car, has electrical folding ORVM (segment first), heat absorbing front glass, the cup holders are bigger and useful and has AT option in petrol.

Im sorry but I just couldn't ignore the blanket statements being made .

Lets see where Honda went wrong. ( First time for Honda) :
* The head rest in the front is integrated like Tata Nano, some times it becomes a problem as it may not support your neck or head appropriately

Tata Nano is not the only car to have a similar set-up, as it is apparent, one of your favorites the Etios also has fixed head rests.

* Body roll on corners are high - poor turning stability

*
This is more relative than a hard fact.

Highway stability is not as good as Toyota Etios or Ford Fiesta but not as bad or scary as a Hyundai.

*
Whereas the Etios is a good handling car, the fiesta is one of the best. However it is as good as its chief competitor the Dzire.

Brake pedal and Clutch pedal seems to be hard.

This is news to me and seems like a one of case, quoting from the official review :-

Light controls, slick gearshift and easy maneuverability for in-city commuting

Seems to be something wrong with the car you tested.

* Vehicle vibrates like a truck while start and switch off - engine (diesel)

*

Big diesel engines have this tendency. However this negative is not something that can over shadow all the positives the car has to offer. Also it cannot be compared to a truck!

The Engine noise is too loud , i.e NVH package is very poor. (can be compared with Tata Indica)

*

This is a sweeping statement, I hope you have been in a Tata Indica. The NVH levels are way better than one. I can confirm this after having owned an Indica before.

Diesel engine is powerful but the petrol engine is very very lazy , it struggles a lot as it is the same engine of Brio. ( 1.2 L)

If you have a look at the petrol powered Amaze's power to weight ratio it stands at 92 BHP/Ton where as the Dzire has a power to weight ratio of 90 BHP/Ton hence im a bit skeptical about this statement. Although numbers never tell the complete story, but very very lazy is taking it a bit too far.

* Beware of speed breakers, Amaze kisses the speed breakers generously with lot of love as the ground clearance is low and also the tyres are small (14inches)

Its not all about the size of the tires. The Amaze has a GC of 165mm, the Manza also has a GC of 165mm and I haven't heard of scrapping issues on the Manza except when it is fully loaded. And if that is the testing parameter then i suppose the Dzire with a GC of 170mm wont do well either.

* Lets now talk about suspension: it is stiffened to tackle the small tyre size and low ground clearance. and they are hard. They feel like the shock absorbers are welded together

*

I cant understand the relation between a stiff suspension and small wheels.
Moreover the main competitor the Dzire also has 14inch wheels. Also the Amaze has a softened suspension compared to the Brio so it offers a much better ride. And infact if what you were saying was true about the suspension being welded together, then I suppose it would have been the best handling car there is and there would have been no body roll. Something contradictory to what you earlier said.

Dash Board is too basic and bland, it doesnt give a feeling of Value for money (Top end being Rs. 8 lakhs) Interior fit and finish doesn't belong to Honda DNA.

*

Value for money is what it is

* Dynamic stability not as good as Toyota or Ford

*

Already answered above

Rear seats cannot be folded.( poor utility)
* No Auto- AC like in Dzire

*

Small but significant things have been left out I Agree.

Looks like a fragile and delicate car lack some muscle. (like micra, it belongs to that cute segment)

Subjective.

Honda has used the thinnest tyres available, probably to increase fuel economy by reducing rolling resistance of the tyres.

*

MS Dzire :-Tyre specs 165/80 R 14
Honda Amaze :- Tyre Specs 175/65 R 14

* Rear seat is only comfortable for 2, not for 3, The Rear arm rest when folded in, leads to lot of discomfort while sitting and also Amaze is narrower than Dzire.

This can be seem as a compromise.

Diesel engine is a low rpm engine, doesn't rev up beyond 2000 rpm!!! 1.3 fiat engine is better .
Not cheaper as assumed, prices are on par with Dzire, and top end is expensive .

Dose not rev beyond 2000 rpm !!!!! Im sorry but no one would ever buy a false statement like that. And how is the 1.3 multijet engine better ?? This produces more torque, more BHP and more mileage. Yes the 1.3 multijet might be more fun to drive.

Not cheaper as assumed, prices are on par with Dzire, and top end is expensive

Like the "Dirty Picture" - Movie is all about " Entertainment" , "Entertainment" and "Entertainment", the Amaze is all "Diesel Engine" , "Diesel Engine" and "Diesel engine".

May be Honda wanted to sell only their diesel engines and probably thought that customers will buy anything fitted with diesel engines...

Honda , could have benchmarked their own cars.

Here, the clear winner is Swift Dzire .

But if we have to compare with other Japanese makes then it has to be

Swift Dzire, then Toyota Etios and Amaze comes last !!!

Now you see thats where you went wrong.

Reason 1:-

The prices of the Amaze are on par with the Dzire but the Amaze offers more Kit as standard which makes the Amaze much more VFM than the Dzire.

Reason 2:-

The Amaze offers something which you seem to have completely missed, ABS+EBD as standard on all the diesel variants. The Dzire offers this only on the top end variant.

Reason 3 :-

If you say that Honda wished the Indian public would buy anything with a Honda badge on it then have a look at what Toyota is doing. The Amaze trumps the Etios in almost ever department.

Reason 4:-

Clear winner ?

Honda offers better safety equipment than the Dzire and the Etios as standard.
It offers more space than the Dzire and is considerable less expensive than the Etios.
It offers a bigger boot than the Dzire.

In short it does everything a bit better than the competition.

If one still calls the MS Dzire a clear winner then other than personal opinion it holds no water.

[satishkc]

Enigmatic - Thanks for a very fair review.
I am a Swift VDI owner with over 80k kms clocked self driven. Was looking for a upgrade
but not keen to upgrade to a Swift with a boot.Went for a TD with Sundaram Honda, the moment I sat on the driver seat of a display Amaze E petrol wow! what a driver seating position ,Steering, Instrument panel.I was 80% decided that I should book it only skeptical about the engine noise discussed in this thread.The TD diesel car arrived and once seated I cranked the engine without realizing it was running .Got out immediately headed straight into the showroom without taking the TD and booked a Amaze EX Majestic Blue . All the other aspects have been discussed in detail already in this thread.
To conclude like Swift (which is a totally different from all of Maruti's offering)
Amaze is for Honda, but it is clear Dzire's desire killer!

[EFF-EIGHT-BEE]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

Dose not rev beyond 2000 rpm !!!!! Im sorry but no one would ever buy a false statement like that.

He must have revved the car in neutral, its a safety feature whereby rpm is restricted to 2k its mentioned somewhere in review too. Its also present in honda city(but till 4.5k)