[A.G.]

Background

With the Ford Endeavour at home, it was quite surprising to have a highway cruiser with automatic while the city dweller was still a manual. The vehicle to replace was a Honda Jazz X which aged only because of time and lack of automatic transmission as it had done very low mileage having seen the highway only 2 times in it’s time with us.

The Jazz X had set some tough benchmarks in terms of space, ride and reliability. Also, as this vehicle was primarily for city use, availability of service with-in arms reach was most important. With a budget of 9-10 Lakhs, following alternatives were considered in the sub-4m category:

A. Honda Amaze CVT (Petrol): After the Honda experience, it was no surprise that the first alternative came from their stable. The new Amaze had clearly addressed the shortcomings of the previous generation – it was more spacious, had better exterior & interior design and ride was more comfortable too.

B. Honda Jazz CVT: Considered the Jazz briefly during the second test drive of Amaze but the ride over broken tarmac was a sore point. The fact that the clever magic seats are available only in the top variant equipped with Manual transmission was also a disappointment. Finally, the price, despite discount, was more than the Amaze.

C. Hyundai Grand i10 Automatic: With the test drive vehicle not being available across multiple dealers contacted including NCR, it was dropped from the list without being seen.

D. Renault Kwid AMT: It was a surprise move to sample the Kwid AMT solely because of it’s price and VFM factor. But driving the AMT, that too after driving the CVT, the jerky nature didn’t go well. For the price, it was indeed a very lucrative option.

While there are options available from Tata and Maruti-Suzuki in the similar price band, the same were not considered only because of the experience offered by AMT. Volkswagen was not considered as local service would have been an issue and Ford had already pulled the plug on the Aspire AT.

Honestly it was the dealership experience which also tipped the scales in Honda’s favour. Right from April 2018, the dealer created quite a buzz and multiple invites were sent to attend the launch at the dealership. Despite not being able to attend the same, they were in touch and extended every courtesy possible for test-drive, repeat test-drive and discussion on accessories at their place and our home. Once we finalized the colour (Lunar Silver) and variant (Petrol V CVT), knowing that I do not book a vehicle because of my past experiences, they were prompt in offering one from the stock despite there being a waiting period. The vehicle they allotted was from the last lot they had received exactly 10 days back and was manufactured in June only. Due to soaring heat, they themselves got the vehicle in the showroom from their stockyard after a top wash for me to have a look after which it was promptly taken back to their holding area for accessories addition and next day delivery. A final last minute accessory (seat covers) was also asked to be added but despite that they made the delivery at requested time on 22 June 2018.

The first sight after getting it for PDI in the showroom (the staff confused it to be a display vehicle and pasted the New Amaze plates)


Unveiling snap from delivery shared by dealer

[A.G.]

Initial Ownership Impressions

Exterior and Design: With increased width, the design is more mature and looks like a shrunken Honda City. The chrome grill which has extensions over the headlamps looks neat. With the straightish bonnet unlike the Jazz, the visibility from the inside is good and is a boon in traffic. On the side, there is a distinct crease connecting the front and rear lamps. The boot does not look like an after-thought addition. The rear lamps have non-functioning extensions in the boot which look good. The antenna on this variant is Sharkfin type.

Front


Side view of the front showing the bumper and bonnet are almost inline


While at the rear, there is some margin


Chrome grill extends over the headlight but it is a separate piece


Front Three Quarter


Rear Three Quarter (with actual silver of Endeavour visible)


With the industry moving to Projector style headlamps, it is surprising to find reflector type headlamps in the Amaze. The parking light though is LED with side-indicator on the ORVM.

Front Headlamp


The LED Parking lamp and indicator in action


Parking lights at the rear

[A.G.]

Interior and Features: With the key in the pocket, just grabbing the either side front door handle unlocks the Amaze while for locking the request sensor has to be pressed. The best part is that the keyfob cannot be locked inside the vehicle including the trunk – the doors will not lock or the trunk will open itself if it detects the key inside. The doors open wide to allow for easy ingress. The dual tone dash has a fresh design. Didn’t opt for the carpet mats provided in the standard kit but got the official 3D mats. The armrest (official accessory from Honda) can slide forward and adds storage space as well but the top is finished in black. To match with the dual tone theme and the black armrest, the seat covers bought from Honda also have perforated beige inserts in black. The only problem with the seat covers is that the rear center armrest cup-holders are no longer useable. The climate control is a chiller even in temperatures soaring to 44 degC.

The CVT is available only in the middle variants. It is surprising to understand why a customer buying the CVT would not like to use the Google Maps via Android Auto or the Rear Camera or the cruise control as offered in the Manual Vx variant. The ICE has a simple display and offers music playing via Bluetooth streaming, USB, AUX and FM/AM. Atleast ABS with EBD and Front airbags are standard across the range and safety part has not been skimped.

The newly designed dashboard with visible 3D mats


Climate controls


White backlight for the Climate Controls but unfortunately no lighting in the gear console to see the position at the lever


Steering wheel with paddle shifts (7 shift points)


No backlight for the Steering controls either


With the steering mounted paddle shifts on the Petrol V variant, you don’t get the L mode on the gear shifter


Quite spacious glove box – was adjusted before delivery to avoid it from opening automatically over broken tarmac


The needles on the instrument cluster wake-up with a white light as soon as the vehicle is unlocked


Information shown on the display in the instrument cluster


In S mode, the cluster shows M for Manual with the number for the selected shiftpoint


The front seats (with additionally installed dual tone seat covers from Honda)


The useful armrest – it still allows for using the rear power outlet


There is healthy travel in the front seats. With the passenger seat pushed all the way back, there is generous legroom upfront and decent at the rear while pushing the front seat forward incase it is not occupied liberates good amount of legroom at the rear. With the front seat positioned for my seating (5’8”), I had more than adequate legroom at the rear.

With Front passenger seat in extreme positions


Perspective view with me (5’8”) sitting in comfort at front and rear


Perspective view of rear legroom with me sitting and front seat in extreme positions


The rear seats are quite comfortable but a tad short on headroom to my liking. Also, the corners of the sear are too rounded there-by robbing a bit of under thigh support from the passengers sitting near the door incase 3 people are sitting at the back. However, the width and the nearly flat floor allows for comfortable seating of 3 people at the back. The fixed headrest with the covers are soft but I have no idea whether the ISOFIX function is useable with these official seat covers or not as these seat covers have rendered the cup holders in the armrest unusable.

The rear seat


The cup holder of center armrest being covered by the cover


All the doors have large pockets and should be able to accommodate a 1 litre bottle. The door pads are partly covered in fabric


The boot is huge – the last sedan we had was the Chevrolet Optra 1.8 and on paper the Amaze, despite being smaller in size, has a larger boot without compromising on passenger comfort. However, the naked boot lid from inside reveals all the wiring and the spare is a size smaller non-alloy.

The huge boot


Trunk lid exposing wires


Non-alloy 14” spare wheel

[A.G.]

The Drive Experience: The Amaze is still in its running-in period, so didn’t get to spread its wings. But having sampled the same engine in Jazz, I believe the performance would be adequate. The transmission however is the key point for me in the combo. With the CVT, the Amaze has been able to achieve better Fuel Economy in city traffic than the Jazz it replaces as per the MID over the last 150 Kms. As of now, the worst FE in the city is more than 10 Kmpl while the best figure encountered was close to 13 Kmpl. The Jazz it replaces never saw double digits FE for the same drive. In the city, the CVT simply tries to keep the revs around 2000 mark that allows for a very silent cabin. In a brief highway run during acceleration upto 80 Kmph, again the CVT just holds the revs around the 2000 mark increasing upto 3000 RPM and there is a linear and absolutely jerk free motion with which it accelerates. That said, the rubberband effect of the CVT is present when you try to push it on the highway for overtaking but paddle shifts help in masking this.

In D mode, the paddle shift can be used but after a couple of seconds it reverts back to normal. However if the paddle shift is used in S mode, it enters Manual mode and does not revert back from same. As per the Manual, it does automatically shift up or down when it reaches redline or revs drop too low in either of the mode. Engine braking too can be used via the paddle shifts in both D and S mode and is very effective.

The neat and spacious engine bay


You can see the ground from the engine bay…


…as there is no underbody protection for the engine-transmission


Missed checking the water level in the Washer before delivery and there seems to be just plain water without any wash fluid


Heavy dose of what looks like seam sealant


Front wheels get complete fender lining


Surprisingly, the same is visible from the bonnet


Since I saw this fender lining, I feel the same is making a rattling noise over broken tarmac or sharp bumps.

In typical Honda fashion, the ride is plaint without compromising on handling. At the same time, the Amaze offers more comfort to the passengers than the Jazz (both old and new) irrespective of whether driven solo or with full load of people. The ground clearance is enough to take the rough stuff with peace of mind as even with full load, crossing large craters or humps was not an issue during test drive. The steering though requires a bit more effort at parking speeds than the Jazz. Braking is good and inline with what you expect from a Honda.

Ground clearance when viewed from front


The Good:
1. Trusted Engine, Honda’s reliability and local service – these were good enough reasons to buy the Amaze with-in a month of launch despite getting lemons from home-grown manufacturers in the past when bought around launch.
2. CVT is very good in the city and absolutely jerk free.
3. Comfortable and spacious
4. Superbly controlled NVH leading to a very silent cabin – the Jazz in comparison allowed more engine noise in the cabin.
5. Very effective air conditioner.
6. Double digit FE in city as compared to single digit with the Jazz.
7. Long service interval of 10K / 1 Year.
8. Fantastic launch price.

The Not so Good:
a. Headlamps could have been better – might need aiming and bulb replacement to suit my liking
b. Official accessory seat cover rendering rear cup holders useless.
c. Missing illumination for steering mounted buttons, gear shift lever and controls mounted on drivers side door handle (ORVMs and Power Windows).
d. Auto unlocking with P instead of Ignition Turn OFF.
e. Fuel at the time of delivery could have been more as the Range showed 0 Km with low fuel light ON.

Sharing a parting shot with mine and a friend’s Endeavour

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[scorpion_blore]

Excellent review and nicely captured snaps. Nice to see another review of the new gen Amaze.

I'm a bit surprised with the way the seat covers have been installed over the cup holders in the rear armrest. Even I got the seat covers from the dealer, and the cup holders are left uncovered. Maybe try to get the portion uncovered? Just a suggestion.

I wonder why Honda did not give the free 10L fuel at the time of delivery. After taking the delivery, I received feedback call from Honda and they specifically asked if I was given the 10L fuel. Although not a deal breaker, but makes me wonder whether these differ from dealer to dealer.

After driving the new Amaze for more than 2000 kms, I can assure you that you'll have a great time driving this around. Happy mile crunching!

[Sudeep_Kimster]

Great review and excellent snaps. This design is slowly growing on me and after seeing the car physically I am quite content that it is not as boring as previous generation.

Just be careful with those 3D matts.
Ensure enough clearance between throttle pedal and the Matt.
Make sure it doesn't slide / move about during acceleration and braking.
Considering you have a CVT, this is very very crucial from safety point of view.

Happy mile munching. Please do keep updating the thread on how it feels living with it.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by A.G.

Auto unlocking with P instead of Ignition Turn OFF.

You cannot turn ignition OFF without moving to P anyway. Also, Auto locking and unlocking is "programmable" in most Honda automatics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=kmb8P8TKNYA

For the right procedure for Amaze, check the manual

Missing illumination for steering mounted buttons, gear shift lever and controls mounted on drivers side door handle (ORVMs and Power Windows).

ugh. It is a Brio platform disease that has been carried over to the 2nd generation. My solution to the problem is wireless interior LEDs -





http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...hting-kit.html. You could also go to www.aliexpress.com and search for "wireless LED lights" for cheaper options.

However, this is not such a big deal because you will get used to controls (in the dark) within 3 months. Basically, nobody ever looks down at the controls while operating it.

[harikrishna.te]

A very well written review with nice pictures! I wonder how you managed to get the engine and underbody in one nice photo!

Anyway, congratulations on your new car! The front view of the vehicle imparts a mean look to it and the facelift is truly refreshing.

Do update when you get the chance to take the car on the freeway. I would like to know how the steering responds at higher speeds.

What was the final on-road price? Did they offer any discounts?

[Flyer]

Congrats on your new ride and thanks for the review. I think amaze is undoubtedly the best option in the sub 4m market today. Wishing you lots of miles in this beauty.

I think Honda (and all manufacturers) should offer an underbody cover at least as an option. It is one essential component especially in India given its conditions. Please try to get one for your car if possible.

[SCORPION]

Congrats A.G. Nice write up.

The new Amaze really does look good and a welcome departure from the Brioish looks of the earlier one which had made it very boring. The new design really stands out and I feel it looks even better than the Honda City. For once Honda has given a proper upgrade to an existing model and it sure feels VFM. If this is the design language they are going to adopt, I can foresee a really good looking City in 2020.

Please get that cup holder sorted, it's an eyesore. Especially the way you have pushed the material over it in the picture.

[kautilya]

Congrats @A.G. for your new Amaze and for that lightning fast availability.
If your run-in period is over have you tried measuring FE on the S mode with paddle shifts? If yes, interested to know if it is drastically lower.

[A.G.]

Originally Posted by scorpion_blore

I'm a bit surprised with the way the seat covers have been installed over the cup holders in the rear armrest. Even I got the seat covers from the dealer, and the cup holders are left uncovered. Maybe try to get the portion uncovered? Just a suggestion.

Will discuss with dealer but with an uncertain outcome on the finish of manually cutting an opening for the cup holders might have to live with it. As it is an official accessory from Honda, will check with the company if they have a solution.

Originally Posted by scorpion_blore

I wonder why Honda did not give the free 10L fuel at the time of delivery.

That’s what I was told but practically it was running on fumes as the first tank full gulped in close to 33 Liters of Petrol at the auto cut. Yet to receive any call from Honda on purchase feedback.

Originally Posted by Sudeep_Kimster

Just be careful with those 3D matts.
Ensure enough clearance between throttle pedal and the Matt.

Will check for clearance right away as being official mats didn’t check it yet.

Originally Posted by smartcat

You cannot turn ignition OFF without moving to P anyway. Also, Auto locking and unlocking is "programmable" in most Honda automatics.

My concern for unlocking with ignition was due to the fact that most of times when I or a family member goes out to grab an item from a shop with someone sitting inside with AC ON, I put it in Park and it unlocks the entire vehicle instead of just the door opened. Will check the video and the Owners Manual as well to figure out if the auto unlocking of complete vehicle can be mapped to ignition.

Originally Posted by smartcat

However, this is not such a big deal because you will get used to controls (in the dark) within 3 months. Basically, nobody ever looks down at the controls while operating it.

Having the lights for the controls is more of a feel good factor. Thank you for sharing info on the wireless lights.

Originally Posted by harikrishna.te

I wonder how you managed to get the engine and underbody in one nice photo!

That’s two pictures merged in one

Originally Posted by harikrishna.te

What was the final on-road price? Did they offer any discounts?

With the self-registration pending, on-road price is not yet known. Discount of Amaze was none but the dealer was kind enough to leave their entire margin on accessories and allowed me to get my own insurance (saved close to Rs. 9000) with self-registration (hopefully would get a preferred number in the dealer quoted price).

Originally Posted by Flyer

I think Honda (and all manufacturers) should offer an underbody cover at least as an option. It is one essential component especially in India given its conditions. Please try to get one for your car if possible.

Underbody cover atleast for the Engine & Gearbox is an absolute must have. Will check with the dealer if any jugaad is possible.

Originally Posted by SCORPION

The new Amaze really does look good and a welcome departure from the Brioish looks of the earlier one which had made it very boring.

This was the key point in even considering the new Amaze. It definitely looks like a proper sedan and does not have the stance of a quirky add-on boot.

Originally Posted by kautilya

Congrats @A.G. for your new Amaze and for that lightning fast availability.
If your run-in period is over have you tried measuring FE on the S mode with paddle shifts? If yes, interested to know if it is drastically lower.

Really happy that the Dealer supported with ready delivery as waiting for cars has never been my forte. Odo is still around 250 Kms mark but had to use the S mode with paddle shifts to cross a water logged area in 1st gear.

[Redline6800]

The image in the review of the armrest and handbrake lever on the Amaze appear to be the same as that on the previous gen Brio



We purchased our armrest for the Brio as an accesory for the showroom a few months back - will post a pic for comparison.

Happy with the quality and feel of the armrest though.

[scorpion_blore]

Could you please post some pics of the floor mat? Are these the bucket mats from Honda? How much did it cost? Does the rear mat come as a single unit, or 3 units?

There are hardly any good floor mats available for this new gen Amaze, and looks like getting them from dealer is the only option.