DRIVEN: New Honda Amaze arrives with better looks, high-value price tag
Image: Supplied
Notwithstanding the somewhat ambitious name, the Honda Amaze has proven itself, through two generations, to be a somewhat solid and dependable entry-level product for that small segment of the market still seeking a saloon.
Admittedly this little Honda has never been much to look at, yet judging by the reaction to the third-generation model launched in South Africa this week, that is all set to change.
With its large honeycomb grille, standard dual-LED headlights and a tail section that strongly resembles the latest Ballade, the new Amaze drew many admiring glances at its launch event, held in Cape Town.
Also quite head-turning is the price tag, which starts just R1,000 north of the previous version, despite more features being fitted, and an upgraded service plan.
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As before, the new sedan measures just under four metres in length.
Image: Supplied
The line-up remains identical to the previous model, with the 1.2 Trend manual kicking things off at R254,900 and the 1.2 Comfort offering a few extra features for R274,000 as a manual and R294,900 in CVT guise.
15-inch alloy wheels feature as standard, with a silver finish on the Trend and a dual-tone colour scheme on the Comfort, which also gains LED front fog lights and a painted black grille.
With the Amaze retaining its familiar dimensions at just under four metres in length, and a 2,470mm wheelbase, cabin length remains as before, but the vehicle is now 38mm wider. Boot space is listed at 416 litres, which is impressive for a compact sedan.
The cockpit area has received a complete makeover, with smarter materials and a horizontal bar that stretches across the dashboard to resemble a full-length air outlet panel. It blatantly mimics the latest Civic's cockpit, albeit with a more basic material mix.
Both versions are fitted with a new 8.0-inch infotainment screen that juts above the dashboard, as well as a new 7.0-inch TFT driver display. Buyers can also look forward to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as automatic climate control, keyless entry and a four-speaker audio system.
The redesigned cabin looks smarter and gains a new touchscreen and TFT driver display.
Image: Supplied
In addition, the Comfort variant gains a 15W wireless smartphone charger, six-speaker audio system, push-button start, automatic headlight activation and steering wheel paddle shifters on the CVT. However, cruise control is not fitted to either of the models, nor are any of the ADAS driver assist features that are available on overseas models. Vehicle Stability Assist is standard, however.
Speaking of safety, the Trend is fitted with dual front airbags and the Comfort gains side and curtain crash bags.
What's it like to drive?
The Honda Amaze retains its predecessor's 1.2-litre normally aspirated i-VTEC petrol engine, which delivers 66kW and 110Nm. Honda claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 5.5 litres per 100km for the new model.
Being an entry-level car, a bit of patience is required, and even on our coastal launch route the vehicle felt somewhat sluggish. That said, I did enjoy my time behind the wheel of the five-speed manual model with its slick-shifting action and well-spaced ratios.
The CVT version has received a few software upgrades, with seven programmed 'steps' designed to mimic gear changes, but these were hardly discernible in the vehicle we sampled .That noisy drone that is characteristic of continuously variable gearboxes was very much apparent in this vehicle, sometimes to the point of irritation while attempting to keep up with fast-paced traffic.
The manual, in my opinion, is a better drive, but with urban traffic seemingly denser by the day, it's understandable why more and more people would gravitate towards the auto version.
The suspension, being designed for Indian road conditions, is comfortable and compliant, as far as we could discern on the Western Cape launch route, which took us around the Peninsula towards Hout Bay. Conditions were wet and miserable, but the Amaze felt stable and offered sufficient grip even on the twistiest of sections.
VERDICT
Like its predecessor, the new Honda Amaze is a simple, solid and honest package, but the redesign makes it a lot nicer to look at, both inside and out, and the vehicle has also gained some modern new features.
As a further bonus, the service plan has been extended to four-years or 60,000km worth of coverage, up from two-years/30,000km.
The new Honda sedan is well worth a test drive, but will inevitably face stiff competition from Suzuki's new Dzire.
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