'DNA' drive: Honda Amazes

Honda Amaze
Price: Rs5-7.5 lakh
Kitna deti hai? 25 kmpl
Fuel tank: 35 litre
Tank-up good for: Over 700 km
Engine: 1.5 litre four-cylinder i-DTEC, twin cam, 16 valve
Max power: 80 PS
Max torque: 200 Nm
Dimensions in feet L/W/H: 13/5.5/4.9
Wheelbase: 2405 mm

More often than not, Honda cars are visualised for being the best petrol automobiles around. After all, even in today’s sluggish scenario, Honda Car India manages to sell over 8,000 cars a month without a single diesel in its line-up.

But that said, the Japanese carmaker is a master of long-term strategy and knew that they can’t go too far in India without an oil burner. The fruits of that long-term planning will be visible soon — not only in the form of a new, made-for-India diesel engine, but also by way of a new compact, sub-4 metre sedan that could become its most important product.

The small sedan is based on the Brio, and is called Amaze … and we have driven it! Let’s see then if Honda’s first compact sedan is as amazing as it sounds...

Looks
In a passing glance, the face of the Amaze looks a lot like the hatchback it is based on. But look closely and you’ll notice the differences. The moustache-grille from the Brio is replaced with a twin-slat chrome grille on the Amaze to give it a sedan-worthy, matured look and the familial connection with the City. The front bumper gets a body-coloured air dam to impart more premium value to the sedan as compared with the youthful Brio.

Move over to the profile of the Amaze and you instantly realise that the car doesn’t look ‘cut short’ like the other sub-four-metre sedans such as the Swift DZire or Indigo CS. The Amaze looks more balanced and the creases that make up the raised belt line emphasise on the twin-triangle design philosophy that the Brio established. Simply put, the upward flowing lines give the Amaze a sporty, tipped-forward stance, which instantly makes it look fresher than the competition.

The best angle for the Amaze, however, is the tailgate. Nothing overtly radical here, which is good since the consumers won’t be polarised unlike in the case of the Brio. The wrap-around taillights take inspiration from the City and again establish the familial connection. They look even better when lit.

Overall, the Amaze has a premium look and feel and despite the small 14-inch alloy wheels, it looks stylish and balanced even with its compact dimensions and hatchback roots.

Interiors
The car we drove is the only diesel Amaze in the whole world. It was a one-off prototype that was put together by Honda’s R&D facility in Japan. We were told the interiors could undergo a change when it goes into production.

Hope it does. Here’s why: The interiors now are exactly like the Brio’s - with the black and beige dashboard, matching beige upholstery and brown accent for the centre console. They look premium in the entry-level hatchback and don’t disappoint in the sedan either. However, the test car had also carried forward the Brio’s front seats, which means a single-piece backrest with the ‘integrated headrest’. Sedan buyers could feel shortchanged without adjustable ones.

The rear seat has been modified to offer better recline but the integrated headrests on these, unlike in the front, are a good feature to have. The Amaze also gets a 50 mm longer wheelbase (about 15 mm more than Swift DZire) than the Brio and Honda has made the most of it by pushing the rear bench further back, improving the legroom. The rear doors are bigger, too, making ingress and egress easier.

Overall, the interiors match the very stylish exteriors, making many rivals look outdated.

Performance
What creates bigger headlines than the Amaze itself is the diesel engine that powers it. It’s a 1.5-litre four cylinder i-DTEC motor that is derived from the 1.6-litre oiler that Honda showcased last year. The new engine though is specifically tuned to Indian fuel quality. Honda hasn’t revealed any technical specifications yet, but I’m told that the Amaze could get over 80 PS of power and close to 200 Nm of torque. However, like any other Honda engine, it is tuned for better fuel economy than outright power. We are told that Honda is aiming for a best-in-class fuel economy, which means it needs to surpass the Indigo CS’ ARAI-certified claims of 25 kmpl.

The Honda i-DTEC motor’s comparison with the popular Fiat Multijet and Renault-Nissan K9K engines is imperative. Unlike the two, the Honda engine doesn’t give you a sudden turbo-surge and feels more linear instead when you are driving around the urban environment. Over 3,000 RPM, the engine gets into its meaty powerband, which aids in overtaking without the need of a downshift. The top end whack feels adequate too for comfortable highway cruising. However, post 100 km/h, the diesel engine becomes noisy. The harshness and vibration levels are quite low, though.

Ride and handling
The 1.5-litre i-DTEC mill is also said to be the lightest engine in its category. Needless to say, the lightweight construction not only helps in better efficiency, it also aids the handling of the vehicle by making the front end relatively lighter. The Amaze feels nimble and the steering — which is a tad stiffer than the Brio’s — feels well weighted and easy to operate. The clutch is light and the gearshifts are smooth, thus enhancing the driving comfort.
Being a Honda, the suspension is tuned to the softer side. The result should be a cushy ride. On the flat test track at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan, though, we couldn’t test this aspect of the car. The handling, however, feels very good for a compact sedan and body roll isn’t as much as the Brio. With four people on board, it will only get better. Apart from the squealing MRF ZVTV tyres, there is nothing to complain about in the ride and handling department and the Amaze drives as well as a Honda sedan normally does.

Verdict
As mentioned earlier, the diesel version of the Amaze we drove was a prototype. The production model still has four to five months to go before it breathes the Indian air. The petrol version, though, will debut in Thailand as you read this review. Once it comes to India, the Honda Amaze will take on the Maruti Suzuki DZire, the Indigo CS, the Mahindra Verito and the Toyota Etios. The Amaze. with its relatively silent diesel engine, has indeed blown the battle horn!

Note to readers: All data given below are expected, not final, specifications



Paradkar is assistant editor,
OnCars India