The Honda Amaze has always been a strong contender in the compact sedan segment, but the latest iteration truly ups the ante by focusing on safety, a crucial aspect for the Indian automotive market. With the rising awareness of and demand for safety features, manufacturers are racing to integrate advanced technologies into their offerings. Honda has made a significant move in this direction with the Amaze, making the top end variant the most affordable car to offer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). This marks a substantial leap forward in democratising safety in the Indian market.

Seeing the car outside the glitz of stage lighting at its launch offered a true sense of its design and road presence. The updated Amaze retains much of the familiar form factor of its predecessor, with a few changes that add a fresh appeal. The new front and rear bumpers, a redesigned grille, LED headlamps with integrated DRLs, LED fog lights, and City-inspired wraparound LED taillights stand out as notable upgrades. The revised boot lid and the new alloy wheels complete the aesthetic refresh.

From the front, the Amaze exudes a bolder and more upright stance with its vertical grille, which kind of resembles its SUV cousin, the Elevate. The profile retains its earlier clean, simple lines, while the rear has a resemblance to the Honda City, which is a compliment, considering the City’s sophisticated design. However, Honda could have added more character by incorporating sharper design elements and bolder creases, to further distinguish it.

Dimensionally, the Amaze has grown slightly, with an increase in width of 38 mm, giving it a broader and more planted stance. This improvement translates into better shoulder room inside the cabin. The ground clearance has also increased marginally to 172 mm, ensuring better adaptability to Indian road conditions. One of the Amaze’s strong points remains its 416-litre boot, which is the largest in its segment. This ample cargo space is perfect for airport runs or weekend getaways.

Stepping inside the new Amaze, Honda has made several thoughtful updates. The dual-tone cabin theme, a freestanding touchscreen infotainment system, a new three-spoke steering wheel, rear AC vents, wireless charging, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are all welcome additions. The cabin quality is typically Honda – solid and built to last, but not especially standout. The physical buttons for climate and media controls are very welcome in an era dominated by touchscreens.

That said, the interior would benefit from a few enhancements. The infotainment system’s screen size feels smaller compared to the competition, and some of the plastics could have been of higher quality. While the overall cabin layout is practical and user-friendly, Honda could have pushed the envelope further to outclass its rivals.

The seats offer decent comfort, though the under-thigh support in the front could be improved. Rear passengers, however, are treated to ample legroom and headroom. The absence of a sunroof has inadvertently contributed to excellent headroom, a practical trade-off considering Indian weather conditions. The seating layout ensures that the Amaze remains a comfortable car for both short city commutes and longer highway journeys.

Under the hood, the Amaze continues to be powered by the trusted 1.2-litre, four-cylinder i-VTEC petrol engine, producing 89 bhp and 11.21 kgm of torque. This engine is paired with either a five-speed manual or a CVT gearbox. During our drive, we started with the manual variant. The gearbox felt smooth, though it required frequent shifts to extract performance, particularly during overtaking manoeuvres on Goa’s winding backroads. The engine is responsive, but needs to be revved hard to deliver its best, which leads to noticeable cabin noise – a departure from the usual refinement associated with Honda engines.

Later, we switched to the CVT variant, which we found to be the better choice for urban driving. The seamless gear transitions and ease of operation make it a more pleasant option, especially in stop-and-go traffic. While the CVT does exhibit some of the typical rubber-band effects under hard acceleration, it complements the Amaze’s engine well, delivering balanced performance.

The Amaze’s ride quality leans towards comfort, with a suspension setup tuned to absorb bumps and undulations effectively. It’s an ideal choice for buyers prioritising a comfy ride over sporty dynamics. However, the suspension’s softness results in some body roll when cornering and a slightly bouncy feel over uneven surfaces. Enthusiasts might find this setup less engaging, but for the average buyer, the comfort-oriented approach works well.

Honda claims a fuel efficiency of 19.4 kpl for the Amaze. While we couldn’t test this extensively, our drive in mixed conditions yielded an average of 14-15 kpl, with heavy throttle use. With a lighter foot, achieving the claimed figures seems realistic, making the Amaze a frugal option for its segment.

The defining feature of the new Amaze is its safety package. By introducing ADAS at this price point (in the fully loaded variants),  Honda has set a benchmark in the segment. Features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and autonomous emergency braking bring a level of safety previously unseen in this category. Additionally, the Amaze comes equipped with six airbags, ABS with EBD, a rear-view camera, and parking sensors, making it a compelling choice for safety-conscious buyers.

The Honda Amaze is, ultimately, a well-rounded package that emphasises safety, comfort, and practicality. By offering ADAS in a compact sedan, Honda has made advanced safety accessible to a broader audience; however, since some of these features (like forward collision avoidance) can take those new to ADAS by surprise, Honda would do well to educate buyers about these features at the showroom level.

At a starting price of Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom), this is a value-for-money offering that caters well to its target audience. It’s an excellent choice for urban families looking for a safe, reliable, and comfortable car. However, for enthusiasts expecting benchmark-setting dynamics or cutting-edge interiors, the Amaze might feel a touch disappointing. Honda’s effort to democratise safety is commendable, however, and with a few tweaks, the Amaze would be on its way to seriously challenging the Maruti Dzire as the definitive compact sedan in India.