Next-gen Honda Amaze global debut at Auto Expo 2018

Five years after its introduction, Honda's compact sedan to undergo a full model change.

Published On Jan 05, 2018 07:00:00 AM

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Next-gen Honda Amaze global debut at Auto Expo 2018

Launched in April 2013, the Honda Amaze joined a burgeoning compact sedan segment and brought in an important first for Honda in the shape of a new diesel engine. And in five years, it has found over 2,50,000 takers. Now, the all-new Amaze is set to make its global debut at the Auto Expo 2018. The new Amaze’s unveil will be the first time Honda pulls off a global debut for a production-ready car at the Auto Expo.

Even as India's appetite for crossovers and compact SUVs shows no sign of abating, and even though the Amaze’s sales have visibly slowed (19,305 units sold in Apr-Nov '16 to 15,768 units sold in Apr-Nov '17), Honda is still betting big on the compact sedan. The company is aiming to make a renewed push with the new Amaze and snatch away a piece of the Maruti Suzuki Dzire's enviable 55 percent share.

While the first-gen Amaze felt a little basic in some ways, this time around, Honda is aiming to make it plusher, better equipped and more desirable, especially since the Dzire has gone upmarket and raised the bar for contenders in its class.

Ahead of its debut, we have learned that the new Amaze is likely to borrow styling cues from its stablemate, the City, and will mostly use a revised version of the current car's platform in order to meet the new, more stringent safety regulations.

While it'll still measure less than four metres in length, the new Amaze will have better packaging which will result in more space on the inside. It will have completely redone interiors and will be equipped with all features one has come to expect from a compact sedan – yes, a touchscreen display for the infotainment system included. Expect the 88hp, 1.2-litre petrol and 100hp, 1.5-litre diesel engines to be carried over from the current-gen car, along with the transmission options – a five-speed manual and a CVT.

Market launch for the new Amaze should follow shortly after its unveiling, with all the new additions leading to a marginal hike in price.

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