Honda Amaze VX (O) review, test drive

After about an hour behind the wheel, and a fair bit of kilometres over Gujarat’s mostly brilliant blacktop, I still wasn’t too sure about the claimed improvement in the car’s refinement. Sure, the diesel Amaze didn’t come across as overly unrefined or loud, but frankly, the difference (if any) seems marginal — unless I drive it back-to-back with an older Amaze, I cannot be absolutely sure.
What isn’t ambiguous is that the Amaze is good fun from behind the wheel. The punchy diesel mill, coupled with a pliant suspension setup and direct steering, make it entertaining to drive quick. And though the ride feels a bit busy on some surfaces, it’s quite comfortable overall. Speaking of comfort, Honda assigned three of us to a car and the spacious rear seat meant nobody grumbled when it was their turn to occupy the rear quarters.

As for the petrol Amaze, both the manual and automatic models felt a bit too lethargic at lower engine speeds — especially when compared to the likes of the Xcent and Zest. That said, the motor really wakes up after 4,000rpm and is an absolute hoot to bounce off the limiter — something we over-indulged in while going nuts on the seemingly infinite salt desert.

All told, the VX(O) variant now makes the Amaze one of the better equipped cars in the fierce compact-sedan segment. The question is whether the additional Rs 45,000 is worth shelling out for this trim. Sure, at over Rs 8 lakh for the diesel car, it feels a tad pricey and you can get a similar aftermarket head unit cheaper. But if you must have these features and don’t want to mess around with the warranty of the car, then it’s best to fork out that extra Rs 45,000.