2018 Honda Amaze review, road test

With an increase in size and premium appeal, the new Amaze is a very competent compact sedan.

Published on Sep 13, 2018 06:00:00 AM

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Big improvement in terms of build, quality and fit-finish of the interiors over the first-gen Amaze.

In terms of comfort and space, this has the nicest backseat in its class.

Tuck your hand behind the door handles to open either of the front doors and the proximity sensors unlock the car automatically, saving you the effort of pressing any button; a nice touch. The beige-black dashboard looks premium at first glance and Honda has incorporated a piano black trim quite nicely. The rest of the cabin is beige, which lifts the sense of space and airiness on the inside. Finally, Honda has included adjustable front neck rests, and the seats are rather well shaped, offering good side and shoulder support. Taller drivers will find the need to raise the seat height, else they’ll sit in a knees-up position due to the low-set seats. The front passenger’s seat, however, is fixed and is placed very low. The white dials are easy to read and so is the Multi-Information Display (MID), although, the latter can seem a bit cluttered. Overall, ergonomics are spot on and everything falls to hand easily, with several storage areas spread across the cabin.

Glovebox pops open every time the car goes over a sharp pothole carrying some speed.

Like before, the Amaze’s backseat impresses. The recline angle, the cushioning and the support are just right. Legroom at the rear is huge and if you’re chauffeur-driven, this is one of the better backseats around. When it comes to cabin width, you get an extra 80mm of rear shoulder room than on the older car, but it is still best for two passengers only. There are some flaws, like headroom is tight for taller passengers, but what’s most disappointing is the absence of adjustable rear neck restraints; the ones offered now are too short and may result in serious whiplash injuries in the event of a collision.

Build quality and fit-finish, though a significant improvement over the first-gen car, still isn’t great. Plastics are of a better quality but aren’t in the league of the VW Ameo or the Hyundai Xcent. We were surprised when the glovebox popped open every time the car went hard over a sharp pothole. Another area where the Amaze needs a significant improvement is cabin insulation; it doesn’t stop ambient sounds from entering the cabin as nicely as its rivals. Also, a lot of wind noise is quite audible at speeds after 80kph.

Air con performs very effectively due to the new, larger compressor.

To improve its effectiveness, Honda has added a much larger air con compressor, and we’re happy to report that this unit is quite a chiller. Yes, the Amaze still doesn’t get rear air con vents but their presence isn’t missed, as the high-positioned dashboard-centre vents channel air effectively to the back.

Boot space is the largest in the segment at 420 litres, bettering the older car’s by 20 litres and the Dzire’s by 42 litres. The wheel wells protrude a bit into the usable luggage space, but it is still adequately large enough for the family’s weekend luggage.