The Amaze diesel might have grabbed all the attention, but the petrol variant is a gem too. We test it to see if it’s the best or just part of the rest!
HATCHBACKS ARE FOR YOUNGSTERS, sedans for families and SUVs for tough guys – or, at least, that’s what the Indian car market would have had you believe till a few years ago. In
recent years, though, SUVs have become smaller and hatchbacks have become larger and to make a sedan you simply slap a boot on to a hatchback! Tata and Maruti did it successfully in recent years and Honda are now giving this tactic a shot with their new Amaze sedan. The diesel variant hogged the headlines, but there is a petrol variant too, which we tested (in the top-end VX trim) recently and evaluated its suitability for the Indian market.
DESIGN AND INTERIOR
The fifth model in Honda’s Indian line-up, the Amaze petrol is visually identical to its diesel sibling, with its design fitting the adage ‘pleases many, excites few’. Viewed from the side, the boot catches your attention. Thankfully, contrary to some competitors whose hatchbacks-turned-sedans look like implant surgeries gone horribly wrong, the Amaze has the boot neatly integrated into the rest of the body, a la the Vento/ Rapid siblings and the Linea.
The doors open to reveal a cabin that again is identical to the diesel sibling’s and similar to the Brio hatch. The plastic quality is good and the instrument console is attractive, if not flashy. The
three-tone dashboard (black, beige, brown) still polarises opinions – overtly flashy to some and exciting to others. The car maintains its USP of spaciousness as compared to other compact (subfour-metre) sedans, with good legroom at the front and rear and enough space for three average-size adults on the rear bench. The best in class 400-litre boot is well ahead of its competitors and challenges some larger sedans too.
ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE
The Amaze petrol is powered by a 1.2-litre in-line four-cylinder engine that develops a peak power output of 88 PS at 6,000 RPM and a peak torque of 109 Nm at 4,600 RPM. This mill is the same one as that powering the Brio, implying identical virtues of a very quiet engine with excellent driveability. Low-end performance is good with the car tuned just right for cutting through city traffic as well as picking up speed on the rare open stretch.
Only at high speeds on the highway, you might feel the need for some more top-end grunt. Like the Brio, the top speed of the Amaze petrol too is restricted to 140 km/h, which falls well behind some of its competitors. Were it not for this limitation, the Amaze petrol could be the car of choice for driving enthusiasts!
Acceleration and in-gear performance too are identical to the Brio’s. The Amaze does the 0-100 km/h run in 13.03 seconds and, in the fifth gear, it can move from 60-80 km/h in 8.25 seconds, 80-100 km/h in 8.93 seconds and 100-120 km/h in 13.43 seconds.
RIDE AND HANDLING
The steering and pedals of the Amaze are well-weighted – light enough to be comfortable to operate, yet with sufficient feel to enjoy the drive. The suspension setup allows a smooth drive
through most rough patches at low-to-moderate speeds, with only the severe ones filtering through. At higher speeds, the car does show some up-down movement that can become uncomfortable at times, but not disconcertingly so. Body-roll too is well controlled.
FUEL ECONOMY
The Amaze delivers class-leading fuel efficiency figures – 18 km per litre in the city and 26 km/l on the highway, for an overall figure of 20 km/l. Coupled with a 35-litre fuel tank, the 700-km
driving range is unbelievably good and will bring a smile to the faces of all Indians who ask, “Kitna deti hai”!
VERDICT
So, should you put up your money for the Amaze petrol? The car has a spacious cabin, offers a comfortable ride within the city and the highway and is priced very competitively at just Rs 6.08 lakh (OTR, Pune) for the base variant, which includes a lot of features at this price. This then is the car to buy if your monthly run does not justify the investment in a diesel car and if a compact yet spacious sedan is your design of choice. Get in line!
Story: Gaurav Nagpal
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
