Honda Amaze 2015: Long-term report

Hey there! Welcome to The Nomadic carblog. In case you are watching this space for the very first time, this blog is all about cars and bikes, like the name suggests. Today we are reviewing the first generation Honda Amaze which I have been using since 2 years, 9 months to be precise. To make things easier, we'll divide the content of the review into introduction, pros, cons and finally the Verdict! 

Looks bigger than it actually is from the side profile.Kudos to Honda for that!

Overview

The car we are talking about today is the first generation Honda Amaze, which is essential built on the Brio platform. Just a look is what you need to get confused whether this car is a regular sedan or a compact one. Well, that's a good thing as most compact sedans in this segment look quite awkward, say for example the hyundai xcent. However, there are a couple of cars which can match the Amaze in this aspect- Of course we are talking about the newer Maruti Dzire 2017 as well as the Ford Aspire. But still the Amaze is actually quite a looker. Look at it from any angle, and you'll feel the car is very proportionate. Coming to the front fascia of the car, the first thought you'll have about it will probably be "cute". Yes, the front fascia houses a bold two-slat chrome grill with the big H logo sitting at the centre of it and the headlamps are normal halogen ones which don't even get DRLs. However, we are talking 2015 out here, so its ok to not have them. However, there are fog lamps and overall, the front facia, is quite plain. Moving to  the sides, you will find the smart rear view mirrors attractive as they house the turn indicators in them. The glasshouse is large on this car and there are two prominent creases which make the car look quite sharp from the sides, atleast. The rear portion of the car is impressive.The boot is well integrated and the tail lamps look good too[no leds here too!] The interiors are where this car disappoints.The dashboard looks too basic for this car and there's no auto climate control on this top-of-the-line VX trim as well.The instrument console looks attractive with the updated, white-blue combo illumination. The AC cools quite fast which is good.There's no rear vents as well. The overall quality in the cabin and the design is what lets the interior down. Except for that, there are good things here too. The space is mind-blowing for a car of this size, the seats are really supportive and well cushioned and the rear seat what I love the most as it has an armrest with cupholders and the best-in-class legroom.The boot is large too at 400 L capacity. 

The car we are reviewing ha the 1. 2 l i-vtec engine with 88 ps of power and 110 Nm of peak torque. The car has a free-revving nature and this car will impress you with its driving dynamics. It's a brilliant handler, the steering is neither too heavy nor too light. Honda has nailed it in this area. The car is however electronically limited to a top speed of 140 kmph which lefts me saddened as this car easily capable of doing higher speeds. The tyres are 14 inchers which is disappointing. They could have done with 15 inchers.The engine is really quite smooth and peppy and overall, it's a pleasant driving experience. The ride quality is good too, however the suspension often fails to soak in the larger bumps of our indian roads. It's a little bit on the stiffer side.However,this setup is excellent for good roads as you get a good blend of comfort and pure driving pleasure.Now, on long journeys you need music to set your mood on. This car has a good music system with 4 speakers and good bass output. However its not the best around and there are cars at this price point which do it better.Overall,the car is a good companion on long journeys. 

Instrument cluster looks particular good at night with blue-white illumination

Pros

The kind of reliability this car offers is unmatchable. Honda's service quality is top-notch and there are very very little niggles around the car to talk about. This car is for you if you love driving. It loves to be pushed around and a brilliant handler.The space, comfort and brandvalue are other good things about this car.The golden brown shade is an excellent colour on this car and everytime you drive the car, you will feel that you are driving a proper sedan. 

Cons

The interiors. They don't suit this car that much. However its good to note that that Honda has upped their game with latest generation model which is launching in a few weeks. Also, the plastic quality is not the best around, they don't feel much premium. The tyres have good grip but they feel small. The price of the car is on the higher side too for the amount of features you are getting. 

VERDICT

The Honda Amaze has always been a well-reputed car in our market. The ownership experience, space, comfort and driveability of the car impress me a lot. However, if you are looking to buy the Amaze, don't buy it at this moment. Yes, this first generation is an excellent car which is a well-balanced car but it'll soon be replaced by the newer model which has already been unveiled. The newer car is even better, actually it is miles ahead of the first generation as it feels more matured now, has a better build quality and is also feature rich.Its also a better looker as it resembles the larger Honda cars such as the City and the Civic.