Honda's Amaze is its entry-level sedan offering. Built in India, it has enjoyed some success locally and is a common sight on South African roads. Now in its third generation, the Amaze received some updates that align it more with Honda's global range in terms of styling and presentation. Does the Amaze still have the ability to compete with other manufacturers' offerings that have adapted to changing market trends? Let's go in and find out. Our test unit was the top-of-the-range 1.2 Comfort Auto.
Related: Ane's take on the new Honda Amaze (2025)
Pros
- A host of impressive features
- The Interior is laid out well
- Frugal fuel consumption
Cons
- Underpowered and droney powertrain
- It wallows through corners and isn't confidence-inspiring
- Lack of cruise control
- Odd styling proportions still (Subjectively speaking)
Styling
The Amaze in this iteration carries itself with more elegantly styled front and rear ends. These ends align more with Honda's current design language, with a more straightforward approach. The front has a hexagonal honeycomb grille, a chrome trim piece crowning the grille, and LED headlamps. It's easy on the eyes. The rear is stubby and flat with rectangular tail lights.
As you'd expect, the side profile is condensed per the micro sedan platform since vehicles are based on a hatchback but have an extended rear end to accommodate more boot space and potentially more rear legroom. You get some nice 15-inch diamond-cut alloys to round off the car's look. The Amaze is cute but urban, and the styling proportions from some angles can throw you off. Despite this, the third generation has some nice new styling cues, and the Obsidian Blue Pearl is a stellar colour, especially in the sunlight.
Space and Comfort
Hopping into the Amaze reveals another signature style that aligns with Honda's current design language. Like in the Civic, where it was popularised, the extended trim piece that spans the dashboard and houses the air vents is a nice design cue. The Amaze's interior is laid out nicely and isn't busy. The HVAC controls and infotainment are centralised and easily reached. At least in this variant, a lovely touch is the hybrid analogue and digital instrument cluster; it's clean and elegant.
There's a host of storage pockets and cup holder placement, making this interior nice to live with. The seating is supple, and the dark grey cloth upholstery is smooth for a vehicle in this price range, rather than some coarse material generally associated with hardiness and longevity. You'll find the same material in the door cards with foam padding for the armrests. Boot space-wise, you can expect 416 litres to play with, but the rear seat bench doesn't fold down. The boot swallows suitcases and the weekly shopping without a fuss.
Handling your infotainment is an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. The automatic day and night function to dim the screen under certain lights could use some tuning, as it's rather sensitive. Despite this, the system is good; our unit had 6 speakers and a 15W wireless charging pad for your smartphone. Other tech features include a remote start function, electric boot release, and even smart keyless entry on the remote. The interior convenience is certainly dialled up for the top-of-the-range model, but the omission of cruise control is a bit baffling.
Performance
Propelling the Amaze is a 1.2-litre i-VTEC four-cylinder engine making 66kW and 110Nm. Depending on your chosen variant, this power is channelled to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual or CVT transmission. Our test unit came equipped with the CVT.
The Drive
Driving the Amaze around town is fine and makes for a good runabout in this respect. However, things fall apart when we go on the open road. The powertrain tends to be droney and feels underpowered. Throttle mashing to get the CVT to respond, such as in overtaking situations, can become frustrating. It's odd because in Honda's other offerings, like the Fit and the CR-V, the CVT and 4-cylinder powertrains are an absolute pleasure to drive. Though compliant, the Amaze's suspension flounders on the road like a little canoe and has vague steering in urban and open road situations. It's polarising since other manufacturers have tighter, more modern setups in this segment, whereas the Amaze feels dated.
Fuel Consumption
The claimed fuel consumption for the Amaze in CVT trim is rated at 5.5 L /100km. We managed around the high 5.0 L/100km mark, which settled at 5.8 L /100km for a combined cycle, which is relatively frugal.
Safety
The Amaze's notable safety features include:
- ABS
- Vehicle Stability Assist
- Hill Start Assist
- ISOFIX (Rear Seats)
- 6 Airbags
- Parking Sensors
- Reverse Camera
Price
| Model | Price |
| Honda Amaze 1.2 Trend | from R254 900 |
| Honda Amaze 1.2 Comfort Manual | from R274 900 |
| Honda Amaze 1.2 Comfort Auto (tested) | from R294 900 |
Pricing for the Honda Amaze includes:
- 4 Year/60 000km Service Plan
- 5 Year/200 000km Warranty
- 3 Year AA Roadside Assistance
*The pricing stated here was correct when published and is subject to change without further notice.
Rivals
- Suzuki DZire
- Kia Pegas
- Suzuki Ciaz
- Hyundai Grand i10 Sedan
The Verdict
The third iteration of the Amaze has some lovely additions and styling cues with a well-laid-out interior. However, it suffers in the powertrain and handling department, and ultimately, it's not Honda's best effort as it feels generic rather than living up to its namesake. Other similarly priced competitors like the Suzuki Dzire, for example, have tighter driving setups, and their foundations make them a joy to drive. Honda does know how to make a good small car, though, but the Amaze sadly misses the mark.
