Honda Amaze Bookings Open, To Launch In May

Honda is gearing up to launch the second-gen Amaze in May 2018. The Japanese carmaker has started accepting bookings for the sub-4 metre sedan at a token amount of Rs 21,000. The new Amaze was first showcased at the Auto Expo 2018. It is a lot wider than the outgoing car, and both its exterior and interior feel a lot more premium than before too.

On the outside, the sloping nose of the old car has been replaced with a more horizontal bonnet. The face and the tail borrow styling cues from the Accord and the boot looks well-integrated too. The large front grille stretches across the face of the sedan and is flanked by sleek wraparound headlamps with LED DRLs. However, the overall design may not be to everyone’s liking, especially when compared to the gorgeous third-gen Maruti Suzuki Dzire.

The cabin of the 2018 Amaze gets a lot of changes too. The new dual-tone dashboard gets a large touchscreen infotainment system right under the central air vents. The chunky steering wheel features buttons for the new cruise control feature as well. What’s important to note is that the new Amaze sports a longer wheelbase, which has helped improve space for rear passengers. However, those sitting at the rear still miss out on dedicated air con vents.

At the Expo, Honda announced that all new cars from its stables will have dual airbags and ABS with EBD as standard. The top-end variant is also expected to be equipped with Honda Connect, a 24x7 telematics service.

Powering the new Amaze are the 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol and 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engines from the older version. The 4-cylinder petrol motor puts out 88PS of power and 109Nm of torque while the diesel engine produces 100PS and 200Nm. Honda has promised that it will launch the diesel-powered car with a CVT gearbox this time around.

The Amaze was first launched in 2013 and was the first car from Honda to feature a diesel engine. This not only made it the most powerful and fuel-efficient car in its segment, but also the most popular. The success of the first-gen Honda Amaze prompted other carmakers like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai to update their products to stay in contention in the cut-throat sub-4 metre segment, and Honda hopes the new sedan will be able to push the envelope even further. Apart from the Maruti and the Hyundai, the 2018 Amaze will also take on the VW Ameo, Tata’s Tigor and Ford Aspire.