Honda Amaze
I spent some time with a very interesting budget buy – the Honda Amaze. Compact sedans are some of the most enjoyable drives because they are the epitome of no fuss, no frill. Simple, to-the-T products that cater to a broad market.
How is it to drive?
The Amaze is powered by a 1.2l 4-cylinder engine that produces 66kW/110Nm. There are two trim levels available, namely the Amaze Trend and Amaze Comfort, the latter being the one on test. I was secretly hoping for the manual variant, yet I received the automatic CVT, which I have mixed feelings about. The gear changes felt slightly delayed and under strain, albeit it managed to carry itself as decently as possible on highway driving. The Amaze is best for city driving as it is nippy and small enough to slot in almost any parking spot, which is something I really love in cars. It is, however, nice to drive. One should not expect insane driving dynamics or handling in here – that is not what the Amaze is for.
On the inside
On the interior, you are met by a center console with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is equipped with Bluetooth audio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus a reverse camera. The steering does have functionality buttons, making it easy to use whilst driving. The Amaze lives up to this trim name of Comfort, as the ride is decent, and the seats are comfortable. There is some compromise with the legroom and rear occupancy space, but I think if you have small kids back there, you should be all right. The boot space of 420l is nicely spacious and can carry a plethora of things. Another notable feature is the build quality, the Amaze feels solid and sturdy.
Honda claims a fuel consumption of 5.6l/100km, however, I was doing about 6.5l/100km.
Overall
The Amaze rivals the Suzuki DZire and Kia Pegas, and all these cars are good options in the compact sedan segment. The practicality and reasonable pricing of these products make them hard to miss. The price for the Honda Amaze starts at R209 000 for the Trend, R234 700 for the Comfort and R252 800 for the Comfort CVT.
