The all-new 2025 Honda Amaze has arrived, building on the strengths of its predecessor while introducing key updates to retain its spot in the competitive compact sedan segment. As Honda’s current bestseller in India, the Amaze shoulders high expectations, particularly with increasing competition from rivals like the newly launched Maruti Suzuki Dzire. We drove the new Amaze, and here is a comprehensive review of Honda’s latest offering.
Exterior Design
Front
Honda has aligned the third-generation Amaze with its latest design philosophy, taking cues from the larger Elevate SUV. The bulky chrome bar at the front in the previous models has become slimmer, and now it covers almost the full width of the body. The new hexagonal grille appears fresh and makes the front of the car a lot sharper. The front bumper is also new.
The new Amaze now comes with an all-new headlamp design that houses a full LED setup and an eyelid-type LED DRL setup. The VX and ZX variants also get LED fog lamps.
Side Profie
As far as the side profile of the new Honda Amaze is concerned, you will not notice much of a change. The alloy wheel design is new, and it is a 15-incher as earlier. The width of the tire is however, increased by 10 mm, i.e., 185/60R15 for the top VX and ZX variants, while the lower V variant runs on a smaller 175/65R14 set of wheels.
Rear
The new Amaze’s rear features a significant redesign, resembling its larger siblings. It features LED lights that are slim and make the car look wider than it actually is. The luggage carrying capacity is 416 liters.
Key highlights include:
- Wider 185/60 R15 tyres with diamond-cut alloy wheels
- An increased width of 38mm
Interiors
The cabin adopts a minimalist layout inspired by the Honda Elevate, featuring a beige-black color scheme that adds brightness and a sense of space. At the center you get a dashboard-mounted, floating 8-inch HD touchscreen head unit. It is one inch smaller than the Dzire’s head unit, but the head unit comes standard in all three variants.
The steering wheel is similar to the Honda City, and the instrument cluster too, i.e., Digital Analog with a twin dial setup for the tachometer and speed.
There is plenty of storage space between the front two seats, but it is missing its center armrest. The AC controls are well placed below the center aircon vents and are in easy reach. However, premium touches like soft-touch materials or faux wood trims are missing.
The front seats fall short in providing adequate thigh support, and the lack of an armrest could affect driver comfort during long journeys. At the rear, the seat offers decent support and a comfortable backrest angle; however, taller passengers may find headroom slightly constrained. On a positive note, the Amaze now includes practical features like rear air-conditioning vents, three rear headrests(fixed type), and three-point seatbelts.
Key Interior Highlights:
- 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay)
- Lane watch camera
- PM 2.5 Cabin Filter
- Class-leading 416-litre boot space
Despite these enhancements, some shortcomings are apparent:
- 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system: The touch response of the system is slow and overall smoothness is missing. Rivals offer much better experience in terms of user interface and responsiveness.
- Rear space: While the seats are comfortable, the narrow cabin width limits seating for three adults.
- Front seat ergonomics: Lack of thigh support and absence of a central armrest may impact long-distance comfort.
- Missing Sunroof
Safety: ADAS – First in segment
The most notable addition to the 2024 Honda Amaze is its camera-based Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) suite. Along with standard 6 airbags this system introduces features like:
- Lane-keeping assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
While these features enhance safety, a few drawbacks exist. For instance, the blind-spot monitor takes over the entire touchscreen display, potentially disrupting navigation. Moreover, the car misses out on a 360-degree camera setup, and in foggy conditions, the ADAS becomes unreliable, thanks to its camera-only module, which lacks radar-based sensing.
Performance and Powertrain
Under the hood, the Amaze retains its 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, producing 90 hp and 110 Nm of torque. While it’s a rev-happy engine, the lack of mid-range grunt can make city driving less smooth. It pairs with a 5-speed manual transmission and a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).
The four-cylinder engine remains very silent with no prominent vibrations. However, upon close observation, there’s still room for improvement in the NVH department. We felt that cabin insulation could have been better, as road and engine noise tend to filter in during high-speed runs..
5-speed manual gearbox
The 5-speed manual gearbox option of the new Amaze will be the obvious choice of many buyers, as it offers smooth and sleek shifts with full control. However, the clutch pedal feels heavier compared to the Maruti Dzire or any Hyundai for that matter. But it is still in the category of light and easy.
Picking the car from rest without any throttle input is easy, and the engine doesn’t feel offended that much as in the case of Dzire. Its performance is crisp, and getting to three-digit speeds is easy. In regular Honda fashion, the top end of this engine is punchy, and after 4500 rpm, it gets another life.
CVT automatic
The CVT transmission of the Amaze is good for city dwellers the most. Its creep function copes up well with slow-moving traffic, and transmission utilizes the low-end performance of the engine very well. But as soon as you try to push the car, the rubber band effect becomes quite prominent, and the cabin becomes very noisy. In fact, we must say that the manual car was so much more effortless compared to this. If you care about performance, this CVT is not for you.
For spirited driving, Honda has equipped the car with sports mode and paddle shifters, but still it is a no-racer car by any means. Overtaking fast-moving cars on the highways is challenging and time-consuming. Overall, it is best suited to those who need a relaxed driving experience all the time and need no fun.
Fuel Efficiency
Nowadays mileage has become a major deciding factor while choosing a car. In case of Amaze, Honda claims that the 18.65 kmpl for manual and 19.46 kmpl for the CVT automatic. In real world though we expect it to return about 12 – 15 kmpl in city conditions and about 16 – 19 kmpl on highways, depending on your driving behavior.
Ride and Handling
The Amaze’s suspension is optimized for comfort, absorbing minor undulations with ease. The ride and handling strike a well-balanced harmony, leaning toward a comfortable driving experience. Compared to the previous generation, this model exhibits significantly improved control over bobbing and pitching at highway speeds, delivering a more composed and stable ride.
The steering feedback is impressively balanced, offering just the right amount of weight at various speeds to inspire confidence in the driver.
Highlights
- Improved 172mm ground clearance
- Wider tyres for enhanced grip
- Tight turning radius for easier city maneuverability
Pricing
Honda has priced the 2024 Amaze between ₹8 lakh and ₹10.90 lakh (ex-showroom), slightly above its competitors like the Dzire (₹6.79 lakh to ₹10.14 lakh). To cater to budget-conscious buyers, Honda will continue selling the second-generation Amaze in select petrol-manual variants.
Additionally, a dealer-installed CNG kit is available for ₹1 lakh, although it is not recommended from our side.
Verdict
The third-generation Honda Amaze strengthens its appeal with modern styling, ADAS-based safety tech, and a proper automatic CVT option. However, the absence of key features like a sunroof and the slightly higher price tag could sway buyers toward alternatives like the Maruti Suzuki Dzire.
Despite its limitations, the Amaze continues to offer a balanced package for those seeking a practical, stylish, sophisticated, and reliable compact sedan. With Honda’s reliable reputation and one-of-a-kind 10-year warranty (3+4+3-year extensions), it remains a strong contender in its segment.
Pros:
- Advanced ADAS features
- Well balanced design and fit and finish
- Class-leading boot space
Cons:
- CVT lacks punch
- Missing features like a sunroof and 360 – degree camera
- Front seats
