New Honda Amaze Promises Big Features In A Tiny Sedan Package From Just $9,400

The battle for supremacy in India’s popular small sedan market has a new contender. Honda has unveiled the third-generation Amaze, aiming squarely at rivals like the Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Aura, and Tata Tigor. While it continues to ride on the same underpinnings as its predecessor, the 2025 Amaze rolls out with a revamped exterior and interior.

But let’s address the elephant in the room: those teaser sketches. They had many thinking Honda was about to amaze the small sedan game with something cool. Spoiler alert: they weren’t. What we ended up with is a respectable, albeit predictable, evolution. It’s like someone took those ambitious sketches and ran them through Photoshop’s “compress and disappoint” filter.

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Unsurprisingly, the new Amaze inherits some of the awkward proportions of its predecessor, a common trait in the sub-4m sedan category. These quirks, like the stubby dimensions and small 15-inch alloy wheels, remain hard to ignore.

The Amaze attempts to channel some sophistication from its larger siblings, with more aggressive LED headlights, a more prominent grille, and smoked LED taillights inspired by the more refined Honda City. While it’s an improvement, it falls well short of the “head-turner” those teaser sketches promised.

An Overhauled Interior

Inside, the dashboard has been completely overhauled, adopting the more modern and minimalist style seen across Honda’s lineup. Much of the interior is lifted directly from the Honda Elevate SUV, including the steering wheel, 7-inch digital instrument cluster, switchgear, and climate vents. However, the Amaze differentiates itself with an 8-inch infotainment display, a step down from the Elevate’s larger 10.25-inch unit.

From a practicality standpoint, the Amaze offers a five-seat cabin and 416 liters (14.7 cubic feet) of cargo space. While its boot is 4 liters (0.1 cubic feet) smaller than its predecessor’s, it trumps the Suzuki Dzire—its chief competitor—by 34 liters (1.2 cubic feet).

Safety is a standout for the new Amaze, boasting six airbags as standard and Honda Sensing ADAS technology. Features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist grant it Level 2 autonomous capabilities, making it the most affordable car in India equipped with an ADAS suite, according to Honda. However, it’s worth noting that Honda Sensing is reserved for the top-spec ZX trim. Whether the Amaze can match the Suzuki Dzire’s 5-star NCAP rating remains to be seen.

Carry-Over Underpinnings

Despite being labeled as a new generation model, the 2025 Amaze rides on the same underpinnings with its predecessor. The platform is also shared with the larger City sedan and the closely-related Elevate crossover.

Under the hood, things remain equally familiar, with the sole engine option being the trusty 1.2-liter naturally aspirated i-VTEC petrol engine. It churns out 89 hp (66 kW) and 110 Nm (81 lb-ft) of torque, paired with either a mildly improved 5-speed manual or a CVT automatic. What’s missing here? A CNG option, something Honda’s rivals have embraced with open arms in a market that’s drawn to the efficiency and affordability of compressed natural gas.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for the Honda Amaze starts at ₹7.99 lakh ($9,400 at current exchange rates) for the entry-level manual version, and tops out at ₹10.89 lakh ($12,900) for the flagship ZX trim with the CVT and the full ADAS suite. For comparison, the rival Suzuki Dzire is priced between ₹6.79 lakh ($8,000) and ₹10.14 lakh ($12,000). First deliveries are slated to begin in January 2025, and Honda has high hopes that the Amaze will carve a bigger slice of India’s small sedan pie.