Image: Honda press kit
A premium-feeling compact sedan with class-leading boot, proper CVT and Level 2 ADAS, but the Maruti Dzire's sunroof, 5-star rating and lower price make this a close call.
The third-generation Honda Amaze is a compact sedan that punches above its weight on cabin feel, ride comfort and the segment's only proper CVT automatic. It now adds Level 2 ADAS, six airbags and a 416-litre boot, but the missing sunroof, dated infotainment and flat mid-range stop it from being a runaway winner over the Maruti Dzire.
The 2025 Amaze drops the older chrome-heavy face for a cleaner Elevate-inspired front end with a checker-flag grille, twin-projector LED headlamps and LED DRLs that double as indicators. From the side it still reads as the previous Amaze, while the rear borrows cues from the Honda City with reshaped tail lamps and a hidden exhaust. At 3995 mm it remains a sub-four-metre sedan, but the proportions look resolved and no longer abrupt at the boot. Ground clearance is a useful 172 mm. Faisal Khan notes that the car is 38 mm wider than before, though length and 2470 mm wheelbase are unchanged. The 15-inch diamond-cut alloys look small for the body, and unpainted wheel arch plastics betray some cost-cutting.
Inside, Honda has clearly raised its game. The dashboard layout, three-spoke steering and seven-inch driver display are lifted from the City and Elevate, and the black-and-beige theme feels richer than anything in the segment. Seats are well-cushioned with proper under-thigh support up front, and rear knee room, headroom and a flat floor make three-abreast seating workable. The 8-inch touchscreen now supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the interface looks dated, the reversing camera is grainy and there are no USB-C ports. Gagan Choudhary flags that fit-finish has gaps in places and the music system underwhelms. Rear AC vents are new, but rear headrests are non-adjustable, there is no rear USB charging, and no sunroof at all.
The Amaze sticks with its 1.2-litre four-cylinder i-VTEC petrol making 90 PS and 110 Nm, paired with a 5-speed manual or a 7-speed CVT, and a 1.5-litre diesel with manual or CVT options. Being the only compact sedan still on four cylinders, refinement at idle is a genuine plus over three-cylinder rivals. Low-end response is clean and the CVT is smooth in traffic, on inclines and on the highway, with paddle shifters for occasional fun. The mid-range, however, is flat and the engine gets vocal when extended past 4000 rpm, exposing weak wheel-arch insulation. MotorBeam praises the linear drivability for long drives. Real-world efficiency is a strong suit: roughly 18 kmpl from the petrol manual and 22-25 kmpl from the diesel.
Ride quality is the Amaze's quiet superpower. The soft suspension setup glides over broken city roads and speed breakers at low speeds, and the chassis takes big hits with composure that belies the segment. With three adults at the rear, sharper bumps do filter through, and at highway pace over expansion joints the car can feel a touch under-damped. The steering is light enough for parking yet weights up reasonably, though it lacks genuine feedback and discourages enthusiastic driving. Body roll is well contained for a sedan. Turning radius is a tight 4.7 metres on lower variants, rising to 4.9 on the wider-tyred top trim. Tyre and suspension noise enter the cabin more than they should because of missing wheel-well insulation.
Build quality is a mixed bag. Panel gaps are consistent, paint quality is good and the doors shut with reassuring weight, and the South African-spec Amaze scored 4 stars at Global NCAP, signalling a sound structure. But cost-cutting shows in exposed screws inside the boot, an unpainted under-bonnet, hard plastics on most touch surfaces, and flimsy AC vents. The feature list is generous on safety with Level 2 ADAS, six airbags, lane watch camera, hill-start assist and TPMS via the connected app, plus wireless charging, single-zone climate control, request sensors on both front doors and remote engine start on the CVT. Glaring omissions remain: no sunroof, no 360-degree camera, no auto-dimming IRVM, no ventilated seats as standard, and no USB-C.
Prices run from roughly Rs. 9.4 lakh to Rs. 12.98 lakh ex-showroom, with the CVT commanding an 88,000-rupee premium over the equivalent Maruti Dzire AMT. The mid-spec VX with the CVT at around Rs. 11.4 lakh is the sweet spot, bundling six airbags, wireless charging, rear AC vents and the smooth automatic without straying into Honda Elevate territory. Honda offers a 3-year unlimited-km warranty extendable up to 10 years and 1.2 lakh km, plus 5 years of free connected car services. Against the Dzire, buyers trade away a sunroof, 360-degree camera, factory CNG and a 5-star NCAP rating in exchange for a proper CVT, a bigger boot, ADAS and a more premium cabin. There is no factory CNG, only a dealer-fit kit.
TeamBHP rates the Amaze for its rev-happy 1.2L petrol, segment-best 416L boot, proper CVT and comprehensive safety kit including ADAS Level 2 and six airbags. The forum flags pricier base variants, missing 360 camera, no sunroof, no factory CNG and short manual gearing that makes the engine noisy at 100-120 km/h.
Read full forum review →"A balanced compact sedan that delivers space, boot, mileage and easy drivability; the mid variants are the smartest pick."
"Premium feel and four-cylinder smoothness impress, but the Dzire's sunroof, 360 camera and 5-star rating have moved the goalposts."
"A short hands-on impression rather than a full verdict; treats the Amaze as a competent everyday sedan."
"After 6,000 km the strengths are space and efficiency, but rivals now match Honda on quality and beat it on features."
"If you must have a sub-four sedan, pick the Amaze CVT and drive it gently; it rewards restraint, not aggression."
"A practical, refined and easy long-distance companion thanks to the CVT, comfortable seats and Honda's reliability reputation."
"An enthusiastic showroom walk-around that highlights the City-inspired dashboard and updated styling rather than dynamic verdicts."