Honda is all set to launch the 2018 Amaze in India on May 16 and the updated sub-4m sedan already has a task on its hand. It has to take on the Maruti Dzire, a car that has been on the top of the sales chart since its launch. Let’s find out how the new Amaze 2018 stands against the segment leader in this spec comparison.
With the new Amaze, Honda has shown how well it can manage space. Within the maximum length of 4 metres Honda has not only managed to trump the Dzire on wheelbase measurement (Amaze’s wheelbase is 20mm longer than the Dzire’s and 65mm than the previous Amaze), which should result in more cabin space, but also managed to extract a 420-litre boot, now the biggest in its segment. The boot space is 42 litres more than the Dzire’s! The Amaze has better ground clearance too; however, since it’s shorter than the Dzire, we’re afraid if that would compromise headroom.
The Amaze is narrower than the Dzire by a whole 40mm and it’ll be interesting to see which of these two sedans can seat 3 passengers in the rear in more comfort when we do a detailed comparison story. The Amaze is not much heavier than the Dzire, with the top variant being only 50kg heavier - those who blame Maruti for light weight and compromised build, please note. Also Read: 2018 Honda Amaze: First Drive Review
Engines
Both the sedans pack a 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder motor but, on paper, it is the Amaze that surges ahead with an additional power output of 7PS. The Dzire, on the other hand, has the upper hand with an additional 3Nm of torque. Both the vehicles receive an auto gearbox but the Amaze gets a more sophisticated CVT in comparison to the AMT on the Dzire. The claimed efficiency figures of the Dzire stand better than the Amaze and with its bigger fuel tank, it should have a longer range.
In the diesel guise, the Amaze pulls away from the Dzire with 25PS more power and 10Nm more torque but when equipped with the CVT, the Amaze’s output drops by 20PS and 40Nm. Even the mileage of the CVT-equipped Amaze falls by 3.6kmpl, which is a lot in comparison to the 0.5kmpl drop witnessed with the petrol motor. The Dzire’s AMT-equipped diesel variants remain identical to the manual versions.
Features On Top-Spec Variants
The Honda Amaze was never a feature-rich car and Honda has worked on that front with the new model. The carmaker is yet to reveal the entire feature set but we know for sure that the top-end Amaze gets LED position lights, LED tail lights, 15-inch alloy wheels, 7.0-inch floating digipad 2.0 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear camera and parking sensors, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs, height-adjustable front seat, auto climate control, cruise control, push start-stop, and steering-integrated paddle shifts (petrol-CVT).
While the Amaze is better equipped now, it doesn’t get the LED projector headlamps with DRLs, leather-wrapped steering wheel and automatic headlamps that the Dzire gets. Both these cars get the bare minimum safety features in the form of ABS, dual front airbags, and ISOFIX mounts as standard.
Prices
The prices of the Maruti Dzire are in the range of Rs 5.56 lakh to Rs 9.43 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The Amaze should also be priced in the same range. It will be available in 4 variants: E, S, V and VX. While the Dzire offers the option of AMT in the top Z+ variant, Honda won’t offer the CVT in the VX variant of the new Amaze at launch.
Source: CarDekho.com
