What is it?

Honda surprised everyone at the 2018 Auto Expo by showcasing an all-new Amaze compact sedan. It was wider, featured their latest family design and would also for the first time in the life of the Amaze range bring in a diesel automatic. Well four years on, Honda is updating the second generation Amaze and while it is building up to the launch, with various teasers and videos, on 18 August, the spy sleuths in the industry have already spotted the car and extracted all the details. Here then is what to expect from the Honda Amaze facelift.

What are the changes on the outside?

The biggest change for the Honda Amaze facelift is a new grille which is quite similar to that of the fifth-generation Honda City, the Japanese automaker’s most successful vehicle in India to date. The current car’s large chrome grille has been shrunk down and you get these two large horizontal lines as part of the identity. As a part of the upgrades, Honda also included LED headlamps, revised design for the tail lamps as well as some chrome ornamentation on the rear bumper. Finally, Honda has retained the 15-inch alloy wheels but now with a design more akin to that of the fifth-generation City.

What are the changes on the inside?

Honda has retained the colour schemes and layout of the current Amaze but has added silver inserts in the dashboard, doors as well as the centre console. From the images, we can also see that the touchscreen display has gotten bigger. It will of course offer the usual stuff like Android Auto/Apple Car Play, USB connectivity, Bluetooth and AUX-IN. The top-spec models get the option of a reverse camera now with three different view angles.

There will be four trims- E, S, V and VX with the top-spec models getting automatic headlamps, automatic climate control, front map lamp, button start and rear arm rest with dual cup holders. All versions of the Amaze are expected to continue with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounting points in the rear seats.

What about engines and transmission?

The Honda Amaze’s current engine line up will remain unchanged and that means a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel. The former is good for 88bhp/110Nm while the latter produces 98bhp/200Nm. Both engines can be had with either a five-speed manual or a CVT.

Expected Pricing and competition

The Honda Amaze facelift is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 6.35 lakh to Rs 10.10 lakh. It will go up against cars like the Maruti Dzire, Ford Aspire, Hyundai Aura as well as premium hatchbacks like the Maruti Baleno, Hyundai i20 and the Tat Altroz.