Long Term Report 2

I just realised that the easier the car is to drive, the more you end up driving it and the Amaze with its compact dimensions and an automatic gearbox is as easy as pie. In fact it’s only when I sat down to write this report that I realised how much I have driven it since its introduction in the Carwale long term fleet.

Let’s start with the irks first because I want to end on a happy note. The most widely used button in any car is usually the horn and one expects it to be the easiest to use. But it is not so in the Honda Amaze. From the actual steering wheel, the thumb just about reaches the edge of the horn pad, unless you really stretch your thumb to reach the middle of the horn pad. Now the problem here is that the horn pad isn’t flat and is at a raised angle so the thumb is always pressed against a slippery incline which ends up slipping every time you need the horn urgently. I know it’s a very small issue but can get very irritating nevertheless.

Then there’s the infotainment system. Now since this is the V variant, it does not get the touch screen unit, instead just a very basic looking 2-DIN unit. Apart from being not very attractive to look at its one major flaw is the BT calling function. While it connect to the phone fine, every time you select a contact from the phone to call, it asks for a hands-free talk option which has to be manually selected from the dial which again is very fidgety to use. Once the phone is connected via BT, it should be hands-free by default like in all the other units.

But when you are not using the horn and you’re not dialing work numbers, this little Honda is ‘amazing’. I’ve been raving about the CVT-diesel engine combo for a while now and it’s just fantastic. Zero headshake during the shifts, very negligible CVT rubber-band effect and instant acceleration for those quick overtakes, one just cannot ask for anything more. This makes it ideal for the city. And it’s not just within city confines, the Amaze is just as potent on the highways, with a relaxed engine and easy triple digit speed capability.

The engine and gearbox aside, fuel efficiency is another aspect that has blown us away. Even in Mumbai’s daily traffic snarls, the Amaze easily manages upwards of 16kmpl and when you throw in the highways along with some sensible driving, 20 plus kmpl is very easy to attain.

Brilliant at commuting and fuel efficient at the same time, the Amaze diesel CVT makes for an ideal city car. The next report will showcase on the cars ride quality, handling and highway manners.

Pictures by - Kaustubh Gandhi

Vehicle log -

Odometre: 12,347 kilometres

Kilometres last month: 1,366 kilometres

Fuel efficiency: 16.4kmpl