Honda finally launched the Amaze sedan in the Thai market. The car is a very important model for the Japanese auto maker to increase its market share in Indian and in the ASEAN market. The Amaze petrol is launched in the Thai market while India will get the diesel option too, and will be the first Honda car to get this option.
The car will certainly be a game changer for Honda in India, which gives the Dzire much need competition. Honda has plans to launch atleast 8 new models in India in the next 3-4 years.
The Amaze sedan borrows almost every detail from the Brio hatch expect for the rear boot which has been neatly integrated to give it a sedan look. The design does not really turn heads but does look proportionate.
The Amaze sedan is 3990mm, which his significantly longer than the Brio, and 60mm of the length extension is over the wheelbase. The car is 5 mm shorter than the Dzire, but this won’t really matter a lot. The car may seem small from outside, but Honda has kept in mind its principle of Man Maximum Machine Minimum.
The dash is identical to the Brio expect and the seats (with integrated headrests) too are carried from the hatch
The Thai market gets only the 1.2 petrol engine which develops 88Ps of power and 109 Nm of Torque. India too will get the same engine initially, while the diesel will join the parade later. Honda has developed a new 1.5 litre diesel engine which is a scaled-down version of the 1.6-litre diesel that Honda sells in Europe. The new 1.5 litre mill is a four-cylinder unit with a twin-cam, 16-valves DOHC. The engine will develop a decent 90Ps of power and 207 Nm of Torque . (Diesel engine performance figures are speculated. Final figures will be unveiled at the time of launch.)
Honda has launched the car in 2 variants S and V, both offered with a choice of manual & auto box. Indiawill definitely get the lower specked entry level, E variant.
Honda Brio Amaze Thai prices.
S M/T 454,000 Baht (Rs. 820,348)
S A/T 493,000 Baht (Rs. 890,819)
V M/T 482,000 Baht (Rs. 870,942)
V A/T 521,000 Baht (Rs. 941,413.40)
In India the Amaze sedan will likely start at Rs. 4.8- 5 lakhs. The diesel could start at Rs. 6 lakhs odd. The car will be heavily localized to keep costs low and the diesel engine too will be localized with manufacturing to start at the Rajasthan plant.
More details on the Amaze coming soon.
