Honda Amaze Facelift: In the fiercely competitive landscape of India’s sub-four-meter sedan segment, the Honda Amaze has carved out a distinct identity since its introduction in 2013.

Now, with its latest facelift, Honda aims to reinforce the Amaze’s position as a sophisticated alternative in a category where value propositions often overshadow character and refinement.

This update represents more than routine aesthetic enhancements—it embodies Honda’s evolving understanding of Indian consumer preferences and its strategy to maintain relevance in a market increasingly dominated by SUV silhouettes.

Honda Amaze Facelift: The Evolution of a Compact Contender

To appreciate the significance of the current facelift, one must understand the Amaze’s journey in the Indian market. The first-generation model, introduced in 2013, represented Honda’s initial foray into the compact sedan segment—a category created by tax incentives for cars under four meters in length.

While mechanically competent and carrying Honda’s reputation for reliability, the original Amaze featured somewhat awkward proportions—a common challenge when adapting global platforms to meet India’s size restrictions.

The second-generation Amaze, launched in 2018, addressed these aesthetic concerns with more balanced proportions and a cohesive design that disguised its dimensional constraints.

This model also introduced the option of a CVT automatic transmission paired with both petrol and diesel engines—a noteworthy technical achievement in a price-sensitive segment where automated manual transmissions (AMTs) were becoming the norm.

“The second-generation Amaze demonstrated Honda’s commitment to offering genuine engineering advancements rather than mere cost-optimization,” observes automotive analyst Vikram Mehta.

“By introducing a proper CVT option when competitors were largely offering AMTs with their inherent compromises, Honda established a technical differentiator that aligned with their premium positioning.”

The current facelift builds upon this foundation while acknowledging changing market dynamics and consumer expectations.

With SUV-styled vehicles increasingly dominating the market, Honda has focused on enhancing the Amaze’s visual presence and perceived sophistication rather than fundamentally altering its character.

Exterior Refinements: Subtle Sophistication

The exterior updates to the facelifted Amaze demonstrate restraint and purpose rather than gratuitous restyling. The front fascia receives the most significant changes, with a redesigned grille featuring a prominent horizontal slat finished in chrome, creating visual continuity with other Honda models.

This is flanked by updated headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights and a more sculpted bumper with revised fog lamp housings.

In profile, new alloy wheel designs (15-inch on higher variants) add visual interest, while the fundamental proportions that made the second-generation Amaze aesthetically successful remain unchanged.

The rear features subtle enhancements including revised tail lamp internals with LED elements and a slightly reshaped bumper that incorporates reflectors for improved visibility.

“What makes the Amaze’s design update successful is its coherence,” notes automotive designer Neha Patel.

“Rather than adding disconnected elements to create artificial newness, Honda has refined the existing design language to create a more premium impression without compromising the fundamental identity. The changes appear purposeful rather than arbitrary.”

Color options have been expanded to include a sophisticated Pearl Radiant Blue that particularly complements the Amaze’s surface treatments.

This joins existing options like Platinum White Pearl, Lunar Silver, and Golden Brown Metallic, allowing for greater personalization without resorting to gimmicky two-tone treatments that might compromise the sedan’s mature positioning.

Cabin Experience: Premium Aspirations

Step inside the facelifted Amaze, and the focus on perceived quality becomes immediately apparent. The fundamental dashboard architecture remains familiar, but material selections and finish details have received thoughtful attention.

Higher-grade plastics with improved texturing now cover touch points, while silver accents provide visual contrast against the predominantly black interior theme.

The seat upholstery features a new pattern and improved bolstering, addressing feedback about comfort during longer journeys.

Front seats offer good support for occupants of varying physiques, while the rear bench continues to be a highlight, offering impressive legroom for a vehicle in this class—a critical consideration in a market where many compact sedans serve as family vehicles rather than primarily commuter transport.

Technology integration centers around a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that now includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity—an upgrade from the wired connections in the previous iteration.

The interface has been refined with improved response times and more intuitive menu structures, though it retains physical controls for critical functions like volume and climate settings, acknowledging that touchscreen-only interfaces can compromise usability while driving.

“The interior updates reflect Honda’s understanding that perceived quality matters as much as feature content,” explains ergonomics specialist Rahul Singh. “

By focusing on the tactile experience—how surfaces feel, how switchgear operates, how seating supports the body—they’ve elevated the overall impression beyond what the specification sheet might suggest.”

Practical considerations receive appropriate attention, with storage solutions including a reasonably sized glovebox, door pockets that accommodate 1-liter bottles, and thoughtfully positioned cupholders.

The 420-liter boot capacity remains unchanged, offering sufficient space for family luggage while maintaining the car’s sub-four-meter exterior dimensions.

Noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) control demonstrates Honda’s engineering expertise, with additional insulation materials and refined door seals contributing to a notably quiet cabin at cruising speeds.

This refinement enhances the premium positioning Honda seeks for the Amaze, creating differentiation from competitors where cabin noise levels can compromise the experience, particularly at highway velocities.

Powertrain Continuity: Proven Reliability

Under the hood, the facelifted Amaze maintains mechanical continuity with its predecessor—a decision that prioritizes proven reliability over specification sheet enhancements.

The 1.2-liter i-VTEC petrol engine continues to produce 90 horsepower and 110 Nm of torque, while the 1.5-liter i-DTEC diesel generates 100 horsepower and 200 Nm (in manual transmission guise) or 80 horsepower and 160 Nm (when paired with the CVT).

Transmission options remain a 5-speed manual or CVT for petrol variants, with diesel buyers choosing between a 5-speed manual or CVT—the latter being a rarity in this segment where automated diesel options are typically limited to AMT technology.

The diesel-CVT combination, though offering slightly reduced power compared to the manual version, provides a refined driving experience unusual in this category.

“The powertrain strategy acknowledges that reliability and refinement often outweigh outright performance metrics for the target demographic,” notes automotive engineer Aditya Verma.

“By maintaining proven mechanical packages rather than chasing incremental power increases or downsizing trends, Honda prioritizes long-term ownership satisfaction—an approach that aligns with their brand values and target customer expectations.”

Fuel efficiency remains a strength, with the petrol-manual combination delivering approximately 18.6 km/l under testing conditions, while the diesel-manual achieves 24.7 km/l—figures that position the Amaze competitively within its segment despite not employing more recent technologies like turbocharging for the petrol engine.

Driving Dynamics: Balanced Composure

On the road, the facelifted Amaze demonstrates the balanced dynamic character that has characterized Honda products historically.

The steering offers appropriate weighting—light enough for easy maneuverability in tight urban spaces but with sufficient feedback to inspire confidence at higher speeds.

The turning radius of 4.7 meters enables navigation through congested areas without excessive multi-point turns, a critical consideration for the vehicle’s intended usage pattern.

The suspension—MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear—strikes a well-judged balance between ride comfort and handling precision.

The calibration acknowledges Indian road conditions with sufficient compliance to absorb typical urban surface imperfections without excessive harshness, while maintaining enough body control to prevent a floating sensation during directional changes.

“The Amaze’s driving character reflects a clear understanding of its likely use cases,” observes automotive journalist Deepak Menon. “It doesn’t pretend to offer sports-sedan handling or off-road capability, instead delivering competent, predictable dynamics suited to primarily urban environments with occasional highway journeys.

This focused approach results in a more cohesive experience than trying to excel across contradictory parameters.”

Braking performance comes from disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear—a common configuration in this segment.

Pedal feel is progressive and predictable, avoiding the overly sensitive initial response that can make smooth stops challenging in stop-and-go traffic.

The inclusion of ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) across all variants ensures consistent stopping performance even in challenging conditions.

Safety Architecture: Beyond Compliance

Safety features reflect Honda’s evolution in this critical area, with standard equipment including dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, and ISOFIX child seat anchors across all variants.

Higher trims add a multi-view rear camera, front fog lamps with cornering function, and impact-mitigating interior design elements.

The underlying structure employs Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body, which distributes crash energy more effectively than conventional designs.

This foundation, combined with the active and passive safety features, has earned the Amaze positive safety assessments—a growing consideration for Indian consumers as safety awareness increases.

“Honda’s approach to safety demonstrates how competitive pressures and increasing consumer awareness are elevating standards across segments,” notes safety advocate Priya Ranjan.

“Where base variants once offered minimal safety equipment to achieve headline-grabbing starting prices, we’re seeing a shift toward more comprehensive protection across the range—a positive development that the Amaze exemplifies.”

Market Positioning and Competitive Landscape

The facelifted Amaze occupies a strategic position in India’s compact sedan segment, competing primarily with the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Aura, and Tata Tigor.

Within this competitive set, Honda positions the Amaze as a more premium alternative, emphasizing refinement, driving experience, and perceived quality over absolute feature count or minimum entry price.

This positioning reflects Honda’s broader brand strategy in the Indian market, where the company has increasingly focused on higher-value segments rather than competing primarily on volume at lower price points. The Amaze serves as an important entry point to the Honda ownership experience, potentially creating customers who might later upgrade to larger Honda models as their needs and financial situations evolve.

“The compact sedan segment has evolved from being purely utility-driven to incorporating more emotional factors in purchase decisions,” observes marketing strategist Rohit Sharma.

“As SUV-styled vehicles increasingly dominate the market, sedans must offer compelling reasons beyond mere practicality.

Honda’s focus on driving refinement, cabin quality, and mature design provides differentiation in a segment where such attributes can still influence buyers who prefer sedans over the prevalent SUV trend.”

Pricing strategy maintains consistency with Honda’s premium positioning, with the Amaze typically commanding a slight premium over some competitors.

This approach acknowledges that the target customer values the Honda ownership experience and perceived quality enough to justify the additional investment—a bet on brand strength rather than minimum price positioning.

Ownership Experience: The Honda Advantage

Beyond the vehicle itself, the Amaze ownership experience benefits from Honda’s established reputation for reliability and service quality.

While Honda’s dealer network is not as extensive as some competitors, particularly in smaller towns, existing facilities generally maintain high standards for customer experience and technical capability.

Maintenance costs remain reasonable by segment standards, with service intervals set at 10,000 kilometers or six months, whichever comes first.

Honda’s transparent service pricing and standardized labor rates help address concerns about premium brand maintenance costs, while extended warranty options provide additional peace of mind for buyers planning longer ownership periods.

The Amaze’s strong resale value further enhances its overall value proposition, with well-maintained examples typically retaining 65-70% of their value after three years—figures that exceed segment averages and translate into lower total cost of ownership despite the relatively higher initial purchase price compared to some competitors.

Honda Amaze Facelift: Refined Evolution in a Changing Market

The Honda Amaze facelift represents a thoughtful evolution that reinforces the model’s established strengths while acknowledging changing market dynamics.

By focusing on perceived quality, driving refinement, and subtle sophistication rather than radical reinvention, Honda has created a more compelling package for buyers who continue to see value in the sedan body style despite the SUV trend.

In an automotive landscape increasingly dominated by homogeneous designs chasing similar trends, the Amaze offers a distinct alternative that prioritizes different values—space efficiency, driving comfort, and mechanical refinement over the high-riding stance and rugged pretensions of comparably priced compact SUVs.

This differentiation may not reverse broader market shifts toward SUV-styled vehicles, but it provides a compelling option for consumers whose needs and preferences align better with traditional sedan attributes.

As the Indian automotive market continues to mature and segment, vehicles like the facelifted Amaze cater to an increasingly sophisticated customer base that looks beyond basic transportation to seek vehicles that reflect their values and aspirations.

In this context, the Amaze stands as a refined option for those who appreciate Honda’s engineering philosophy and prefer substance over styling trends—qualities that ensure the model’s continued relevance even as market preferences evolve around it.