Honda’s Amaze 2024 arrives like that friend who suddenly started going to the gym and reading self-help books — same name, but noticeably improved posture and a handful of annoying but undeniably useful habits. This review takes apart the Amaze’s toolkit of new features, compares it with the new Maruti Suzuki Dzire (the sensible, frugal cousin), and decides whether the upgrades are worth your hard-earned rupees or just good marketing copy wrapped in chrome.
Introduction
The 2024 Honda Amaze is a compact sedan aimed squarely at Indian families and urban commuters who want a small car that’s sensible, feature-rich, and mildly aspirational. At the top end — the ZX variant — the Amaze adds Level-2 ADAS, a LaneWatch camera, remote start, paddle shifters on the CVT, and a few other niceties that sound like they belong in a premium car. The primary rival is the new Maruti Suzuki Dzire, which chooses the quieter path of efficiency, simplicity, and a very respectable 360-degree camera for parking. If you like gadgets that help you drive, the Amaze is flirting; if you like gadgets that save you fuel, the Dzire might be your steady partner.
Key Features (What Honda Adds to the Amaze That the Dzire Doesn’t)
Level-2 ADAS
Yes, the Amaze ZX offers Level-2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: collision mitigation, lane keeping assist, auto high beam, road departure mitigation, lead car departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. In plain language: the car nudges you away from accidents, holds itself in the lane like a polite chauffeur, and can keep a set distance from the car ahead on the highway. This is big — and rare — in this segment. The caveat: it’s limited to the top variant, so don’t expect these driverless-enthusiast perks on the lower trims.
Honda LaneWatch Camera
Instead of the Dzire’s 360-degree view for parking, Honda offers the LaneWatch camera that displays the left blind spot on the driver’s digital cluster. It’s a one-sided superhero move: brilliant for overtaking on busy two-lane roads and for preventing that heart-stopping brush with a bike hiding in the blind spot. But it won’t help you park in a tight mall basement — the Dzire’s 360 cam still wins the shopping-center duel.
Rear Middle Headrest
A small, surprisingly lacking comfort feature: Amaze includes a headrest for the rear middle passenger. It sounds trivial until you’re hauling three adults for a long highway stint. The headrest offers neck support and some protection against whiplash in a rear-end collision — a thoughtful touch that the Dzire omits.
Bigger Boot: 416 Litres
Honda claims 416 litres of boot space, about 34 litres more than the Dzire. That’s the difference between fitting a week’s worth of luggage for a family of four and having to stylishly squeeze in one more travel bag on the back seat. For weekend getaways and grocery runs where boot geometry actually matters, that extra capacity is practical, not just bragging rights.
Higher Ground Clearance (172mm)
The Amaze sits 172mm off the ground — 9mm higher than the Dzire. That’s not just engineering trivia; in cities with speed breakers that could double as miniature cliffs, and on rural stretches where potholes declare sovereignty, those extra millimetres stop underbody scraping and let you maintain dignity while crossing an uneven road.
4-Cylinder Engine vs 3-Cylinder Competitor
Both cars use a 1.2L petrol engine but the Amaze gets a 4-cylinder layout while the Dzire uses a 3-cylinder. Expect smoother operation, reduced vibrations, and a more refined NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) profile from the Amaze. The trade-off: the Dzire’s 3-cylinder is typically more frugal. So the Amaze is the polished speaker at dinner; the Dzire is the one who pays for appetizers and saves you money.
Paddle Shifters with CVT
The Amaze’s CVT gets simulated gear shifts via paddle shifters — a nice touch for drivers who like the illusion of control during highway overtakes. Remember: CVT paddles don’t actually change gears like a dual-clutch or torque converter; they change the ratio to give a sporty feel. Still, it’s more engaging than a floppy CVT-only experience.
Dual Function LED DRLs
Amaze’s LED daytime running lamps double as turn indicators, a sleeker and cleaner look compared to the Dzire’s separate units. Cosmetic? Mostly. But sometimes the little details add up when you want your commuter sedan to look like it pays attention to optics.
Remote Engine Start via Honda Connect
The ability to start the engine remotely is surprisingly satisfying. On hot days, pre-cooling the cabin means you don’t climb into a sauna; in monsoon mornings, you can warm things up. Suzuki’s connected tech doesn’t offer remote start on the Dzire, giving Amaze owners an advantage in creature comforts.
Smart Entry with Walk-Away Auto Lock
Touch to unlock, press the button to start, touch to lock and walk away — no keys, no drama. Amaze’s smart entry is convenience elevated. It’s a small luxury that becomes a daily delight if you value not digging through pockets at the supermarket.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Comprehensive safety suite in top ZX with Level-2 ADAS; real highway assistance that’s rare in the segment.
- Superior NVH and refinement thanks to the 4-cylinder engine.
- Large 416-litre boot and higher ground clearance for real-world utility.
- Convenience features like remote start, smart entry, and paddle shifters enhance daily usability and driving fun.
Cons:
- Most headline features are top-variant exclusives, which means a hefty price jump to access them.
- Dzire still offers better fuel efficiency — important if you do a lot of city commuting.
- LaneWatch is useful but one-sided; no 360-degree parking camera unless you want to debate geometry with a parking sensor.
- Paddle shifters on a CVT are more theater than performance enhancement.
User Experience
Driving the Amaze is like sipping a slightly expensive tea that was worth the upgrade. The 4-cylinder engine smooths out starts, and the cabin hushes road and engine noise better than you’d expect from a B-segment sedan. The adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping are genuinely useful on long highway runs — you can set a cruising speed, let the car manage traffic flow to a degree, and actually enjoy a podcast without constant steering corrections.
In the city, smart entry and remote start turn routine moments — leaving a mall or entering a stew of humidity — into tiny victories. The bigger boot is a practical relief on trip days. Where Amaze can feel a little less charming is in fuel bills: if your commute is a daily 40–80 km slog, you’ll notice the Dzire’s frugality makes more sense. And when parking in a compact lot, the lack of a factory 360-degree camera in Amaze makes it slightly less confident than the Dzire — you’ll just be more judicial with your mirror checks.
Comparison: Amaze vs Dzire (and the Practical Alternatives)
Against the Dzire, Amaze is the option that favors safety, refinement, and convenience. Dzire counters with better mileage, a 360-degree camera for parking, and usually a friendlier price tag. For unnamed alternatives like the Hyundai Aura or Tata Tigor, Amaze’s ADAS and refinement push it upmarket, while the others often compete on features-to-price ratios and value-oriented engines. If you want tech-first and a nicer cabin, the Amaze is the pick; if your priority is fuel economy, lower running costs, and easier urban parking, the Dzire remains the pragmatic champ.
Who Should Buy This
Buy the Amaze if:
- You do a lot of highway driving and would value adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping.
- You take regular family trips and need a bigger boot and better rear middle passenger comfort.
- You care about cabin refinement and dislike engine vibrations at idle or in traffic.
- You appreciate daily conveniences like remote start and walk-away auto lock.
Skip the Amaze if:
- Your priority is city fuel economy and keeping running costs as low as possible — Dzire will save you money at the pump.
- You frequently park in compact spaces and want that top-down 360-degree camera as standard.
- You’re budget-sensitive and the ZX-level price premium for ADAS and features feels like overkill.
Value for Money
The Amaze 2024 offers a lot of modern kit for a compact sedan, and the inclusion of Level-2 ADAS in the top trim is a substantial value add for safety-conscious buyers. However, that value is front-loaded into the ZX variant, meaning you pay a premium to access the headline features. If Honda prices the ZX competitively, the Amaze could be a strong buy for those wanting safety tech without stepping up to a mid-size SUV. If the price gap to the Dzire is wide, the real-world value depends on how much you personally value refinement, convenience, and advanced safety over lower fuel bills and a 360-degree camera.
Practical scenarios: for a family doing frequent highway trips with luggage, the Amaze’s extra boot, ADAS, and smoother engine deliver tangible benefits. For a city-only driver who prioritizes a tight turn radius, minimal fuel stops, and an easier park, the Dzire will likely be more economical and less flashy — which is a compliment in disguise.
My honest take: If you spend meaningful time on highways and want a compact sedan that feels grown up — quieter, safer, and just a little bit posh — the Amaze is worth stretching for. If your miles are mostly urban and you treat fuel economy like a religion, the Dzire remains the more sensible altar to worship at.