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Honda Amaze Diesel V/s Petrol Model Which is Best?

Honda, the Japanese manufacturer launched Honda Amaze in the Indian market in April 2013 and in just a period of one year sold approximately ninety thousand units. Honda has always delivered petrol variants but this is the first time that it has launched a diesel car. The diesel variant consists of 1.5 L i-DTEC engine and the petrol model has 1.2 L i-VTEC engine. The diesel variant provides a power of 98.6bhp and the petrol one delivers 86.8bhp.

Honda Amaze is a five-seater family car and can be classified as a compact sedan type that offers a whole new set of features in every aspect such as price, performance ,the exterior as well as the interior decor and appearance. This car comes in a total of twelve variants. Seven variants are for the petrol model and the remaining five belong to the diesel car. The variants are not only based on the kind of fuel used but also on subtle features such as keyless entry, brake force distribution electrically, anti-lock breaking mechanism etc.

This car with the diesel engine model is one of the most fuel efficient engines launched by the automobile sector in India. Another aspect that is very rare for a compact sedan car is that it has been designed in twelve variants. The variants are based on fuel type such as diesel or petrol and transmission system such as manual (MT) or automatic (AT).

Diesel and Petrol Variants

Honda Amaze has 7 petrol variants namely- E MT, EX MT, S MT, SX, VX MT, S AT, VX AT and 5 diesel variants namely- E MT Diesel, EX MT Diesel, S MT Diesel, SX Diesel, VX MT Diesel. The S AT and the VX AT variant are of 1198 cc Petrol and give an average of 15.5 Kmpl. All other petrol variants are of 1198 cc of displacement and deliver an average of 18 Kmpl. All the diesel variants comprise of 1498 cc of displacement and provide an average of 25.8 Kmpl

Price Range

Honda Amaze Petrol cars range from Rs. 4.99 Lacs- 7.6 Lacs and the diesel variants range from Rs. 5.99 Lacs- 7.5 Lacs.

Specifications of the Diesel Engine

Amaze diesel car has a four-cylinder diesel engine comprising of sixteen valves and twin overhead camshafts. This is a light weight vehicle, which weighs 152 kg as the engine under the hood is made up of aluminum. Honda Amaze has used the concept of the “Earth’s Dream Technology” to not only have a lighter vehicle but also minimize and significantly reduce friction on the Indian roads.

Due to this the vehicle provides increased acceleration and can achieve better and higher speed. However, one of the severe drawbacks of the diesel car is that with increased speed comes a lot of noise generated by the engine since it is made up of aluminum and cannot provide noise absorption like other metals. To overcome this issue the engine has been placed over mounts filled with liquid instead of rubber. This helps in noise absorption to a very large extent. However, once you rev the engine hard, you can hear a lot of engine clatter inside the cabin due to all-aluminum engine and poor cabin insulation.

Having said that, the engine is very responsive, as it consists of piston fringes that are thin and short. The diesel car also has a longer turning radius, which is more than the petrol car by 0.2m. This is due to the fact that to accommodate the heavier and bigger diesel engine the suspension had to be shifted away. Honda Amaze has its own specific diesel oil that decreases friction and heat loss due to its reduced viscosity.

Why is the Diesel Version Better Than Petrol

At present the diesel variant of the Amaze car is the most fuel-efficient car in India due to its and according to ARAI tests gives 25.8 Kmpl mileage. It is designed perfectly well for the Indian roads. It very easily overtakes, drives in the potholes of the Indian road and also provides a smooth ride on the open Indian highways and inner city roads. This engine pulls well at low speeds and also offers linear power delivery. The only minor negative with the diesel variant in Amaze is that it is only available in five manual transmission modes. The automatic diesel transmission model is not yet designed.

Design and Colors

Honda is known for its distinct and unique design principles. The overall look of the compact sedan is very sporty and the sideways design is aerodynamic because of the presence of character lines. The front view is made up of chrome grille and has elegantly designed tail lamps.

It also consists of fog lamps that help improve and enhance visibility during the foggy winter days especially in the northern parts of the country. The overall design of this sedan is compact yet pleasingly attractive and very well-tailored for the Indian roads. In India, it comes in six colors such as crystal black-pearl, majestic blue, tafeta white, silver metallic, titanium metallic and carnelian red-pearl

Safety and Security

Honda Amaze is designed with numerous advanced features that guarantee the safety of all the passengers on board. It is also a very spacious car from the inside. Some of the safety features include immobilizer, wave key, ABS with EBD, seat belt reminder for the driver, high mount stop lamp, front dual SRS airbags, Seat belt with pretension and load limiter. Besides, these safety features the sedan also offers a lot of comfort features such as air conditioner along with heater, tilt steering, keyless entry, power foldable ORVMs, center armrest in the rear seat along with cup holder, and rear defogger.

Interiors

The interior design of Honda amaze is simple, classy and elegant. The interiors are designed with beige and black combination and display a fine finishing. However, once you step into the Amaze, you will feel that you have stepped into a Brio. Thus, the interiors that looked good in Brio, seems a little low quality for a sedan. One is left asking for more.

Driving Feel

Honda Amaze offers a smooth, supple, settled and a composed ride. It has a lighter steering wheel, clutch and shifts .The overall look and feel of the car is very decent, simple yet elegant. This car reduces driving fatigue and actually provides a feeling of effortless driving

Conclusion

Honda Amaze diesel and petrol both are good and user-friendly cars. With respect to mileage and power, the diesel version makes a better choice than the petrol one. However, if you do not have to drive the car for more than 30kms a day and do not plan to keep it for more than 5 years, petrol would be a more suitable option. Moreover, petrol has two variants that have automatic transmission, which is not present in the diesel version.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophia Diaz .