The Honda Amaze rivals a compact SUV according to a leaked document and we can’t say why!
What cars are considered as direct rivals to the Honda Amaze? Naturally, it would be the Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Aura and Tata Tigor, vehicles that are also positioned in the compact sedan segment that the Japanese product competes in.
Yet, according to a leaked document, the veracity of which has not been ascertained, it is the Kia Sonet, which is a compact SUV that rivals the Maruti Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon and the like.
Said to be Honda’s internal training document, again this has not been verified, the file compares the Amaze against the Sonet rather than pit the Korean car against Honda’s WR-V, which is positioned as a compact SUV.
The document states that the Amaze excels in core values of Honda which are “man maximum, machine minimum”, durability, quality and reliability.
It also claims that the car has “bold styling, outstanding driving performance, comfort, latest technology and high safety” and the best resale value in the segment.
Speaking of the Sonet, the document says the compact SUV’s lower grades miss out on competent features, while its most promoted features such as the ventilated power seats, BOSE sound system, side and curtain airbags, etc are present in “overpriced GTX+ variant”.
Comparing the Amaze to the Sonet, it says the compact sedan has a better suspension setup, larger boot, more powerful 1.2-litre petrol engine, petrol CVT with paddle shifters and a diesel CVT which apparently is better than the Sonet’s diesel-auto combo when it comes to the driving experience and starting price.
It is written that the Amaze diesel S CVT starts at Rs. 9.15 Lakh but there is actually no such variant on sale. S CVT is offered only with the petrol engine. The list goes on and on and there are even claims such as Kia and its dealers not being mature enough to address issues that may arise in products which will certainly not go down well with the Korean brand.
If at all the Honda Amaze rivals the Kia Sonet, it would only be with the loosely comparable asking price of the base variants, since the Amaze costs between Rs. 6.32 lakhs and Rs. 11.15 lakhs, while the Sonet costs between Rs. 6.89 lakhs and Rs. 13.45 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).