Honda Amaze

autocar.india

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Based on your father’s priorities and usage, we’d recommend the Honda Elevate SV manual as the most sensible upgrade, provided you can stretch your budget a wee bit. It’s currently around Rs 14.2 lakh on road in Kerala, though the final quote will depend on your location, insurance and any dealer offers.It builds on the Honda qualities your father already appreciates in his Honda Amaze, while adding a higher seating position, more ground clearance and a comfortable suspension that copes well with broken roads. That makes it well suited to his village-road driving, with the caveat that bigger potholes still need to be taken slowly The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine is smooth, responsive and straightforward to drive. On steeper climbs, he may need to downshift rather than expect strong pulling power in a high gear. The cabin is comfortable, visibility is good and the boot is generous. Overall, it offers the fuss-free driving experience he’s enjoyed in the Amaze, in a more spacious package. Given his positive experience with the local Honda workshop, staying with the same service setup is another practical advantage.If Rs14 lakh is a firm ceiling, we’d look at the Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.0 turbo-petrol. Its punchy engine should suit the uphill stretches, and your budget could allow a higher variant with more features. This Maruti Suzuki car also offers a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, which is worth trying if he prefers smoother, more linear responses over outright punchWe’d favour the Elevate for comfort and familiarity, but have your father test-drive both on the kind of roads he actually uses before deciding.

Honda Elevate

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Honda Amaze

autocar.india

•4d

Between your two picks, the Honda Amaze is the better fit. Your requirements are very clear: a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, manual transmission, good fuel efficiency and a budget of under Rs 10 lakh on-road in Bangalore. The Amaze's 1.2-litre i-VTEC engine is smooth, refined and reliable, and Honda’s long-term ownership reputation is excellent. The Amaze also offers a comfortable ride, a spacious cabin and a large boot, making it a practical choice for both city and highway use. Your 70:30 city-to-highway split means comfort and efficiency matter more than outright performance, and the Amaze delivers well on both fronts.The Hyundai i20 is a good car, but the 1.2-litre engine is not as efficient or refined as the Honda’s, and the i20’s higher variants can push the budget. Overall, the Amaze is the more sensible and satisfying long-term choice for your requirements.

Honda Amaze

Hyundai i20

autocar.india

•4d

For a family of four doing a mix of city and highway driving, the Tata Aeris iCNG AMT is the best all-rounder of the three. Being a sedan, it gives you more rear-seat room and better highway stability than the Tata Punch. Its twin-cylinder CNG setup also leaves you a usable 227-litre boot, so weekend luggage isn't a problem.The Punch iCNG AMT uses the same twin-cylinder layout and gets a 210-litre boot. Its higher ground clearance and compact size make it easier to live with in tight city traffic and on bad roads. However, it's a smaller car overall, and four adults will feel more cramped on long drives.The Honda Amaze is the most refined car here, and its CVT is far smoother than the AMTs in both Tata cars. Keep in mind, though, that Honda doesn't sell a factory-fitted CNG Amaze. CNG comes as a dealer-fitted kit, so check with your dealer that it's offered on the CVT. That kit uses a single large cylinder, which takes up most of the Amaze's 416-litre boot.

Tata Aeris

Tata Punch

Honda Amaze

autocar.india

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With your requirement of keeping the purchase cost as low as possible while also getting something reliable, go for the Honda Amaze CVT. The CVT is smooth, the car is easy to drive, and Honda’s ownership experience is among the best in the segment. It will also be the most affordable option on your shortlist, which fits your budget constraint perfectly. It should be more than sufficient for your parents and their usage, but bear in mind, it's not much larger than the Figo they're moving from, so it may not feel like as much of an upgrade. Also, make sure entering and exiting the vehicle are not an issue for them, as it is quite low-slung.The Elevate CVT is the largest vehicle here, and as such gives a bit more space and comfort than the others, and it meets your other requirements, but if you're locked in on the V CVT variant, it might feel a bit barebones. The V CVT is well within your Rs 17 lakh budget, so consider going up a variant, as that would make it worth your while.The Maruti Suzuki Brezza, however, might be your best bet. The ZXi AT is great value for money; efficiency and hassle-free ownership are Maruti hallmarks, and the 6-speed AT gearbox is as smooth, if not smoother, than Honda's CVT. It's compact enough to be easy to drive, yet almost as spacious as the Elevate, with easy ingress and egress. We feel this will be the best fit for your parents.

Honda Amaze

Honda Elevate (2023-2026)

Maruti Suzuki Brezza