Honda launches the Brio Amaze in Thailand

Honda has launched the Brio Amaze sedan in Thailand for 454,000 Baht (Rs 8.2 lakh). The new sedan will arrive on herein April 2013 and is the Japanese automaker's first diesel engined car for the Indian market.

The Brio-based Amaze, despite being based on the hatchback, has been designed almost entirely from scratch, has a longer wheelbase, new body panels and a redesigned front grille. The rear end is completely new due to obvious reasons.The interiors are mostly unchanged except for different coloured fabrics and a revised instrument cluster. However, thanks to Honda's efforts, the rear now has more knee room, headroom as well as shoulder room.

This new sub-four metre sedan will be offered with two engine options; the i-VTEC 1.2-litre petrol, which currently does duty in both of Honda‘s hatchbacks (Jazz and Brio), and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. The latter is based on the 1.6-litre Earthdreams i-DTEC engine and has been designed specifically for the Indian market. The engine has been tuned to provide maximum fuel efficiency and driveability in the low and mid-range. Fitted with a fixed geometry turbo, the engine develops between 85 and 90bhp. The Brio Amaze is being offered with both a manual and an automatic gearbox in the V variant and the S variant.

It will compete with cars like Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Toyota Etios, Tata Indigo CS and soon-to-be-launched Mahindra Verito CS. While prices in Thailand start at 455,000 Baht (Rs 8.2 lakh), Honda will price the car significantly lower to keep it in competition with the rivals and the fact that it fulfils the criteria of being sub-four metre sedan. Honda is mostly banking on this compact sedan to revive its sales which plummeted after the deregulation of petrol prices.

Click here for our first drive report of the Honda Brio Amaze

Prices in Thailand for the Honda Brio Amaze