All three models now comply with the upcoming OBD-2B emission norms and are available in new colour options. Bookings can be made online or at Honda BigWing dealerships, with deliveries set to begin shortly.

Design remains unchanged, retaining the retro-styled look with a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, curved fenders, and a parallel-running slender exhaust. The updated CB350 is available in Mat Axis Grey Metallic, Mat Dune Brown, Rebel Red Metallic, Pearl Igneous Black, and Pearl Deep Ground Grey.

The H’ness CB350 adds two new shades: Rebel Red Metallic and Athletic Blue Metallic. It features a semi-digital console with Bluetooth, voice assistance, switchable traction control, and dual-channel ABS. The CB350RS adds two new colours—Pearl Igneous Black and Pearl Deep Ground Grey—with the DLX Pro variant also offered in Mat Axis Grey Metallic and Rebel Red Metallic.

Powering all three motorcycles is a 348.36cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that delivers 21.78bhp at 5,500rpm and 30Nm of torque at 3,000rpm.

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The City Apex edition can be booked online or at Honda dealerships. It is available in both manual (MT) and CVT variants, with all color options. The V MT is priced at Rs 13.30 lakh, V CVT at Rs 14.55 lakh, VX MT at Rs 14.37 lakh, and VX CVT at Rs 15.62 lakh (all prices ex-showroom).

Key updates include Apex Edition badges on the front fenders and boot lid. Inside, the sedan features leatherette finishes on the dashboard, door pads, and center console, along with exclusive seat covers and cushions. The package also adds 7-color ambient lighting around the instrument panel and in the door pockets, which is available separately for Rs 7,500 across all trims.

The City Apex edition comes equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen (with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay), LED DRLs, projector headlamps, LED taillights, automatic climate control, push-button start/stop, 15-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, connected car tech, a 4.2-inch MID, TPMS, six airbags, lane-watch camera, sunroof, wireless charger, rear reading lamps, and advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control and auto emergency braking.

The sedan is powered by a 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 121bhp and 145Nm of torque. It is available with either a 6-speed manual or CVT automatic transmission.

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• Revamped styling 
• First-in-segment ADAS
• New interiors

Honda has launched a major facelift of its sub 4 metre sedan, the Amaze at Rs. 7.99 Lakhs (Ex-showroom). Representing 40% of Honda’s sales in India, it gets new styling, interiors and major feature updates. 

2024 Honda Amaze: what’s changed 

As part of the facelift, the styling of the Amaze gets reworked to be in line with Honda’s latest design language. At the front, like it’s sibling Elevate, it now sports a large hexagonal grille flanked by smoked projector LED headlamps with a chrome strip running across the width above. Also new is the bumper which now has fewer elements. Towards the sides, there are fewer changes with the new 15 inch alloy wheels being the most noticeable of the lot. At the rear however, the Amaze now draws inspiration from the City for its taillamps which now sport a fresher look with L-shaped DRLs and a new bumper.

Inside as well, the Amaze sports a new dashboard drawing inspiration from the Elevate with a flat design and a standalone 8 inch touchscreen in the middle. You also get a new steering wheel borrowed from its siblings as well as a new semi-digital instrument cluster with a 7 inch MID with colour TFT display.

In terms of equipment, the aforementioned 8 inch touchscreen infotainment is an addition which also gets Wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay functionality. This gets paired to a 6 speaker surround sound system. There is also a wireless smartphone charger, rear AC vents and ADAS features including lane watch, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and more. In terms of safety it also gets 6 airbags as standard, ESC, Hill Hold Assist, 3 point seatbelts with reminders for all occupants as well as a new centre headrest for the middle passenger.

Under the hood, it remains powered by the same 1.2L four-cylinder iVTEC petrol engine mated to either a 5 speed manual or 7 step CVT transmission. This powertrain makes 90HP and 110NM of torque. According to Honda, this engine is now E20 compatible. Further, Honda is offering a 3 years/ unlimited Kms warranty as standard which can be extended to 7 years/unlimited Kms or even 10 years/1.2L kms as well.

2024 Honda Amaze: Pricing & Rivals

The 2024 Honda Amaze starts at an introductory price of Rs. 7.99 Lakhs (Ex-showroom). The detailed pricelist is given below. It also gets a new Obsidian Blue Pearl paint option along with the existing Golden Brown Metallic, Radiant Red Metalllic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Meteoroid Grey Metallic and Platinum White Pearl.

(All prices Ex-showroom in Lakhs INR)

In terms of rivals, the Amaze competes with the Maruti Dzire, Tata Tigor and Hyundai Aura.

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• Hub mounted motors 
• QC1 gets fixed battery, Activa e: gets swappable batteries
• Honda RoadSync technology

Honda has finally announced their foray into the electric two-wheeler segment with the launch of the Activa e: and QC1 scooters. The Activa gets a swappable battery model while the QC1 can be had with a fixed battery pack.

Honda Activa e: & QC1: Design

Being Honda’s debut in this segment, it has decided to give the two new electric scooters a distinct design language. At the front is a very simple design devoid of many elements with the all LED headlamps taking centre stage. The Activa e: also gets a ‘smiling’ DRL on the handlebar.

Towards the side as well, the scooter maintains minimalist proportions with flush fitting pillion footpegs and a largely flat design. At the rear you also have a sharp taillamp cluster which is fully LED with a clear lens effect. The QC1 however gets a different setup with more conventional styling and seperate indicators.

Honda Activa e: Features and Powertrain

Honda has also debuted new features with the Activa e: such as a 7 inch TFT digital cluster, RoadSync Duo connectivity tech and swappable batteries.

For the Activa e:, there are two swappable battery packs of 1.5kWh each giving it a claimed range of 102Km. Powering the wheels is a hub mounted motor making 8HP and 22NM of torque. Honda says the Activa e: will do the 0-60Kmph sprint in 7.3 seconds until it reaches a top speed of 80kmph. It gets three riding modes- Econ, Standard and Sport. It is also launching a network of BeX battery exchange stations which will initially be available in Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai at launch.

Honda QC1: Features & Powertrain

The QC1 gets features such as a 5.0 inch LCD display, USB Type-C charging port and a 26 litre underseat storage space while it only gets a drum brake for the front wheel.

For the performance, it also gets a hub-mounted motor although now producing 2.4HP and 77NM of torque. Powering the motor is a 1.5kWh fixed battery pack delivering 80kms of claimed range. It also comes with a 330-watt off-board charger juicing it up from 0-80% in 4 hours 30 minutes with a full 0-100% charge taking 6 hours 50 minutes. It gets a top speed of 50kmph with two riding modes- Econ and Standard.

While Honda is yet to reveal the prices of both the scooters, it has said that deliveries will begin February 2025 onwards, starting with select few cities. When on sale, the scooters will rival competition such as the TVS iQube, Ola S1X and Hero Vida V2.

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Pros

• Commanding driving position
• Loads of space everywhere
• Smooth and refined powertrain
• Fantastic ride quality
• Significantly more affordable than rivals

Cons

• Misses out on the latest tech
• No turbo-petrol or hybrid drivetrains on offer
• Thick C Pillar is a hindrance
• CVT is smooth but lethargic
• NVH levels could be better

Honda has sort of fallen behind in the past five years. With the line-up dwindling slowly to just two sedans, it was in a desperate need to stay relevant. The Elevate is this attempt to stay relevant in the Indian market and Honda’s first real crack at the midsize SUV segment. Now, this segment is the hottest one today and has some really competitive rivals today. So, Honda is late to the party but has it arrived prepared? We have the Elevate with us today to find out where it stands and if it has the potential to revive the fortunes of a once-aspirational brand to prevent it from fading away.

Honda Elevate Design & Styling

Bold is a word completely anonymous for Honda. See their current line-up and subtle, classy and toned-down are the words that come to your mind. But it also knows that Indians’ preferences have evolved. Bold, exciting and glamorous is what’s working today and it seems to have taken note of the same. While not being outrightly ostentatious, the Elevate makes you sit up and take notice. That is, readers, without the use of excessive chrome.

Be it the large upright grille in the front, tall bonnet or angry looking headlamps the Elevate manages to look aggressive without being brash about it. Look at the side profile and you realise how large it is. With a height of 1650mm, it is one tall car too. The very Volvo-esque kink in the window line, smart alloys and a generous dollop of cladding gives it a very SUV vibe. At the rear, there are ofcourse the connected taillamps shaped smartly and placed tall up. The rest of the design gives off a very clean-looking exterior. The Elevate’s design is anything unlike Honda has brought to our shores, yet one would not mistake it for any other brand. Smart and inoffensive, yet without looking like an uncle-mobile.

Honda Elevate Interiors & Features

One has to admit, today’s rivals have set tall benchmarks for the interiors. In-keeping with Honda’s ‘man maximum machine minimum’ philosophy, the functional aspects are all marvellously executed. The large doors open wide, the tall height means ingress-egress is effortless and there is loads of space everywhere. At the front there is a simple dashboard with a leather insert, square vents and a leather plus wood insert. The centre stage is the 10.25 inch touchscreen that is all-new. One can also observe a nice and deep shelf just under the AC controls to store knick-knacks while also accommodating the wireless smartphone charger.

The HVAC controls are thankfully still physical buttons with neat toggles for the temperature and fan speed. Good going Honda! Not all is rosy though. Ventilated seats are sorely missed, my passengers often complained that despite the room available, the co-driver seat is set a bit too sedan-like and there is a whole dollop of equipment, expected in this segment, missing. Take the sunroof for example, a single pane small one when rivals offer larger ones, or the fact that despite the effective air-conditioning, dual-zone AC is not present, or the fact that there is no 360 degree camera……you get the gist. The digital instrument dials look classy but the MID menu can be a chore to toggle through on the move.

Par sahab toh peeche baithenge. The rear seats are where the Elevate shines through. They are supportive, have just the right amount of hardness and leave no room to complain about headroom or legroom. Another nice touch here is the rear ac vents (which actually are effective) and a nice slope up in the floor to make for a good footrest. With such fantastic focus on the rear cabin, I would also hope Honda adds sunblinds on the windows to make for an even better ‘driven’ experience.

Honda Elevate Performance & Ride Quality

Under the hood, the Elevate gets powered by the familiar 1.5L four-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine making 120HP and 145NM of torque also shared with the City. Paired to this is either a 6 speed manual transmission or a 7 step CVT automatic which is what I drove. This engine has become synonymous with the brand Honda having powered many cars in its long life. And just as you expect it, the first observation is the incredible refinement with which it starts. Throughout the rpm range, it is smooth and more than satisfactory. Response for itself is great too and given the rich history, reliability will as well. However, if you are expecting any thrills from it, you will be disappointed. It does not feel boring and can give you some smiles but falls short of the more powerful turbo-petrols we see today. Fair enough, but what is truly inexplicable is the absence of the City’s strong hybrid option. Why Honda? It would have made the Elevate a fantastic mile muncher and given it a true USP that it needs. The CVT is as expected, a very smooth and well calibrated unit but it is noisy and the notorious rubber-band effect persists.

Anyhow, what Honda has done unmistakably right is the ride quality. Fabulous doesn’t begin to describe it as it takes every pothole, speed breaker, crack on the road with aplomb while consistently not feeling too soft at higher speeds. There is surely some sort of wizardry involved in making a tall crossover such as itself insulate you from the nasty city road gremlins while at the same time making it feel incredibly sporty on the bends when you do decide to have fun. What is all the more comforting is the commanding driving position which gives an awesome badi gaadi feeling. The tall bonnet with a flat front end also helps you make easier judgements.

The chassis has some potential to give consistently feeling stable with the tyres giving up much before you even touch the limits of it. Put some stickier rubber and one can surely have a lot of fun in the ghats. The steering in true Honda fashion lacks feedback but weighs up well. The NVH levels have surely been improved and the Elevate also gets full wheel well cladding at the rear to reduce road and tyre noise. Wind noise however makes its presence felt and it is no european in these terms. On the 350 something kilometres I had it for over expressways, city traffic and the gruesome traffic jams, it returned an overall figure of 12.5Kmpl which is pretty respectable for its class. My only complaint here is the tiny 40L fuel tank restricts mile-munching ability.

Honda Elevate Verdict

The Elevate is an important product for Honda. And it is a great one too! Loads of space, a huge boot, easy and silent ride while still having those characteristic traits that make it a true Honda will certainly appeal to a section of buyers. However, it fails to appeal to the right side of the brain. For one, it has no exciting turbo-petrol nor a strong hybrid for efficiency seekers while still not having a great deal of tech that is now an expectation rather than an aspiration. And before you say, yes the Elevate, being priced at Rs 11.69-16.51 Lakhs (Ex-showroom) is significantly more affordable that rivals too, but buyers clearly are willing to pay more for a no-compromise situation. I came out of the week I had with the car liking it quite a lot but I couldn’t fall in love with it. And until Honda fixes it with more thrills and frills, it is destined to keep doing the odd 2000-2500 monthly unit run. All is not lost though, Honda still has time to correct things and with the right person at the top, it has the potential to truly shine even in the current sea of crossovers. Till then, I will keep daydreaming of an Elevate Type-R.

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The Urban Burden

It is a proven fact that most private cars in India spend a lot more time inside the city than outside it. For these sort of uses, the City is a good choice with a smooth CVT automatic and a refined engine. However, the Elevate is just a tad bit better in this scenario. Using the same powertrain, it has the advantages in the form of a smaller length and a commanding driving position making tight city manoeuvres that much easier. Driving it for longer stretches in bumper to bumper traffic is also effortless in comparison given the better road presence and a more upright seating position.

Highway By the Way

Out on the open roads however, if you are going to clock significant kilometres the City comes out on the top. The massive boot outsizes the Elevate’s by a good 48L worth of luggage space that is also shaped better. The lower height and correspondingly lower centre of gravity also ensures a more planted feel on the road. During long stretches you will also come to appreciate the slightly more premium feeling materials used inside and the cleaner, smarter look of the dashboard which is easier on your eyes.

Rough and Tough

Smooth roads are sort of a luxury in India. Potholes, waterlogging and washed out asphalt is anything but uncommon. This is the environment where one comes to appreciates the Elevate a lot more. The ground clearance being rated at 220mm is an astounding 55mm more than the City. The difference is not just felt but also brings a sense of peace while dealing with these shenanigans. The Elevate also has the cushier and more compliant suspension for when the going gets tough.

High Mileage Hero

When you have a running exceeding 1000kms a month, fuel costs can upset your wallet by a good amount. And this is where the City has the most clear, unmatched advantage in the form of the strong-hybrid powertrain option. This e:HEV variant can even deliver an excess of 25Kmpl and a massive range well north of 800kms on a single tank. These figures easily payback the initial increase in prices and are unmatched by other petrol sedans and even ups some diesels in its price range too! Sadly, Honda has confirmed that the Elevate is not going to get a hybrid powertrain in the near future. A pure EV version is in the works though launch is far away.

Tech Check

Fond of the latest gadgetry? Both the cars fare well here with a very similar equipment list. Both get auto headlamps, single pane sunroof, keyless entry-go, wireless Android Auto/Apple Carplay, connected car tech and a semi-digital instrument cluster as standard. A slight edge to the Elevate here is the newer 10.25 inch touchscreen while the City only gets the 8 inch unit. The newer unit has a better resolution and a crisp response which makes a slight difference. On the other hand, the City gets the addition of lowline TPMS which is missing on the Elevate.

The Fundamental Value Seeker

If hunting for the best value-for-money is your thing and the base SV and V variants are being considered, it is easy to see why the City comes out on top. Among other things, the City gets a rear armrest, 4 airbags (instead of 2), rear camera, Android Auto/Apple Carplay connectivity, rear centre headrest, rear defogger and a 3 point seatbelt for the middle passenger as standard which are not present on the base Elevate. Honda also provides adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist from the V variant itself instead of the Elevate which only gets them in the top ZX variant. On the other hand, the only features that Elevate gets standard but not available on the City SV is LED headlamps and smart key access.

So, let us know in the comments which one of the two Hondas would you pick and why?

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• Gets retro inspired styling
• Significantly cheaper than CB350 H’ness
• Two variants

Honda CB350 Design & Features

Starting off with the styling, the CB350, as it is simply called gets a retro-classic design theme. Changes relative to the H’ness include a split seat, new rear fender, a pea-shooter style exhaust and shrouded front forks. There are also new side panels and a new, more rounded off fuel tank to complete the look.

In terms of features, it gets a digital-analogue instrument cluster, dual-channel ABS, Traction control, Honda Smartphone Voice Control tech and LED lighting as part of its equipment list.

Honda CB350 Engine & Price

Being based on the CB350 H’ness and CB350RS twins, the standard CB350 also uses the same underpinnings. This means it also gets a 349cc single-cylinder engine producing 20.7HP at 5500rpm and 29.4NM of torque at 3000rpm. This is paired to a 5 speed gearbox. Honda also says that it uses a double-layered exhaust pipe to prevent discolouration with age. Further, Honda will also be offering an extended warranty period of upto 10 years as an option for customers.

In terms of prices, the CB350 has been launched in two variants. These two variants are called DLX and DLX Pro and are priced at Rs. 1,99,900 and Rs. 2,17,800 (Ex-showroom)respectively. Both variants are available in 5 colours- Precious Red Metallic, Pearl Igneous
Black, Matte Crust Metallic, Matte Marshal Green Metallic and Matte Dune Brown.

Talking of rivals, the CB350 will go squarely up against the Royal Enfield Classic 350 as it’s chief competitor.

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• Bootlid spoiler
• Extra features
• AT and MT options

Honda has launched limited special editions for the Amaze and City sedans respectively for the upcoming festive season. Both cars get minor feature and cosmetic additions while the mechanicals remain unchanged.

Honda City Elegant Edition

The special edition for the City will be called the Elegant Edition. On the outside, you now get a fender garnish, an elegant edition badge and a trunk spoiler with LED brake light as additions. In terms of equipment, it is based on the mid V variant of the City. Extra interior features include new seat covers, a wireless smartphone charger and footwell illumination over and above the existing equipment such as projector headlamps, auto climate control, keyless entry, wireless Android Auto/Apple Carplay connectivity and more.

Under the hood, there are no changes and it is available with a 1.5L petrol engine with a choice of a 6 speed MT or a CVT gearbox. Prices for the City Elegant Edition are Rs. 12.57 Lakhs for the MT and Rs. 13.82 Lakhs for the CVT (Ex-showroom). The Honda City competes with the Volkswagen Virtus, Hyundai Verna and Skoda Slavia among others.

Honda Amaze Elite Edition

For the Amaze, Honda has called the special edition “Elite Edition” and will be offering it based on the top VX trim of the Amaze. There are minor additions in the equipment list such as a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Sliding front armrest, Anti-fog film on the ORVMs, Elite Edition seat covers, side step illumination, a tyre inflator, a badge and a chrome garnish on the front fenders. Just like the City, it also gets a trunk spoiler with an LED brake light.

Under the hood, it continues with a 1.2L petrol engine paired to either a 5 speed MT or a CVT transmission. Prices for the Amaze Elite Edition are as follows- Rs. 9.03 Lakhs for the MT and Rs. 9.85 Lakhs(Ex-showroom) for the CVT. The Honda Amaze competes with other rivals such as the Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Aura and Tata Tigor.

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• 162cc engine
• Underpinnings shared with Unicorn
• Fully digital instrument cluster

Honda has launched the SP160 at a price of Rs. 1,17,500(Ex-showroom). The latest SP motorcycle from Honda will sit between the Unicorn and X-Blade in their lineup. With the SP160, Honda aims to cater to commuter buyers with a more aggressive styling.

Honda SP160 Powertrain

The SP160 gets powered by the same 162cc engine that does duty on the Unicorn and produces 13.5HP and 14.6NM torque also identical to it. This comes mated to a 5 speed gearbox. Honda also claims a higher compression ratio of 10:1 along and has given it a rocker roller arm and counterbalance for better refinement as well. Notably, the X-Blade also uses the same engine albeit in a higher tune to enhance its sportier positioning.

Honda has also given it a rear monoshock suspension along with 177mm ground clearance for better stability. Furthermore, a disc brake comes standard along with single-channel ABS for safety. While a 3 year warranty is standard, customers can also get the optional extended warranty for a total coverage of 10 years.

Honda SP160 Features & Price

In terms of convenience features, the SP160 gets an LED headlamp, digital instrument cluster, hazard lamps, Engine stop-start and more. It rides on 17 inch alloys with a larger 130mm rear tyre for better traction.

There are two variants being offered- Single Disc and Dual Disc which are priced at Rs. 1,17,500 and Rs. 1,21,900 (Ex-showroom) respectively. Six colour options are offered including Matte Marvel Blue Metallic, Matte Axis Gray Metallic , Matte Dark Blue Metallic , Pearl Spartan Red, Pearl Igneous Black and Pearl Deep Ground Gray.

The new SP160 will compete with other 150-160cc motorcycles such as the Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha FZ and Bajaj Pulsar P150 among others.

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(Image courtesy: Pratheek Ponappa)

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• Gets Honda H-Smart tech
• Two variants
• Telescopic suspension

Honda has launched the Dio 125 in India at a price of Rs. 83,400. The Dio 125 gets a more powerful 125cc engine which is shared with other siblings such as the Activa 125 and Grazia. While remaining cosmetically unchanged, it gets new H-Smart technology with connected features and more.

Honda Dio 125 Powertrain

Driving the Dio 125 is a 125cc OBD2-compliant engine mated to a CVT transmission. While Honda has not disclosed the power figures, they should be identical to the Activa 125 which makes 8.3HP and 10.4NM. Suspension consists of telescopic forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear. Honda claims a generous ground clearance of 171mm. The Dio 125 rides on 12/10(F/R) inch alloys as standard even on the base variant. Braking is handled by a standard disc at the front and drum brakes at the rear.

Additionally, Honda has given an idle stop-start system which shuts off the engine automatically while idling to save fuel. A silent start system is also offered which eliminates the noise while starting. In terms of safety, CBS is provided along with a side stand engine cutoff to prevent the rider from forgetting to retract the side stand.

Honda Dio 125 Features

The equipment list of the Dio 125 includes an H-Smart system which integrates a digital instrument cluster with functions such as Keyless Go, Smart Find, Keyless boot unlock and an anti-theft engine immobilizer.

The scooter also features an LED headlight, 18L of boot space, an external fuel filler cap and a dual function switch. Honda is offering a standard warranty of 3 years which can be extended to a massive 10 years which is the largest in the segment.

The Dio 125 comes in two variants- Standard and Smart priced at Rs. 83,400 and Rs. 91,300 (Ex-showroom) respectively. It is available in 7 colours- Pearl Siren Blue, Pearl Deep Ground Gray, Pearl Night Star Black, Mat Marvel Blue Metallic, Mat Axis Gray Metallic, Mat Sangria Red Metallic and Sports Red. It competes with other 125cc sporty scooters such as the TVS Ntorq 125, Suzuki Avenis 125 and Yamaha Ray-ZR 125.

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