Compact sedans continue to attract Indian buyers who want the practicality of a proper boot, good mileage and easy city manners without stretching to a full-sized sedan. In this space, the Hyundai Aura and Honda Amaze are two of the most relevant options if your budget is around ₹7–10 lakh (ex‑showroom). Both are reliable, efficient and family‑friendly, but they appeal to slightly different priorities.
This post puts the Aura and Amaze side by side on price, performance, mileage, space, features, safety and ownership costs so you can decide which one fits your usage pattern better.
Model Overview
The Hyundai Aura is Hyundai’s compact sedan based on the Grand i10 Nios platform. It is known for packing in a lot of features, offering both petrol and factory CNG powertrains, and keeping prices aggressive for the segment. The Honda Amaze is Honda’s entry‑level sedan, positioned a bit more upmarket, with a focus on refined petrol performance, spacious interiors and a smooth CVT automatic option.
In simple terms, the Aura leans towards value and low running cost, while the Amaze emphasises comfort, refinement and brand image.
Price and Value
On pricing, the Aura clearly starts lower. Current ex‑showroom prices generally sit in the ₹6.0–8.54 lakh band, depending on engine and variant. That means several mid‑level trims, which already have decent equipment, stay comfortably under ₹8 lakh, making the Aura very attractive to budget‑focused buyers.
The Amaze, by contrast, is positioned higher. Its ex‑showroom prices usually fall between ₹7.48 lakh and around ₹10 lakh, with the top ZX CVT trims approaching the upper end of that range. This places the Amaze in a more premium zone within the compact sedan segment.
From a pure value‑for‑money perspective, the Aura gives you more car and more features for less money. The Amaze asks you to pay extra, but in return offers better cabin space, a more premium feel and a smoother automatic.
Key differences at a glance
Engine, Performance and Transmission
Under the bonnet, the Aura uses Hyundai’s familiar 1.2‑litre Kappa petrol engine. In petrol form, it produces roughly 82–83 bhp and 113.8 Nm of torque, which is adequate for city use and occasional highway runs. Hyundai also offers a bi‑fuel petrol‑CNG version of the same engine, which develops around 68 bhp and 95.2 Nm when running on CNG. Gearbox options include a 5‑speed manual and a 5‑speed AMT automatic, aimed at delivering efficiency and lower cost rather than outright refinement.
The Amaze, meanwhile, uses Honda’s 1.2‑litre i‑VTEC petrol that produces about 89 bhp and 110 Nm. On paper, it has slightly more power than the Aura’s petrol, and in practice, it feels smooth and rev‑happy in typical Honda fashion. Honda offers a 5‑speed manual and a CVT automatic, which is one of the key strengths of the car.
In everyday driving, the Aura petrol is perfectly fine for commuting and light highway use, but the AMT’s gearshifts are noticeable and feel less refined than a torque converter or CVT. The Amaze, especially with the CVT, delivers a much smoother drive in traffic with linear acceleration and fewer jerks. If you care a lot about how automatic it feels, the Amaze has a clear advantage. If you are focused on cost and can live with typical AMT behaviour, the Aura is still a practical choice.
Mileage and Running Costs
Both sedans are designed to be fuel‑efficient. Official ARAI figures for the Aura petrol fall roughly in the 17–20.5 kmpl range, depending on variant and gearbox. The CNG versions are rated at about 22 km/kg, and in gentle real‑world usage, they can deliver even higher efficiency per kg of CNG.
The Amaze petrol claims approximately 18.65–19.46 kmpl according to ARAI, again depending on the specific variant and whether you choose manual or CVT. On paper, this gives the Amaze a slight edge over the Aura petrol in terms of mileage, although in daily use, the difference is usually not dramatic.
The real separation comes from the CNG option. Because the Aura offers a factory‑fitted CNG kit, buyers with high annual running costs, such as heavy commuters, fleet operators or those doing frequent inter‑city trips, will recover the higher initial cost of CNG variants fairly quickly through lower per‑km fuel expenses. The Amaze, without a CNG option, cannot match the Aura’s running cost advantage in this scenario.
So, for moderate usage, both petrol cars are frugal enough; for very high usage, the Aura CNG is far cheaper to run over the long term.
Space, Comfort and Practicality
Although both cars sit within the sub‑4‑metre rule at 3995 mm length, their proportions and interior space differ slightly. The Aura is 1680 mm wide with a wheelbase of 2450 mm, and offers a generous 402‑litre boot. The Amaze matches the length but is wider at 1733 mm and has a longer 2470 mm wheelbase, with an even larger 416‑litre boot.
In practice, the extra width and wheelbase of the Amaze translate into better shoulder room and a more airy feel for rear passengers. Three adults in the back are slightly more comfortable in the Amaze than in the Aura, and the additional boot volume helps families that travel with a lot of luggage. The Aura still offers a strong boot capacity and adequate rear space, but it feels more compact overall, which also helps in city traffic and tight parking spots.
Ride quality on both cars is tuned towards comfort rather than sporty handling. The Aura’s suspension, along with around 165 mm ground clearance, handles speed breakers and broken roads with confidence. The Amaze, thanks to its slightly longer wheelbase and width, feels a bit more planted and relaxed at highway speeds. Those who frequently undertake long highway trips with four or five passengers will likely appreciate the Amaze’s extra space and stability.
Features and Safety
Hyundai has built a reputation for offering feature‑rich cars, and the Aura follows that pattern. Higher variants bring in a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, rear AC vents, wireless phone charging, steering‑mounted controls, push‑button start and more, depending on the trim level. Even the mid trims are usually well loaded for the price.
The Amaze focuses more on essentials. Top variants offer a touchscreen with smartphone connectivity, automatic climate control, rear camera, push‑button start and similar convenience equipment, but at a given price point, the feature count is generally lower than an equivalent Aura trim. The Amaze counters this with a more understated, premium‑feeling cabin ambience rather than a long feature checklist.
On safety, both sedans cover the basics properly. They come with ABS and EBD, rear parking sensors, and dual front airbags as standard, with up to six airbags available on higher variants. Ground clearance and suspension tuning are suitable for typical Indian road conditions, and both are designed with family use in mind.
Overall, if you want the most features per rupee, especially in the mid and top trims, the Aura clearly leads. If you are satisfied with a more conservative feature set in exchange for a more mature, premium feel, the Amaze is still very appealing.
Ownership, Service and Resale
Long‑term ownership is another area where both cars perform well, but with slightly different strengths. Average scheduled service costs for Hyundai cars in this class are typically quoted around ₹3,000–4,000 per year over five years, making the Aura reasonably cheap to maintain. Hyundai’s extensive sales and service network across metros, Tier‑2 and many Tier‑3 cities also makes after‑sales convenient.
Honda’s 1.2‑litre petrol engines are known for their reliability and refinement, and the Amaze benefits from that reputation. Honda’s network, while not as widespread as Hyundai’s in some smaller towns, is strong in most urban markets. The Amaze also tends to hold its value well in the used car market, which can partially offset its higher purchase price when you eventually sell or upgrade.
This means the Aura may have a slight edge in terms of lower routine maintenance costs and fuel savings—especially in CNG form—while the Amaze can compensate with better resale and a stronger “premium” perception in many buyers’ minds.
Which One Should You Buy?
Both the Hyundai Aura and Honda Amaze are solid compact sedans, but they target different priorities.
Choose the Hyundai Aura if your primary concerns are a lower purchase price, rich features and low running costs. It fits buyers working with an ex‑showroom budget in the 6–8.5 lakh range who want a lot of equipment and are open to CNG for heavy usage. For someone who drives a lot each month, the factory‑fitted CNG option is a major advantage and can make the Aura significantly cheaper to own over time.
Opt for the Honda Amaze if you are willing to spend more for extra space, a smoother automatic, and a more premium ownership feel. Families that frequently travel with four or five occupants and luggage, or buyers who value refinement and brand image, will find the Amaze particularly satisfying. The CVT automatic stands out as one of the best in the segment for comfort in city traffic, and the car’s cabin feels more airy and comfortable on long trips.
In short, Aura is the smarter pick when value and running costs dominate the decision, while Amaze is the better fit when comfort, refinement and brand appeal are at the top of the priority list.
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