Complete Guide to Buying a Honda Elevate

It’s no secret that in the last few years, the sales of Honda cars have dropped steeply. The growing stringency of emission standards has taken a toll on Honda’s business and caused it to discontinue many of its high-selling cars. Nonetheless, the launch of the Honda Elevate nearly a year ago has come as a ray of hope. While the Honda Elevate isn’t selling as well as the segment leaders like Hyundai Creta and Maruti Grand Vitara, it has definitely turned out to be a significant success for the popular Japanese carmaker. Competing in the most crowded segment, the Honda Elevate is based on the iconic Honda City and brings some special characteristics that make it stand apart from the rest. If you are looking for a Honda Elevate, here is a complete buying guide which walks you through its strengths and limitations and will help you buy the best variant for your needs.

Honda Elevate Specifications

Honda Elevate Variants

Honda sells four variants of the Honda Elevate: SV, V, VX, and ZX. Among these variants, only the Elevate SV is available with just the 6-speed manual transmission. All other variants are available with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-step CVT automatic, and all automatic variants are available with paddle shifters. Here is a full list of Honda Elevate variants and their ex-showroom prices.

Best Honda Elevate Variant to Buy

The base SV variant of the Honda Elevate is a substantially loaded offering for someone who doesn’t wish to spend much. This variant brings more must-have features for the base variant of a mid-size SUV, for example, 6 airbags, keyless entry, push-button start/stop, automatic AC with rear AC vents, 60:40 rear seat split, tilt & telescopic steering adjustment, follow-me-home headlamps, traction control, steering-mounted controls, and more. While this variant misses some key features like a music system and wheel covers, these features can be easily installed aftermarket.

Next up is the Elevate V variant, which adds an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, rear camera, rear defogger, wheel covers, voice commands, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and more. For the price this variant asks over the base variant, it offers decent value, especially for budget buyers.

In addition to the package of the V variant, the second-to-top variant, Elevate VX, offers larger 17-inch alloy wheels, LED projector fog lamps, a wireless charger, ambient lighting, walk-away auto-lock, blind spot monitoring, a single-pane sunroof, power-folding mirrors with auto fold, and more. While the VX variant justifies its price over the V variant and offers a good value, the top variant offers a much better value.

To an already valuable package, the top variant, Elevate ZX, adds the coveted Level-2 ADAS features such as Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Lead Car Departure Notification System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Auto High-Beam, and Adaptive Cruise Control. It also brings a larger 10.25-inch infotainment system, premium leatherette upholstery, and auto-dimming IRVM. For the price it asks over the VX variant, the ZX offers a great value and understandably so, it’s the best-selling variant of the Honda Elevate.

Honda Elevate Warranty & Service Cost

The Honda Elevate comes with a standard warranty of 3 years/unlimited kilometres. This warranty period can be extended up to 5 years at some additional cost. As far as service cost is concerned, the first service is done free of cost and post that the service charges should be around Rs 4,754 – 5,972 at 1 year/ 10,000 km, Rs 6,437- 7,6555 at 2 year/20,000 km, Rs 4,952 – 6,170 at 3 year/30,000 km, Rs 6,437 – 7,6555 at 4 year/40,000 km, and Rs 4,754 – 5,972 at 5 year/50,000 km.

Why you should consider the Honda Elevate

While the Honda Elevate isn’t the first Honda SUV in India, it certainly has been given a lot of focus, given other Honda SUVs haven’t fared well. Purposefully built, the Honda Elevate is more about the functionality and less about the show value. Here are some of the most attractive qualities of the Honda Elevate.

Spacious & Segment-leading Boot Space

The ability to accommodate all passengers comfortably is the first expectation one usually has from a mid-size SUV. This is where Honda has made a very measured masterclass effort. The traditional boxy design of Honda Elevate not only looks good but also makes its cabin impressively spacious. For the rear seat passengers, there is ample headroom and legroom for even tall adults. Speaking of the rear seat, three abreast in the Elevate’s rear seat can sit as comfortably as they can in Hyundai Creta, however, here they get larger window glasses to enjoy the outside view. What adds to the comfort is nifty cushioning on the seats, which is neither too hard nor too soft and there is generous under-thigh support.

In addition to ample space for passengers, the Honda Elevate offers a lot of storage space. For example, there are slots on either side of the handbrake for smartphones, a large shelf on the centre console with a wireless charging pad, and large recesses in all four doors. Meanwhile, the Elevate also offers the segment’s largest boot space of 458 litres. Such a boot space is enough for all your luggage, whether you go for long trips, weekend jaunts, or run errands.

Great Ride and Handling

The Honda Elevate is based on the legendary Honda City, which has set benchmarks for ride and handling quality in its segment. So, it isn’t surprising to know that the Honda Elevate embodies the same charm, but it is definitely one of its top draws. The aptly tuned suspension does a fantastic job of soaking up bumps and jerks and doesn’t let any discomfort reach the passengers. What also helps it do so is the segment-leading ground clearance of 220 mm, which gives you enough confidence to easily drive across sharp speed breakers, deep ruts, and potholes. Moreover, as expected of a potent suspension, it keeps the SUV well-balanced even at high speeds, which is surprisingly appealing as the Honda Elevate is quite a tall SUV with 1,650 mm height. At the same time, the steering is ideally low speeds and weighs up nicely as you accelerate to higher digits. Adding to the ease of drive is an agile gearbox and clutch which require little effort to operate, while the CVT automatic is ideal for city traffic, as it is with the Honda City.

The Best Petrol Engine

Honda is the largest IC engine manufacturer in the world and their i-VTEC technology has built an invincible reputation. First, it was the Honda City which benefited from the 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine, and now, the Honda Elevate is powered by the same tried and trusted engine. The speciality of the i-VTEC engines is that they deliver the best distribution of power and torque across the rpm range, making them unparalleled in terms of all-round performance. Expectedly, compared to its rivals, the Honda Elevate requires fewer gear shifts in driving through the city traffic, while delivering a refined experience.

Unparalleled Reliability and Durability

Honda cars are built to last long and the Elevate is no exception. The Japanese SUV is built solid as suggested by the nice thud sound that comes when the doors close. Moreover, durability can be felt in each and every bit of the Elevate. In the cabin, the interiors may not look as modern as those of some of its rivals, but there is a satisfying heft to every component. Honda has generously used high-quality material and plastic feels solid whether you touch the AC vents, dashboard, or door levers. In addition to dependable interiors, the Elevate comes with dependable underpinnings and an engine which proved its mettle with the Honda City a long time ago and made it one of the best cars to claim a high resale value.

Why you should not consider the Honda Elevate

While the Honda Elevate is one of the best cars under Rs 20 lakh, it’s definitely not a car for every type of buyer. There are certain shortcomings of the Honda Elevate which might make you skip it and look for other options.

Lack of some Upmarket Features

The Honda Elevate has many upmarket features and the Level-2 ADAS safety suite certainly gives it an edge over some of its rivals. However, it misses some modern-day essentials such as TPMS, a 360-degree camera, ventilated seats, and powered driver seats. Moreover, it also misses a panoramic sunroof and offers only a single-pane sunroof.

Lacks Enthusiasm

With no torquey engine on offer, the Honda Elevate doesn’t have a high-spirited performance edge. It’s not a car you should push hard and is best suited for comfortable family-friendly drives. This also highlights the point that the Elevate doesn’t offer engine options and has only one naturally aspirated petrol engine. Whereas most of its rivals offer more than one engine, for example, Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos offer three engine options each, Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq offer two engines each, Maruti Grand Vitara and Toyota Hyryder offer CNG variants for better mileage, and MG Astor offers two engine options.

Summary

For everything that the Honda Elevate brings, it’s a peach of a family car without a shadow of a doubt. It’s built to last long and delivers refined and smooth performance, and its ride and handling make it stand out from the rest. All the same, it misses some key features such as TPMS, 360-degree camera, ventilated seats, and panoramic sunroof. But, if the absence of these features is not a deal breaker to you, the Honda Elevate can be an ideal car for your needs and you can use this buying guide to clear all your queries and bring home the best variant for you.

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