Honda has finally debuted the much-awaited Honda Elevate mid-size SUV in India. While it is not the first SUV from the Japanese car maker, the Honda Elevate shoulders high hopes as Honda’s other SUVs have not fared well. In the Indian market, the Honda Elevate will challenge Hyundai Creta and for its apparent potential, it seems like a very strong opponent. Let’s take a closer look at the Honda Elevate and know what Honda is bringing to one of the hottest and most crowded segments.
Honda Elevate Dimensions & Design
The Honda Elevate is 4,312 mm long, 1,790 mm wide, 1,650 mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 2,650 mm, which is 40 mm longer than that of the Hyundai Creta. It has a segment-leading boot space of 458 litres and a ground clearance of 220 mm, which is the highest in the segment.
As far as looks are concerned, the Honda Elevate is bold and stands upright. At the front, there is an upright bumper with an octagonal upright grille flanked by slim LED headlamps connected by a thick chrome bar like the Honda City. The side profile features 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, like those of the Honda City, and flared wheel arches with black plastic cladding that adds to the chunky appeal. At the rear, the Elevate features a slightly raked window glass and wraparound inverted L-shaped tail lights connected via a red bar.
Honda Elevate Features
With the Elevate, Honda has steered clear of the simple interior design like that of the Honda City, leaning toward a more premium and fashionable experience. In the front section, there is a neatly laid out dual-tone black and brown dashboard with a leatherette finish to accentuate the premium feel. Moreover, the bolstering on the seats is substantially soft and largely replicates the comfort of the Honda city.
In terms of features, the Honda Elevate sports a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 7-inch digital instrument cluster, single-pane sunroof, rear camera, paddle shifters (CVT only), Honda Connect, electric ORVMs, wireless charger, automatic climate control, 8-speaker sound system, auto-dimming IRVM, and more.
Like Honda City, the Honda Elevate packs an ADAS safety suite that consists of a collision mitigation braking system (CMBS), lane watch/ keep assist, auto high beam, road departure mitigation system, adaptive cruise control, and lead car departure notification. Apart from the ADAS feature, the Honda Elevate features six airbags, ABS with EBD, rear seat belt reminder, vehicle stability assist, hill start assist, hill descent control (CVT only), traction control, emergency stop signal, and rear sensors.
Honda Elevate Engine and Transmission
Sharing its powertrain with the Honda City, the Honda Elevate is equipped with a 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine that produces 121 PS power and 145 Nm peak torque. This engine powers the front wheels through either a 6-speed manual gearbox or CVT automatic. Also, it is expected that Honda will bring a hybrid powertrain to the Elevate line-up later.
Honda Elevate Price and Launch
Booking for the Honda Elevate will start in July 2023 and Honda is likely to announce the prices in August. Once launched, the Honda Elevate will rival the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Astor, and the upcoming Citroen C3 Aircross.