Comparison: Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara

The midsize SUV segment has become a prime focus for all car makers in India, thanks to the steady volumes on offer as well as general customer sentiment moving towards SUVs. With this background we find two contenders – Honda Elevate and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara – vying for attention and market share. 

Honda is making a determined effort to strengthen its presence in the Indian market. While the Japanese car maker has effectively set the benchmark in the sedan segments, it has so far avoided midsize SUVs in their lineup. The introduction of the Honda Elevate signifies their commitment to altering that perception and delivering a compelling new offering.

On the other hand, the Grand Vitara marks Maruti’s foray into the premium segment in order to expand their coverage in a very lucrative segment. It’s a significant step for them, and the Grand Vitara boasts an impressive blend of stylish design, spacious interiors, a commanding presence, and notable fuel efficiency. It’s equipped with the features and qualities that resonate with Indian consumers.

Both vehicles are meticulously designed with the Indian consumer in mind, featuring ample chrome accents, striking and robust aesthetics, an array of features, and a strong emphasis on safety. If you are deciding between the Honda Elevate vs the Grand Vitara, our comparison of the newest midsize SUVs will help you decide.

Dimensions: Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara

The Honda Elevate has a longer wheelbase to the Toyota Fortuner translating to a spacious, airy and comfortable interior especially for the rear passengers. The ride quality also stands out. This is simply because there’s more time between the front and back wheels hitting any bumps. The length of the Grand Vitara is more which means better handling and stability characteristics while the greater width will ensure more comfortable seating especially for the people at the back. 

If you want a ride that stands tall and commands attention on the road, the Honda Elevate is the perfect choice. With its sleek LED headlights and taillights, stylish dual-tone 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, and flared arches, it boasts a muscular and eye-catching appearance. The front-end design of the Honda Elevate is particularly impressive, featuring a wing-like chrome bar on top of a blacked-out grille. It’s a stunning SUV that exudes confidence and style.

On the other hand, the Grand Vitara offers a strong and sturdy SUV stance. Both the front and rear overhangs are fleshed out to enhance its SUV presence, and the flat bonnet adds to its profile’s clean look. The two-part grille stands out, blending a hexagonal lower section with a thick chrome bar. The Grand Vitara holds the distinction of being the longest SUV in its segment. 

In the Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara comparison, whether you prefer the head-turning stature of the Honda Elevate or the strong and distinctive design of the Grand Vitara, both SUVs offer unique and impressive aesthetics.

Engine and Transmission: Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara

The Grand Vitara comes with two 1.5 L hybrid options; the mild hybrid has a dual lithium battery setup that basically increases fuel efficiency and assists the petrol engine; the strong hybrid has the ability to drive on electrical power alone or on petrol. It can even harness both together driving up fuel efficiency figures even higher. The Honda Elevate, on the other hand, only offers the option of a 1.5L petrol engine.

If mileage is the priority, the Maruti Grand Vitara strong hybrid and even the non-hybrid model will deliver on Maruti’s high mileage philosophy. The Grand Vitara mild hybrid delivers an ARAI certified mileage that is just under 20 kmpl while the strong hybrid uses the electric motors to achieve an ARAI mileage of under 30 kmpl. These figures easily overshadow anything the refined iVTEC engine on the Honda Elevate can deliver.

Where the Honda Elevate shines is in its refinement and performance. The higher power and torque figures will appeal to those who enjoy a bit more enthusiasm in their cars. While the Grand Vitara strong hybrid easily beats the Elevate on acceleration thanks to its electric motors, the Elevate is the better car to drive if you want balanced performance in the city and on the highway.

Features and Comfort : Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara

The Honda Elevate boasts a sleek and stylish interior, featuring a layered dashboard and a dual-tone colour scheme in tan and leatherette. It also has brushed silver with a dull wood trim. The centrepiece of the interior is the impressive 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which puts all your entertainment and connectivity options at your fingertips. Additionally, the Elevate offers a single pane sunroof, a 7-inch semi-digital instrument cluster, a lane-watch camera for enhanced safety, wireless charging for your devices, and seamless smartphone connectivity.

On the other hand, the Grand Vitara features an attractive layered dashboard design, with the central console flanked by chunky metal brackets. It’s got an all black layout with champagne tints while the higher trims have dual tone interiors in black and bordeaux. Maruti has incorporated elements like chrome accents, leather upholstery, and double stitching to enhance the upscale feel of the cabin. The padded dash, finished in leather, adds to the overall premium ambiance. One standout feature of the Grand Vitara is the massive panoramic sunroof, which floods the cabin with natural light. What’s neat about the sunroof is that both glass panes can slide back, offering an open-air experience. The dash and cabin overall deliver a robust and solid feel.

Both vehicles offer a good range of features; the Grand Vitara has the advantage giving ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a good sound system, while the Elevate places a larger touchscreen as the focal point of its cabin.

Safety Features : Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara

When it comes to safety features, both the Honda Elevate and the Grand Vitara offer a range of options to keep you protected on the road.

The Honda Elevate goes the extra mile with its ‘Honda Sensing’ suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). This impressive suite includes collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and more. Alongside these features, the Elevate is equipped with six airbags, vehicle stability assist, hill start assist, a Lane-Watch blind spot monitor, and a reverse camera, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to safety.

On the other hand, the Grand Vitara doesn’t hold back either, offering rear disc brakes, electronic stability control, hill hold assist, 3-point seat belts for all seats, and ISOFIX child seat mounts. The Grand Vitara’s solid build quality and robust platform further enhance its safety performance.

Dual airbags come as standard on both, and higher-spec versions include additional side and curtain airbags.While both vehicles offer essential safety features, the Honda Elevate gains an edge with its ADAS suite, providing additional driver assistance and safety features and hence, is the better of the two.

Price Comparison (ex-showroom): Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara

In the Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara comparison, the Elevate undercuts the Grand Vitara by a significant margin. The Honda definitely comes across as the more value for money option, with the ADAS features offered being the icing on the cake. However, the Grand Vitara’s price range hides the fact that the top trims feature the strong hybrid as well as an all-wheel drive model in the lineup. While the Elevate keeps it simple with its variant choice, there’s more to consider with the Grand Vitara, which will depend on your particular use case.

Summary : Honda Elevate vs Grand Vitara

Both the Honda Elevate and the Grand Vitara come from manufacturers with strong followings and reputations in the Indian market. These cars have made significant efforts to capture a substantial share in their respective segments. The Elevate stands out with its impressive size, being the largest among its competitors, while the Grand Vitara offers fuel economy and a technologically advanced engine as its strengths. It’s great to see that safety has become a priority for both manufacturers, with an array of features being offered as standard. The engines and driving quality from both manufacturers are also important factors to consider. Additionally, the cabin quality and build of both vehicles are impressive.

Ultimately, the choice between these cars will come down to personal preferences regarding styling, the presence or absence of features such as ventilated seats or a 360-degree camera, the need for ADAS capabilities, and the value placed on pricing. Regardless of the choice made, both vehicles will hold a place of pride in your garage and provide immense driving satisfaction for years to come.

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