Honda Elevate: Honda has always been synonymous with solid, refined and well-engineered automobiles. After successfully churning of the sedans like City and Amaze for the years, the brand has now made its way in the mid-sized SUV segment with the Honda Elevate.
Taking on well-know offerings such as the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Maruti Grand Vitara, the Elevate is scene toting a no-nonsense approach emphasising on practicality, comfort drivability and good old-fashioned engineering.
So, how does the new SUV from Honda perform in India? Here’s a more in-depth look at what the Elevate has to offer.
Honda Elevate Sleek Design With A Familiar Feel
A simple yet appealing design is what one can say about the Honda Elevate. It doesn’t shout for attention, but with enough presence to comfortably hold its head among rivals. Up front it gets a massive grille, slim LED headlamps with DRLs, and a bulging bonnet that lends it a strong stance.
The squared-off wheel arches and upright proportions give it greater resemblance to a traditional SUV than a crossover.
Boasting a ground clearance of 220mm, roof rails and 17-inch alloy wheels, the Elevate certainly appears well-equipped for our roads. The design of Honda’s implementation is clean, with timeless looks rather than trend-based design.
Spacious, Functional Cabin
Climb inside, and the Elevate serves up a cabin that is practical, airy and appears to have been well thought out. It gets a lot in common with the Honda City in terms of dashboard design, offering a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The materials are hard-wearing, with soft-touch insets where they matter most. Up front, the seats are comfortable with good sightlines, and the rear seat is especially roomy for legs and heads, one of the roomiest in the segment.
The Elevate affords an easy, weekend-level of luggage stowage with 458 litres of boot space.
Proven Petrol Engine Only
Powering the Honda Elevate, meanwhile, is the well-loved 1.5-litre i-VTEC gasoline motor (121 PS and 145 Nm). This engine comes mated to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic transmission.
No, it may not be the most powerful one on paper, but it comes with a smooth and linear power delivery – ideal for city runs and a relaxed highway cruise.
There’s no turbo or hybrid option yet, although Honda says a hybrid and an electric will come in due time.
Mean while the NA petrol engine has a certified mileage of 15.3 km/l for the MT and 16.9 km/l for the CVT, which is good by NA standards in the segment.
Ride Quality and Handling
Honda has dialed the Elevate’s suspension for a plush, smooth ride, even on rough roads. It soaks up potholes, speed breakers and rough patches quite nicely, and is perfect for city and semi-urban driving.
The steering is light enough for city driving and firms up nicely on highways, although it’s not tuned for spirited shifts.
This SUV is designed more for smoothness and refinement than aggressive cornering or thrills of speed. The Elevate behaves predictably and with confidence in everyday use.
Features and Safety
The Honda Elevate is far from being feature-rich, but it brings all the essentials to the table. You do get the single-pane sunroof, wireless charging, automatic climate control, push-button start, cruise control and rear-view camera.
In terms of safety, the Elevate is loaded with 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, hill start assist and Honda Sensing (ADAS suite) in top trims. Such offerings are lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and collision mitigation braking.
Pros:
Tons of Room: Class-leading rear seat space
Roster Petrol Engine: Tried and tested i-VTEC engine with slick CVT
Honda Quality: Quality finish with sturdy material
Good Ground Clearance: Indian road-friendly
ADAS Features on Top Trims: Top safety at this rate
Simple But Elegant Design: Classic but fashionable appearance
Cons:
No Diesel Or Turbo Option: Narrows choices for performance oriented people
Single-Pane Sunroof Only: Rivals feature a panoramic sunroof
No Ventilated Seats, No 360° Camera
Not For the Enthusiast: Emphasis on comfort versus excitement
Honda Elevate Final Verdict
It might not be the best looking or the sportiest SUV in its class, but it does what Honda does best and that’s deliver a refined, comfortable and dependable ride.
The Elevate perfectly demonstrates its value as a spacious, practical long-term choice that brings peace of mind, not trends, for the buyer who doesn’t care about chrome wheels and touch screens.A Reliable and Trusted partner for Indian homes.