The Honda Elevate, the automaker’s return to the SUV market, was officially unveiled today at a launch event in New Delhi. Honda, however, is not a newcomer to the SUV market; its India lineup formerly included the CR-V and BR-V. Beginning in July 2023, reservations for the Elevate will be accepted. A price announcement will follow.
-Elevate receives the same 1.5-liter gasoline engine as the City
-and will later receive a fully electric drivetrain.
-The Creta, Seltos, and Kushaq are some examples of competitors.
-Bookings will begin in July, and the launch will follow.
Honda Elevate Specifications and Styling
The Elevate resembles the CR-V marketed abroad quite a bit in terms of appearance. The Elevate is comparable in size to the Creta at 4,312mm in length, 1,790mm in width, 1,650mm in height, and 2,650mm in wheelbase. It has a segment-leading 220mm of ground clearance and a boot capacity of 458 litres; the Creta has a 190mm ground clearance.
With regard to appearance, the Elevate has a broad grille, a flat snout, two fog lamps underneath, and a large Honda emblem in the centre. The headlights are thin, LED models. Like on the City, a substantial chrome bar connects the headlamps and the LED daytime running lights.
The new Honda midsize SUV has slightly wide wheel fenders on the side that are covered in thick plastic cladding, giving it a bulky SUV appearance. The window line tapers upward towards the large C-pillar. The 17-inch alloy wheels on the Elevate have a similar style to those on the redesigned City.
Honda Elevate Features and Interior
A stand-alone 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system is available for the Elevate. The Elevate only has a single-pane sunroof compared to the other three of its eight competitors, which all have panoramic sunroofs. This luxury feature will soon be added to the upcoming Kia Seltos facelift, which currently has a single-pane sunroof.
It also includes a rear parking camera, wireless charging, lane-watch camera, 7-inch semi-digital instrument cluster, and wireless smartphone connection with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
With features including a collision mitigation braking system, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, road departure warning, and automatic high beam assist, Honda will also include its Sensing ADAS suite in the Elevate. The Seltos facelift will also include driver assistance technology, making the MG Astor the only other midsize SUV with ADAS at the moment.
Engine, Platform, and Honda Elevate
The Global Small Car platform used by the Japanese company to construct the Honda City sedan also serves as the foundation for the Honda Elevate. The SUV’s 1.5-liter, four-cylinder petrol engine produces 121 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed to the front wheels either through a 6-speed manual gearbox or a CVT.
Additionally, the automaker has stated that the Elevate would have an electric engine within the following three years.
Honda Elevate competitors and release date
The Elevate will compete against vehicles like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Astor, and the future Citroen C3 Aircross in the fiercely competitive midsize SUV sector.
Since Honda currently only offers two sedans, its return to the SUV market is a much-needed step. Given the fierce competition and the fact that all manufacturers have sizeable shares in the midsize SUV market, Honda will be depending on the Elevate to give it a boost. However, much will depend on the pricing. Honda is being coy at the moment on costs, but an announcement is expected soon.
