Automobile Review First Drive: Honda Elevate SUV is for daily joyride

The Japanese car giant Honda has finally joined, though belatedly, the SUV party in India, where SUVs are a preferred rage over sedans.

Its all-new mid-size Honda Elevate will surely heat up the SUV race in the country battling with its rivals such as Creta, Seltos, Kushaq, Taigun, Hyryder, Citroen C3 Aircross and MG Astor.

Based on the Honda City, the new Elevate gets the same platform and engine which are tweaked to suit the SUV format of the Elevate. The mid-size SUV segment in the country has become far more fiercely competitive, drawing attention of the prospective buyers. I took Honda Elevate for a spin at the picturesque Udaipur locales and highway to check out how it will take on the highly competitive mid-size SUV segment.

The Exteriors

Undoubtedly, this handsome all-new Elevate has elevated proportions, standing tall at a height of 1,650mm with a class-leading 220mm of ground clearance. This stylish fresh-faced car with an appealing look has road presence to attract eyeballs.

The Elevat has got a simple and not a boisterous design with cuts and creases like some of the SUVs in the market. The car has got proper 215/55 R17 rubber mounted on good-looking 17-inch alloys on the top-end ZX variant, which fill out the wheel arches beautifully. With beefy front and rear scuff plates, roof rails, a chunky C-pillar and cladding on the sides lends it a proper SUV look. The front and rear light clusters certainly elevate the Elevate’s aesthetics. The dual-LED tail-lights are appealing to the eye and impressing one to think that the Elevate is wider.

The Interior

Once you get inside, you notice a large 10.25-inch infotainment screen with a crisp resolution which works quite well. It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless charging too. The seats, one of the best in the segment, provide solid bolstering and an incredibly comfortable backrest. The rear seats too are comfortable, offering support to thighs and overall good support. In the rear, there is comfortable legroom and headroom. Interestingly, the Elevate gets usable and practical large storage bins in all four doors. However, the glove box and central storage box could have been spacious. Also, although it has a pair of convenient front USB-A ports and a rear 12V socket for charging, it does not have the popular USB-C ports.

As you sit on the driving seat, and hold the steering wheel, you get a commanding view of the road ahead and the inverse power dome of the bonnet. However, the car is not equipped with a 360-degree camera and there are no front parking sensors either. It is surprising that it also does not have a panoramic sunroof but just a single pane. But it provides for a large, well-shaped boot space of 458 litres, perhaps the biggest in the segment.

The Drive Experience

The Honda Elevate is powered by just one engine, that is the tried and tested 1.5-litre i-VTEC with a CVT automatic and 6-speed manual transmission options. The engine churns out 119bhp and 145Nm of torque. At present, the SUV is equipped with just one engine, it will cut its performance and as a result will not be able to compete with all the mid-size SUV rivals in the market.

Once you start the engine, you experience the pleasant lightness: the steering, clutch and gearshift need very little effort to operate and you are at ease driving the car. As you press the accelerator, it moves smartly, giving a pleasant drive and you can also overtake on the highways easily though at this point the engine gets a bit noisy. So, while it is pleasant and easy navigating the city roads, the car gets noisy cruising on the highway, and it’s not as relaxed while climbing a twisty hill with four occupants.

But the Elevate rides too well on low speed dealing with bad roads, especially absorbing coolly bumps and potholes. And when you pick up speed, it is competent to overtake without much effort. The car is stable, grips the road and comfortable even driving on sharp turns. Body control is fantastic and it is sturdy, hugging the road at good speeds even on rain-soaked highways with standing water. Its ADAS features such as Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), a Road Departure Mitigation System, and a Lead Car Departure Notification System that alerts you when the vehicle in front starts moving and it is time to go are all very useful. Also, it has an auto high beam function, which automatically switches between low and high beams. Overall, the Elevate gives you plenty of confidence behind the wheel as it is competent and well-engineered.

Should I buy one?

If this competent Elevate is aggressively priced between Rs 11-17 lakh on September 4, it will give rivals like Creta a run for their money. The Honda name plate itself along with its road presence, looks and comfort will be a clincher for many. What limits its appeal is its sole 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine. But it is a practical, functional and reliable SUV for daily use.