The Honda Elevate is among the many options in the market if you are looking for a midsize SUV. It is the only SUV in Honda India’s line-up currently, so it is a very important model for the company. Since its launch in September 2023, Honda has kept it fresh with a couple of special editions along the way, but where it has been a real hit is in export markets like Japan. But if you are shopping for a new midsize SUV, should you consider the Elevate? Here are 3 reasons that make it a good buy, and 2 reasons why you could look elsewhere. Let’s begin with the positives.
Ride and handling
The ride and handling balance has to be the Elevate’s strongest suite. The dynamics are spot on – there’s very little body roll for such a tall SUV; the long-travel suspension has well-judged damping allowing for brilliant ride quality; and the steering is light yet precise, allowing you to the place the car exactly where you want to. The Elevate also feels rock solid at highway speeds. It is a predictable car to drive and the brakes also have a progressive feel.
Space and Comfort
Honda has always done space and comfort well, and it is no different with the Elevate. The front seats are large, spacious, have generous underthigh support and have a finely judged foam density – not too hard and not too soft. Even after a long drive, you will not feel fatigued. At the rear, there’s generous headroom and legroom, the backrest angle is well-judged and the seating posture is nice and upright. What’s particularly thoughtful is that the floorboard slopes upwards beneath the front seats, serving as a footrest. The rear seat isn’t the best for seating three abreast, but seating two will be comfortable.
Practicality, reliability and value for money
This is, again, one of Honda’s core strengths. At first, the Elevate cabin may feel ordinary, but poke around, and you’ll realise that the ergonomics are well thought out. It’s easy to use and everything feels like it’s built to last. Things like the tactile physical buttons and knobs for the most-used functions, large storage bins in all four doors, a nice driving position with well-spaced pedals – including a dead pedal – and good visibility is what makes the Elevate’s cabin endearing. Plus, there’s Honda’s reliability. And with prices ranging between Rs 11.91 lakh and Rs 16.63 lakh (ex-showroom), it is actually more affordable than some of its counterparts, thereby offering good value for money, too.
And now, let’s take a look at a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t consider the Elevate.
Lack of features compared to rivals
Part of the reason why the Elevate is priced competitively is because Honda has skimmed on many feel-good features, which many consider an absolute must-have in this segment. The biggest miss of them all? A panoramic sunroof. That aside, it also misses out on ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera, a full-digital instrument cluster and front parking sensors. Small things like the lack of LED cabin lights and one-touch powered windows for all four doors (only the driver gets this feature), again, rob some of the premium appeal. The cabin also doesn’t have a techy appeal with widescreen displays that many people want these days. It is understated and offers you enough, but not plenty.
Lack of multiple powertrain options
The Elevate gets a sole 121hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that's paired to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. It is one of the few SUVs in this segment to offer just one engine option; rivals offer at least two petrol engines, and a few even offer a diesel, a hybrid or a CNG powertrain. Lack of multiple engine options, therefore, is a limiting factor. The fact that the City gets a petrol-hybrid, and this being the more volume product does not, is even more astonishing. What makes matters worse is that the 1.5-litre petrol feels slightly lethargic at low revs. Noise insulation is also weak, so when you rev it hard, it gets quite noisy.
