Honda Elevate to miss out on panoramic sunroof

Honda has released a new teaser for the upcoming Elevate SUV, ahead of its June 6 global debut. The SUV, which is Honda’s most important launch this year, will go on sale by August this year, according to sources. It will be positioned in the highly competitive midsize SUV segment where it will take on the likes of the Hyundai Creta.

1. Honda Elevate shares its platform, powertrain with the City
2. Will rival midsize SUVs like the Creta, Seltos, Taigun
3. Hybrid powertrain likely to be added later

Honda Elevate SUV: what does the new teaser reveal?

In the latest teaser, the roof of the Honda Elevate is partially visible, confirming the presence of a sunroof that has now become one of the most crucial features influencing vehicle buying decisions. While the Elevate’s rivals like the Creta, Grand Vitara and the Toyota Hyryder come with a full size panoramic sunroof, Honda’s SUV seems to make do with a standard size, single pane iteration. The Kia Seltos also currently comes only with a similar single pane sunroof, but it will be upgraded to a panoramic sunroof in the facelift that will likely go on sale next month.

The Elevate’s styling looks like a mix of crossover-ish cues coupled with an upright front and a slightly raked rear. The bonnet gets a flat look with creases at each corner, while the window line and glasshouse look large. There's also a prominent quarter glass panel aft of the rear door. A decent-sized metal panel behind this quarter glass gives us a hint of the SUV’s length, which will be around 4.3 metres – in line-with the Creta and the Seltos.

Honda Elevate SUV powertrain details

The Elevate will be introduced with a single 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol engine, with a hybrid likely to be added to the line-up later. This petrol engine will be shared with the City sedan where it produces 121hp and 145Nm of torque, and come mated to either a manual or CVT automatic.

Honda Elevate SUV India launch timeline

As reported by us a few weeks ago, the Elevate is expected to launch by August this year. Expect Honda to reveal more details on the SUV in the coming weeks ahead of its debut.