India-spec Honda Elevate is sold as the new-gen WR-V in Japan in the price range of JPY 2,098,800 to JPY 2,489,300 (~ Rs. 11.29 lakh to Rs 13.39 lakh)
Honda introduced the Elevate SUV in Japan in March 2024. Just like in India, Elevate has emerged as a bestseller in Japan as well. Elevate is Honda’s first made-in-India car that is being exported to its home market.
Honda Elevate (WR-V) 13k bookings in one month
Within a month of launch in Japan, cumulative bookings of Honda Elevate have reached 13,000 units. This is four times more than the modest 3,000 units that Honda was expecting. In India, Elevate had registered 20k bookings within 100 days of launch. Market sentiments indicate that Elevate will continue to remain a popular choice in Japan. Honda is likely to introduce the Elevate SUV in other international markets as well.
Who is buying Elevate (WR-V) in Japan?
An analysis conducted by Honda has revealed interesting details about Elevate’s target audience in Japan. Primary buyers are folks who are upgrading from light cars, compact cars, minivans and other SUVs. Honda has also noted that Elevate is being preferred across a wide range of age groups.
Why is Elevate so popular?
There are multiple reasons for Elevate’s soaring popularity. Elevate users are appreciative of the good view from the driver’s seat. It makes is easier to see things at the front and get a good estimate of the distance in front of the SUV. Elevate is also offering best in class boot space.
The SUV has a dynamic exterior profile that’s neither too outlandish nor too dull. There are a wide range of colour options to choose from. Elevate offers a comprehensive range of features and is available at an affordable price point. A wide safety net is available including ADAS.
Elevate delivers a robust performance with the 1.5-litre petrol engine. It churns out 121 PS and 145 Nm. While India-spec Elevate has both manual and CVT automatic gearbox, Japan-spec Elevate (WR-V) is available with only the CVT unit. Fuel efficiency is 15.31 km/L with the manual and 16.92 km/L with the CVT gearbox.
Elevate (WR-V) variants in Japan
A total of three trims of Elevate are offered in Japan – X, Z and Z+. Much of the demand, around 55%, is for the mid variant Z. The base variant X has 15% bookings, whereas the rest 30% bookings are for the top-spec Z+ variant. Most popular colours for Elevate in Japan are Platinum White Pearl (35%), Crystal Black Pearl (28%) and Meteoroid Gray Metallic (18%). In India too, Elevate is available in a wide range of single tone and dual tone colour options.
With Elevate gaining traction in Japan and plans to launch the SUV in other markets, Honda’s exports from India can witness a significant jump in the coming months. In FY24, Honda was ranked 6th in car exports. Maruti topped car exports in FY24, followed by Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and Nissan.
