Even though diesel and hybrid powertrains are popular in this segment, Honda Elevate SUV will only get petrol engine at launch
After a long absence in the compact SUV space, Honda is back in the game with Elevate. Strong and massive road presence with an upright old-school SUV design are Elevate’s main strengths. This new SUV is by far the most crucial launch for Honda India in recent years. It could mark the turning point in the company’s journey in India.
Now, Honda has homologated Elevate in India in both manual and CVT transmission options. Both gearbox options are with the sole 1,498cc 4-cylinder petrol engine that does duties in the City as well. Said vehicle is OBD II compliant too, as mentioned in the type approval documents. Let’s take a look at expected trim levels.
Honda Elevate SUV Homologated – Back in SUV game!
In compact SUV space, Hyundai Creta is currently the leader, followed by Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Astor, Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq. Honda Elevate SUV promises one of the boxiest designs along with 220 mm ground clearance, highest in its segment.
Speaking of homologation documents, there are basically four trim levels that Honda is offering with Elevate. These trim levels are V, SV, VX and ZX. Honda is offering its 1.5L NA petrol engine with a 6-speed manual transmission with all four of these trim levels. But when it comes to CVT gearbox, SV trim is left out, for some reason.
Said 1.5L NA 4-cylinder petrol engine makes 89 kW (120 bhp) of power at 6,000 RPM. Torque is 145 Nm at 4,300 RPM. Manual transmission has 6 cogs, while CVT is a, well, CVT. It complies with BS6 P2 emission standard and even comes equipped with OBD II diagnostics tools as well.
Honda Elevate measures 4,312 mm in length, 1,790 mm in width, 1,650 mm in height and has a 2,650 mm wheelbase. For all the variants across the trim levels, Honda is maintaining a gross vehicle weight of 1,700 kg with CVT variants and 1,650 kg with manual transmission variants.
What to expect when launched?
Honda is trying to offer a no-nonsense compact SUV that is low on features, for sure, but will make up in other attributes. We’re talking about a commanding road presence, a boxy and up-right design trait that puts it apart from other crossover-ish offerings in its segment. On the inside, we get a well-put-together and neatly laid out interior.
Sure, it lacks a panoramic sunroof, that most offerings are currently offering. But Honda could price it aggressively. Elevate packs Honda’s camera-based Sensing ADAS suite that will be offered from mid-level trims onwards. Recent City facelift shows this pattern as well. Deliveries will commence from September 2023 and Honda will launch a fully-electric version of Elevate in the future.
