Honda Elevate Debuts in India – 1.5-litre N/A SUV, EV Version Confirmed

Honda has added yet another SUV model to its global lineup, this time a new B-segment SUV model dubbed as the Honda Elevate. Developed and built in India, this B-SUV shares most of its underbody parts with the current-gen Honda City, with an EV version already confirmed to come in near future.

Measuring 4,312 MM long and a wheelbase of 2,650 MM, the Elevate is about the same size as Honda’s sportier B-SUV contender, the Honda HR-V, as well as its fierce local rival, the Hyundai Creta. This also means that the Elevate bears no relation to the new Honda WR-V SUV, which is developed specifically for the ASEAN regional markets.

2023 Honda Elevate SUV

Back to the new model, the Elevate features a more conservative SUV look, featuring a slew of design cues that follows Honda’s current-gen design language. At the front, the SUV boasts a sizable front grille with a chrome bar crowning on top of it. Said grille is flanked by a pair of relatively small headlights. Also featured here is a pair of fog lamps sitting at the lower part of the front bumper, complemented by the faux skid plate beneath them.

From the side, the Elevate sports the typical boxy SUV silhouette, featuring prominent underbody cladding for good measure. The unit displayed here sports a dual-tone finish, featuring gloss black-finished roof and side mirror. Plus, the SUV also rides on a set of 17-inch wheels, featuring dual five-spoke design that look similar to the ones used on the Indian-spec Honda City facelift.

The Elevate taillights design looks somewhat similar to the Civic FE/WR-V

At the rear, the Elevate comes standard with L-shaped LED taillights design that look somewhat similar to those on the Honda Civic FE, as well as the aforementioned WR-V. To match the front fascia, the SUV’s tailgate also comes with prominent underbody cladding, as well as faux silver-hued skid plate, giving it a more rugged look.

On board, the Elevate is primed with the typical current-gen Honda front dash layout, featuring a sizable 10.25-inch infotainment display that crowns above the front dash and central air vents. Said infotainment system comes standard with mobile connectivity support (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), while the climate control is not integrated inside them, coming with a dedicated digital panel instead.

Elsewhere, you’ll get premium equipment like 7-inch digital instrument cluster for the drivers, wireless charging pad, a bevy of cup holders and storage spaces, dedicated rear A/C vents, as well as an electric sunroof. The interior trims offered here are also not too shabby, featuring fake wood veneers that run across the front dash, as well as a mix of soft touch materials and faux leather that are wrapped around the car’s central console, door cards and seats.

Unlike its local rivals, the Honda Elevate is booted with a full-swing of ADAS features, courtesy of the latest Honda Sensing safety suite. This SUV also leads the segment in terms of cabin and cargo space, featuring a 458-litre boot space and roomy cabin space, all thanks to its slightly longer wheelbase of 2,650 MM.

As we mentioned earlier, the Elevate shares most of its underbody parts with the Honda City. This also includes the powertrain it harnesses under the hood, which is a 1.5-litre 4-cyl DOHC i-VTEC mill that makes 119 HP and 145 NM. Said engine is mated to either a CVT automatic gearbox or a six-speed manual transmission – both facilitating the power delivery to the front wheels (FWD).

The automaker confirms that the Elevate will also come with electrified powertrain options, starting with an e:HEV variant and will be followed by an all-electric version in near future. The former will likely harness the same hybrid powertrain setup found on the Honda City e:HEV Hybrid, which features a 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle engine that works in tandem with two electric motors and an e-CVT gearbox. 

The Honda Elevate will be produced at Honda India’s Tapakura plant in the state of Rajasthan. This new B-SUV will be the first of the five new SUV models that will be launched in India by 2030. More importantly, the Elevate will also be exported to selected global markets. Orders for the Elevate will be opened later in July this year, with pricing expected to start from INR 1.05 million (RM58,000 approx.).

So folks, what do you think of the Honda Elevate? Keen to see this boxy SUV enter our local market? Would you take this over the current HR-V or the soon-to-be-launched WR-V? As always, leave your thoughts in the comments down below…