Top 10 Misses From The Honda Elevate

The Honda Elevate is poised as a premium offering but still misses on certain comforts that are common among its rivals

Update (04/09/23): Honda has announced the prices of the Elevate SUV.

The latest entrant to the Indian compact SUV space, the Honda Elevate, has been unveiled. It is due to launch around the festive season this year with a starting price of around Rs 12 lakh (ex-showroom). The Elevate will take on the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Volkswagen Taigun, Citroen C3 Aircross, Skoda Kushaq, and MG Astor. 

Powering the Honda Elevate is a 1.5-litre petrol engine rated at 121PS and 145Nm, with choice of a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic. It comes with features such as ADAS, a 10.25-inch touchscreen system, a 7-inch semi-digital driver’s display, and a single-pane sunroof. While it gets many premium features and design details, here are the top 10 things that the Elevate misses out on compared to its rivals: 

Panoramic Sunroof

While the Elevate gets a single-pane sunroof, a panoramic unit is what several of its competitors offer. The Hyundai Creta, MG Astor, Toyota Hyryder, and Maruti Grand Vitara, all get panoramic sunroofs. This feature is fairly popular in compact or bigger SUVs these days, which improves the cabin experience. Given the Honda SUV’s late arrival, it was certainly an expected feature for many.

360-degree camera

Honda offers a rearview camera and its ‘Lanewatch’ camera feature, but misses out on a 360-degree view setup. With the addition of a 360-degree camera, parking or just taking the car out of tight places gets easier. In comparison, the Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, and MG Astor do get this handy feature.

Related: Honda To Bet On SUVs/e-SUVs for India, To Open Elevate Bookings In July 2023 

Fully Digital Driver’s Display

In the world of modern instrument clusters, the Elevate goes with a semi-digital unit with a 7-inch TFT. While it is certainly one of the better ones out there and also offered in the City sedan, it still feels dated. As a brand new Honda after ages and in this competitive space, a fully digital driver’s display would have made a nice addition to the cabin of the Elevate. Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, MG Astor, and Citroen C3 Aircross do get the comfort of a digital driver’s display. 

Branded Audio System

Honda Elevate misses out on a branded audio system, which is again, a common feature in this segment. It could have at least been offered as a top-spec fitment, as seen in other models. The Creta and Seltos offer a Bose sound system, while the Grand Vitara and Hyryder get their system from Clarion. 

Powered Driver’s Seat

Another convenience feature that Honda could have offered with the Elevate is the powered driver’s seat. An electrically adjustable driver’s seat is offered with the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and MG Astor, which are among the most feature-rich offerings of the segment. It’s a small convenience that really raises the user’s experience.

Ventilated Front Seats

For Indian weather conditions, ventilated front seats are a very useful addition. Except Astor and C3 Aircross, this feature is offered in every other compact SUV. Moreover, it’s now offered as a feature in some cars which are a segment below.  

Related: Check Out The Honda Elevate’s Exterior In These 10 Images

Type C USB Ports

Even though Apple and other mobile phone makers have switched from regular USB ports to type-C, the Honda still continues with normal ports at the front. As a premium modern SUV, it is hard to fathom why the Elevate only supports older generation technologies. 

It gets two regular USB ports at the front with a 12V socket, the latter being your only way of charging a modern device via an accessory. Surprisingly, at the back, there’s just a 12V socket and no USB charging port. 

Rear Sunblinds

Another heat-friendly feature missing on the Hyundai Elevate is a rear window sunblind. While not very popular in this segment, the Creta and Seltos offer them in their higher-end variants. Honda could have offered this segment to gain an edge over its competitors. 

No Turbo Petrol Engine

Powering the Elevate is the City’s 1.5-litre naturally aspirated i-VTEC engine, which claims up to 121PS. While it does pack more punch than similar engine options of the Maruti Grand Vitara and Toyota Hyryder, all other segment rivals offer the choice of a turbocharged petrol engine. This engine option is meant to provide top-spec buyers with a more fun-to-drive experience as opposed to the sedate nature of the naturally-aspirated unit.

We’ll bring you the exact experience of the Elevate’s powertrain, as offered in the City sedan, once we get our hands on the new Honda SUV.

No Hybrid Powertrain

The Honda City gets the option of a strong-hybrid technology, which claims a fuel economy of up to 27.13kmpl. Despite the Elevate being on City’s platform and using its i-VTEC engine, it misses out on the hybrid option. The Grand Vitara and Hyryder are the other two SUVs to get this highly fuel-efficient powertrain, which would have made the Elevate standout from the majority of the segment.

However, Honda has confirmed that there will be an EV version of the Elevate, which would go on sale by 2026. This could be the reason that the SUV is skipping the hybrid electrification stage altogether.

These are the key misses from the Honda Elevate. We expect to experience the upcoming SUV soon, so stay tuned to CarDekho to know more. Which feature were you hoping to see on the new Honda SUV? Let us know in the comments below.