The long-awaited Honda Elevate mid-sized SUV has finally made its global debut in India. Bookings for the SUV will commence in July, while launch will take place during festive season before Diwali. The new Elevate is only offered with a 1.5L naturally-aspirated petrol engine with manual and CVT gearbox options. It was speculated to be offered with the hybrid powertrain that debuted with the City sedan. However, the Japanese brand has confirmed that the new mid-sized SUV won’t be offered with a hybrid powertrain.
At the launch event, Honda officially revealed that the Elevate will receive an electric version in our market in the next 3 year – around 2025-26. Speaking to media, Takuya Tsumura, President & CEO, Honda Cars India said, “If I look at the GST, it is at 5% for EVs, 45% for regular vehicles and 43% for a hybrid. So, I personally think hybrids should be at least somewhere in the middle of the two.”
Honda Motors aims to achieve two third of vehicles sales from electric vehicles and the India strategy will also be aligned with the global plan. Honda Cars India has also announced to launch 5 new SUVs including the new Elevate in our market by 2030. The company is also planning to bring its premium models via the Completely Built Units (CBU) as well as Completely KNocked Down (CKD) route to India.
We believe that Honda could introduce the new WR-V sub-4 meter SUV in our market in 2024. The new WR-V is based on the Amaze platform and has recently been introduced in the Indonesian market. The new model could be the brand’s re-entry into the sub-4 meter SUV category, which is dominated by Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon and the Hyundai Venue/Kia Sonet. Moreover, Honda is reportedly working on the next-gen Amaze sub-4 meter sedan that is likely to be introduced in 2024.
Honda Elevate Key Details
The Elevate mid-sized SUV has been developed by Honda R&D Asia Pacific center located in Thailand. It is powered by a 1.5-litre, i-VTEC 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 121PS and 145Nm of torque. Transmission choices will include a 6-speed manual and a 7-step CVT. This mid-sized SUV is also available with Honda Sensing or ADAS with features like collision mitigation braking system, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, auto high-beam, lane keep assist and road departure warning.
