Honda Cars India (HCI) might be a little late to join the midsize SUV bandwagon, but finally it’s ready. The Japanese carmaker will showcase its new global Honda Elevate SUV on 6th June that will make its way to India in coming months (possibly in August 2023). Here, it will be positioned against the cars like Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Kia Seltos, Toyota Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun. Select Honda dealers have started accepting bookings for the Elevate at an initial sum of Rs 11,000 – Rs 21,000. Read – New-Gen Honda Amaze Coming in 2024
Engine specifications of the new Honda SUV will be officially revealed in coming days. Though, it’s reported to come with the City sedan’s powertrain setup – 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol and 1.5L Atkinson Cycle petrol-hybrid. The naturally aspirated gasoline unit makes a peak power of 121bhp with a 6-speed manual or a CVT gearbox. Its manual and automatic version deliver a claimed fuel efficiency of 17.8kmpl and 18.4kmpl respectively. The strong hybrid setup with an eCVT transmission offers a mileage of 27.13kmpl.
With the Atkinson Cycle petrol-hybrid powertrain, the Honda Elevate is expected to return a fuel economy of around or over 27kmpl. If it happens, Honda’s SUV will be among the most frugal midsize SUVs in the country. For reference, its rivals Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Hyryder – both come with the 1.5L strong hybrid powertrain and promise a fuel efficiency of up to 27.97kmpl.
Besides powertrain, the Honda Elevate will share its some of its features with the City sedan. The carmaker will pack the SUV with Honda Sensing ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) tech. The suite will offer features such as automatic emergency braking system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure assist, lane keep assist, low speed follow function, automatic high beam and more. There might also be a digital driver display, a touchscreen infotainment system with wireless smartphone connectivity, ambient lighting system, automatic climate control, cruise control, a single-pane sunroof, etc.
