autoX Awards 2023: Honda Elevate Performance, Quality and Value for Money Ranked

autoX Awards 2023: To say that Honda is a blue-chip brand in India would be quite an understatement. Responsible for the inception of the midsize sedan segment in the Indian market with the iconic City, Honda has long been admired for the quality and reliability of its cars. For us enthusiasts, it holds a special place in our hearts, given its fun and engaging cars and rev-happy engines with fantastic soundtracks. Now, the SUV craze that has engulfed the Indian market prompted Honda to introduce the Elevate to cater to those who have been eagerly awaiting a mid-size SUV offering from Honda. In fact, the vast number of existing Honda owners in the country will be the key buyers of the Elevate. It would also be fair to say that Honda has been late to the SUV party, the segment really took off back in 2015, and both experts and customers alike expected the Japanese brand to come to the market with an SUV sooner.

Despite being a little late to enter the SUV segment, Honda offers a compelling package with the Elevate. Now, while some have reservations about its design, I find the Elevate to be quite appealing for its segment. Its well-proportioned body, available in vibrant colour options, makes it stand out in the crowd. Moreover, the large aggressive front grille contributes significantly to the Elevate’s commanding road presence. The overall proportions of the Elevate are very balanced and I think this is one aspect that customers will certainly appreciate. What works even better for the Elevate, though, is its interior design and space management. With a clean design, fantastically comfortable seats, and a good amount of space, the Elevate’s cabin offers a refreshing and practical approach. In an age marked by excessive screens and an abundance of styling elements, the Elevate’s streamlined and minimalistic interior not only looks refreshing but is also much easier to deal with. At the same time, the level of equipment available on the Elevate is also quite good, including an impressive ADAS system that’s non-intrusive and is setup very well for Indian conditions.

Also Read: Honda Elevate Review: Better SUV Than Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Hyundai Creta?

However, one aspect of the Honda Elevate that could benefit from improvement is its powertrain – it could certainly do with a more powerful engine. While the 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine is a really good unit, it would be good to have some more power, especially in the CVT version. Nevertheless, the Elevate offers quite a pleasing driving experience with commendable ride quality, but it won’t set any racetracks on fire. What’s more, it’s also a great value-for-money product – it received a pretty high score of 24 points in this category – thanks to its competitive prices, which range between ₹11 and 14.90 lakhs (ex-showroom). With its well-rounded performance and value-driven package, the Elevate ticks all the right boxes, and that’s what makes it a deserving recipient of the Best of 2023 honour.

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