Honda unveils high riding Elevate SUV to take on South Koreans

Celebrating its 25th anniversary of doing business in India, Honda has unveiled the first of five new SUVs that it plans to introduce to that market within the next five years. Of course, with such close current links with this market in terms of product, what happens in India usually reflects in South Africa in due course.

While Honda South Africa says that the recently unveiled new Elevate SUV “remains unconfirmed” for our market, its arrival here would signal an intention to compete in the popular mid-size soft-roader segment against the likes of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.

Boasting a distinct new grille application for the brand, the Elevate is slightly shorter than the current HR-V (4 312 mm vs 4 345 mm), yet 60 mm taller than its crossover sibling. Interestingly, despite a wheelbase that’s only 50 mm shy of that offering in the modern BR-V, the Elevate remains a 5-seater exclusively. That said, Honda claims a luggage capacity of 458 litres for the new model.

Fitted in the Indian market with 17-inch alloy wheels, of significance is the Elevate’s 220 mm of ground clearance.

The cabin of the brand’s newest SUV features a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display with smartphone-mirroring functionality.

While Honda used the opportunity of the Elevate’s global reveal to announce its plans for future hybrid and, indeed, all-electric versions of its new family of SUVs, for the time being, the Elevate makes use of the familiar 89kW/145N.m 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol motor mated with either a six-speed manual transmission or CVT.

Fitted as standard with ABS with EDB as well as traction control, expect the Elevate to feature a full bouquet of modern passive safety systems, managed via the brand’s Honda Sense technology.

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