Honda Elevate midsize SUV will make its world premiere next month before going on sale in India later this year
Honda Cars India will unveil an all-new midsize SUV on June 6, 2023 and it will be introduced locally later this calendar year. The five-seater could be dubbed the Elevate as the name has been trademarked in India. It will compete against Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Astor, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq and others in the highly competitive segment.
The cloaks will be lifted off the Honda midsize SUV in Delhi and is internally codenamed 3US. It has already been spotted testing multiple times giving us a clear preview of what to expect. The design is heavily inspired by the global CR-V and the new-gen WR-V sold in the international markets. The front fascia is upright almost reminiscing the latest CR-V but with some unique touches.
It will boast sharp-looking LED headlamps, thin LED Daytime Running Lights below the clamshell bonnet, plenty of chrome detailing, a wide grille section with hexagonal inserts, lower air intake on the bumper and a faux skid plate. Other highlights are muscular wheel arches, 17-inch alloy wheels, wraparound LED tail lamps as the WR-V, a sculpted bootlid, etc.
The Honda Elevate will have an overall length of around 4.3 metres and we can expect it to have a roomy cabin. It will be based on the same platform as the fifth generation City and will share the 1.5L NA four-cylinder petrol engine developing around 121 PS but with a twin cam setup. It will be paired with a six-speed MT or a CVT auto.
The 1.5L e:HEV strong hybrid Atkinson Cycle petrol engine can be expected to join the lineup at a later date and it will help the midsize SUV compete squarely against Grand Vitara and Hyryder. The interior will be more advanced than the existing City as a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, an electric sunroof, an all-digital cluster, six airbags and ADAS tech will likely be available.
Upon launch, the Honda Elevate could directly take on entry-level variants of the Creta and Seltos with a 1.5L 115 PS engine, upcoming Citroen C3 Aircross with 110 PS 1.2L turbo petrol engine, 1.5L mild-hybrid K15C petrol engine equipped Vitara and Hyryder, etc. Expect the prices to hover around Rs. 11.5 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base variant.