Honda has begun production of the Elevate midsize SUV in India ahead of the price announcement and deliveries in September
Honda Cars India has today announced the commencement of the production of its midsize SUV, Elevate, at its manufacturing facility in Tapukara, Rajasthan. This marks India as the first country to produce this SUV, which is also bound for the international markets. The Japanese manufacturer has noted that the Elevate carries more than 90 per cent local content.
Thus, we can expect it to be priced competitively against rivals such as Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq, VW Taigun, MG Astor and others. It will more likely have a starting price of Rs. 11 lakh and it may go up to Rs. 18.5 lakh (ex-showroom). The official price announcement will be held in September 2023.
The test drive and display units are arriving at dealerships in August and the deliveries will begin the following month. The pre-bookings are already taken at authorised showrooms and online. Speaking on the occasion of the rollout of the first unit, Takuya Tsumura, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd. said:
“..We are extremely proud to be the first country to start the mass production of Elevate and are confident that it will quickly become an important pillar of our business, fostering stronger connections with customers and attracting new members to our Honda family. We are excited about the prospects that lie ahead and the impact this model will have on our brand.”
The Honda Elevate takes design inspiration from the global WR-V and CR-V and boasts an upright front fascia, sharp character lines and an expressive rear profile. It has the largest bootspace in its segment at 458 litres while the ground clearance is also the highest at 220 mm. It derives power from a 1.5L NA four-cylinder VTEC petrol engine producing 121 PS and 145 Nm.
The powertrain is linked with a six-speed MT or a CVT. It can be had in monotone and dual-tone colours namely new Phoenix Orange Pearl, Obsidian Blue Pearl, Radiant Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Golden Brown Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic and Meteoroid Gray Metallic. The cabin comes with ADAS, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, etc.