[shan_ned]

Originally Posted by M5_fan

I had checked this with a service manager at Honda. From Oct'22 all new Honda are factory filled with their synthetic 2.0. Prior to Oct'22 it was mineral oil. So your new cars already have synthetic 2.0.

Thanks for the information. I understand how the machining technology has improved and there by resulting in very lesser wear&tear in the new engines.

Just curious to know what oil grade Honda uses during factory fill and also during the annual oil change service. From the owners manual of Elevate, we can see this information.



Honda recommends 0W16, 0W20 and 5W30. From the above diagram, all the above 3 grades are applicable for the Indian weather conditions. In fact the recommendation of 0W16 also indicates how the production and machining process have improved to use such a lesser viscosity oil with the main objective of improving the fuel efficiency (apart from the other advantage of quicker oil circulation to the areas where the flow of oil takes time to lubricate). I am sure the City owners are aware of the exact oil viscosity grade used by the svcs.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by shan_ned

Honda recommends 0W16, 0W20 and 5W30. From the above diagram, all the above 3 grades are applicable for the Indian weather conditions. In fact the recommendation of 0W16 also indicates how the production and machining process have improved to use such a lesser viscosity oil with the main objective of improving the fuel efficiency (apart from the other advantage of quicker oil circulation to the areas where the flow of oil takes time to lubricate). I am sure the City owners are aware of the exact oil viscosity grade used by the svcs.

Not sure if machining has suddenly improved or the engines could run well with all these grades from the start. This is more about inventory management or availability. For eg. Honda used to recommend 5w-30 mineral/ semi synthetic or 0W-30 fully synthetic some 6-7 years ago for its older cars. Suddenly they started recommending 0W-20 for their entire range including their older cars. I used to own a Civic 8th Gen and hence the recommendation applied to my car as well which was 2007 manufactured. This made me to ponder if this was more in line with availability or inventory management.

[Geo]

Has any Elevate owners tried adding front camera or sensors? Would like to know the details and see some pictures if available.

[shan_ned]

Originally Posted by saket77

Not sure if machining has suddenly improved or the engines could run well with all these grades from the start. This is more about inventory management or availability. For eg. Honda used to recommend 5w-30 mineral/ semi synthetic or 0W-30 fully synthetic some 6-7 years ago for its older cars. Suddenly they started recommending 0W-20 for their entire range including their older cars. I used to own a Civic 8th Gen and hence the recommendation applied to my car as well which was 2007 manufactured. This made me to ponder if this was more in line with availability or inventory management.

Thanks for confirming that Honda uses 0w20.

As you said, it makes sense to use the oil grade based on what the inventory has. I guess the 8th gen Civic (2007) might have listed both 0w20 and 5w30 as part of the recommended engine oil grade. Please correct me if I am wrong. 0w20/5w30 are mostly backward compatible with the old gen cars (provided the car has the grade listed in its recommendation).

When it comes to 0w16, I think it is a completely different standard which is not backward compatible with the older engines. Supporting this standard involves a compatible engine design and manufacturing. This is listed as one of the recommended oil viscosity grades for Honda Elevate. Need to check from when Honda started making engines to support this ultra low viscosity standard. I even heard that both Toyota and Honda have adopted this standard much earlier and they are even at looking the next standard which supports 0w8. The sole aim of moving to these ultra low viscosity standards is for more fuel efficieny. Of course how good these ultra low viscosity grade oils are for Indian conditions need to be seen.

[hondadriver]

Originally Posted by shan_ned

Honda recommends 0W16, 0W20 and 5W30. From the above diagram, all the above 3 grades are applicable for the Indian weather conditions. In fact the recommendation of 0W16 also indicates how the production and machining process have improved to use such a lesser viscosity oil with the main objective of improving the fuel efficiency (apart from the other advantage of quicker oil circulation to the areas where the flow of oil takes time to lubricate). I am sure the City owners are aware of the exact oil viscosity grade used by the svcs.

Thanks for all the inputs on the engine oil by multiple people.

I will get the 5W30 synthetic oil changed on my Elevate's upcoming 1k service.

[ashokabs]

There are ownership reviews of the Honda Elevate already. I will narrate the salient features of my buying experience and initial ownership. I'm trying to avoid duplication of content already in the Forum. Some basic facts that might be useful in making sense of my comments are given here. I am almost 80 years old, living in New Delhi and have extensive experience of owning Fiat, Ambassador, the original Baleno, Maruti 800, Esteem, Hyundai Santro, 1st Gen Honda City, 2nd Gen Honda City, 3rd Gen Honda City, Honda Accord, Tata Tiago.

I had two cars at the start of 2024. A Tata Tiago XZ 2016 model and a Honda Accord 2009 Oct model. The Tata Tiago ownership experience was duly compiled and posted in late 2016 and early 2017. I did a detailed review since I felt this car by TAMO was a cut above their usual mediocre cars till then. It has given me good service with only one breakdown - loss of acceleration. This occurred on numerous occasions. I suspect it is fuel pump malfunction though it has never been noted by the computer analysis. In fact all Tata Motors Service Centers were also foxed and couldn't resolve it!

The Accord is on its last legs in NCR. Thanks to constant background noise by my better half about the Tiago - she was badly let down on three occasions I had to take drastic action to get rid of it. I had to choose a car which would be reasonably spacious with ease of entry and egress. It should be very reliable, safe and have decent mileage. It had to be easy for my wife to drive. There should be decent luggage space for shuttling to the airport and railway station or visit to nearby towns and hill stations. A decent entertainment system was essential as we both like to hear music or the radio. Provision of phone charging facility - wired was alright and wireless charging was not necessary.

I also wanted a car with good ASS for servicing and repairs. I have had bad experience with the Tata Motors ASS in both Delhi and Noida. At my age must ensure that my wife doesn't face any problems when I am not around. I was quite clear about not wanting black shiny surfaces on the instrument panels or outside as they are a pain once they get scratched. Before they get scratched you have to wipe your hands with alcohol before touching the panels for fear of leaving fingerprints all over. I also did not want too much electronic gadgetry since this possibly results in poorer reliability. That is my experience gleaned from reading so many user reviews of some of the fully loaded cars. I am also wary of DCTs and don't like AMTs.

A cursory glance at my list of essential features and you will see that only a few cars would fit the bill. Tata cars were definitely ruled out since they have very poor initial quality and their panel gaps and poor finish leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I'm sorry to miss out on one variable which is needed to select a car and that is the cost. In Delhi I was unwilling to spend more than Rs 17-18 lacs. Hyundai Seltos and a few others like Verna were possibilities but rejected thanks to their not so good dynamics or hard suspensions and their safety record. My friends who have bought the M & M range had sad stories of poor initial quality. Besides their best cars have diesel engines and the XUV700 was outside my budget.

I did think of EVs and Hybrids. The EVs were rejected on cost considerations and teething problems. The good ones are the Hyundai and the BYD/MG which are again too expensive. Hybrid is a good compromise and a great solution but the added duty takes them out of reach. They also have smaller boot space. The Grand Vitara was considered but I am not much of a Suzuki fan. I must admit their after sales service is probably the best with the exception of the luxury brands.

In 21-22 I was very excited by the Nexon. Not the first model but the second avatar where the very polarizing features of the exterior were toned down. Unfortunately, I had to give up on Nexon thanks to the numerous rants about their quality and poor performance of the ASS.

One other requirement which some might find surprising, especially in Delhi, and considering my age. I wanted a manual transmission. I love driving cars and especially enjoy the great experience of working through the gears to keep the car running efficiently. Hence, the clutch had to be light. My wife too is quite happy with manual transmission. Once, we cannot drive it doesn't matter as the driver will take over!!

You will all see that I inevitably ended up with just the Honda car line up. I had great experience with the brand on multiple occasions. I rejected the City as it is too low and as one gets older it is difficult to get in and out of it. The Amaze was discarded as they had a new model coming out with lots of enhancements later in 2024 and I needed to also replace the Accord before end Sept 24.

I was looking now at the Elevate and pretty much went through all the reviews on YouTube, in the media and Team BHP. I got an email, around this time (early Dec 23), from ACKODrive. I had bought car insurance from ACKO and found their service very direct and simple to access. They were offering the Honda Elevate with a 50k discount and I immediately booked the Elevate ZX MT in silver colour at Rs 11000. The waiting time was about 3 months and this suited me as I was sure I would be able to fund it at that time. Later in third week of Dec 23 they said that a car was available and would I please take it. I repeated to them that I wanted this car in Mar 24 as originally offered by them.

In mid Mar 24 I got a phone call that the car has been allotted and can I please nominate a dealer in Delhi. I selected Courtesy Honda with whom I had dealings during my earlier Honda purchases. I got the invoice details from ACKO and the contact number of Courtesy Honda sales person in South Delhi near my residence. I thought the car would be available for inspection in Delhi but was told to contact Courtesy Honda, Panipat from where my car would be delivered. I arranged with the Panipat dealership to have the PDI in Panipat at their showroom/workshop. They have a very large parking space so it was easy to do the PDI there. I fixed up 24th Mar to visit Panipat and conduct the PDI. Prior to the PDI, I requested and was promptly sent, the chassis number. From this I could work out that it was Feb 24 manufacture.

I drove to Panipat showroom which was about 100 km from my house. I went early to reach there before 10 am. It was quite pleasant when the car was offered for inspection. It was cleaned and ready. I checked all the required PDI items and found the car in perfect working order. I signed the required documents and made a token payment of Rs 25K in addition to the 11K I had given as booking amount. I was offered and examined the full list of accessories. However, I only bought the floor mats and the mudguards. In no way was I badgered for buying any of the accessories. Yes I was told about the Warranty extension and took additional warranty to cover 5 years ownership. The entire experience was first class. I got the invoice - handwritten at this time so I could arrange for funds.

I had taken the Tiago ZX and agreed to sell it in exchange at Rs 2 L. We agreed that I could not leave the car there as I had to return to Delhi. The car would be collected when the Elevate was delivered. I opted to take delivery at my house in Delhi on 27th Mar. On Monday and Tuesday morning I wired the funds and the delivery was scheduled for after lunch on 27th Mar.

The driver arrived on Wed around 2.30 pm. I took delivery. The usual ribbons etc had been cellotaped and plastic was covering seats, flooring and visors in the interiors. The driver gave me the papers i.e manuals, invoice etc and his assistant took a photo of the keys being handed over to me. The two things that were left were the RTO registration which would be done in Delhi, fixing of the numberplate and activation of Honda Connect.

About 10 days later I got the number plate fixed in Courtesy Honda near my house. The Honda Connect was delayed as there was a problem with the Honda Connect server.

The entire sales and delivery processes were trouble free. The folks at Panipat were all young and were very helpful and direct. Every query was patiently answered.

The only problem that I faced in this delivery was that after removing the plastic cover on the passenger seat in the front I found a 2 sq inch oil stain under the plastic cover. I hope it can be removed in the next service.

The car is running fine and I am keeping to the limits suggested to run in the engine and brakes. I have driven it around 400 kms so far. The mileage in the city is around 13.4 km/l and the drive from Panipat by the driver showed 16 km/l.
I am going to give pros and cons based on my needs and actual experience. My brief ownership observations are:
Pros

1. Easy entry and egress
2. High road clearance
3. Smooth almost noiseless engine upto about 2500 rpm.
4. Good comfortable seating at front and back
5. Excellent driving dynamics and suspension - good cornering, bumps are taken with aplomb.
6. Steering is light at standstill and nicely weighted as the speed increases
7. ADAS features (barring Collision Mitigation) work well given the constraints on Indian roads.
8. Fit and finish is excellent though there is a larger panel gap in the bonnet area.
9. Gearing is excellent for city driving. One can start from standstill in 2nd gear. Engaging and changing gears is very smooth. There is a good acceleration in 5th gear as well.
10. Value for money for sure.

Cons

1. My golf set and golf trolley barely fit in the boot without putting down any of the seats. There is enough space for a family's travel luggage - suitcases etc.
2. There is higher noise level over 2500 rpm. More insulation is needed.
3. Music system is satisfactory but other competing cars have better quality of sound.
4. Spare tyre is smaller size.
5. Collision Mitigation System is not entirely suited to India road conditions especially in the city. People cut in front and drive too close as do cyclists and two wheelers. One is almost getting back ended all the time as the following vehicle is hardly two or three yards away. There is too much scope of being back ended when CMS operates.

It is nice driving the car as it gets some looks - not many Elevates in Delhi.

[vaibhav_a_a]

I'm hoping someone can help on the below - I TD'd the Elevate CVT yesterday. I am sold on it for the most part.

I'm confused between the V-CVT variant and the ZX-CVT variant.

If i go for the V, I dont have to suffer a sunroof and i save ~2.5 Lac. If i get the ZX then i get cruise control but i also have to suffer the sunroof and ADAS. Latter, i figured out during TD to switch off.

Originally i was looking at manual variant but now have decided on an AT car basis my usage (commute to office, two-three days a week and ferrying the family every now and then here and there). There would be occasional highway driving - once in 3-4 months for about 500 kms or so, but other than this its all in-city driving and honda CVT is so smooth.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by vaibhav_a_a

I'm confused between the V-CVT variant and the ZX-CVT variant.

Well, if you can afford it, choose the top end always. You get the whole gamut of features which makes the ownership that much more richer and longer. Else after few years you tend to start missing some features and end up spending a whole lot more for upgrading the car again. ADAS can be turned off, so not an issue. I agree the sunroof should have been optional but what to do our market loves it.

But if you ask me, looking at that blank space on steering(missing CC on V CVT) every time you drive is a serious eye-sore. Not to forget the other goodies coming stock like leather seats, bigger alloy wheels, lane-watch camera, rear wash-wipe(underrated safety feature) etc etc.

[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by vaibhav_a_a

I'm hoping someone can help on the below - I TD'd the Elevate CVT yesterday. I am sold on it for the most part.

I'm confused between the V-CVT variant and the ZX-CVT variant.

If i go for the V, I dont have to suffer a sunroof and i save ~2.5 Lac. If i get the ZX then i get cruise control but i also have to suffer the sunroof and ADAS. Latter, i figured out during TD to switch off.

Originally i was looking at manual variant but now have decided on an AT car basis my usage (commute to office, two-three days a week and ferrying the family every now and then here and there). There would be occasional highway driving - once in 3-4 months for about 500 kms or so, but other than this its all in-city driving and honda CVT is so smooth.

If sedans are not an issue, City V variant has Adaptive Cruise Control, ADAS, and no sunroof.

[vaibhav_a_a]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

If sedans are not an issue, City V variant has Adaptive Cruise Control, ADAS, and no sunroof.

I'm 6'2" and recovered from a slipped disc a decade ago. The City is atrociously low (FIL has one). I love sedans but my back doesn't.

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Not to forget the other goodies coming stock like leather seats, bigger alloy wheels, lane-watch camera, rear wash-wipe(underrated safety feature) etc etc.

Thank you. Had totally forgotten about the wash-wipe. I value practical, mechanical features over alloy wheels and the electronic Christmas tree that some of the current car dashboards seem to have morphed into.

[SixPistons]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Well, if you can afford it, choose the top end always. You get the whole gamut of features which makes the ownership that much more richer and longer.

I’d second this completely. Empty buttons are an eye-sore and for the extra moolah, you get a whole lot more equipment to make your ownership and overall driving experience that much more worth it.

I didn’t focus on this during the test drive but in a friend’s Elevate that I drove recently, I felt the leather/leatherette seats are perfect due to materials they have used and the shape and finish of the seat. I’m 5’7” so your comfort levels may vary.

[UD17]

Originally Posted by vaibhav_a_a

I'm confused between the V-CVT variant and the ZX-CVT variant.

Just go ahead with the ZX version as you would keep car for long. Its much better to over-equip the car rather then saving some money to keep the longevity of the car and enjoy the useful features. Sun roof is required at least to your family members and ADAS is not that bad as portraited.

CVT is wonderful choice.

[akhilshenay]

I've been experiencing a growing inconvenience with the wireless connection on my Elevate. Apple CarPlay disconnects roughly every 30 minutes, while Android Auto manages to stay connected for a bit longer. I reached out to Honda regarding this issue and received a promising response with a specified date. It's reassuring that they responded promptly and with a concrete plan. Now, I'm eager to see if they can uphold the promised date as stated.

Below is the response email I received:

[hondadriver]

Originally Posted by vaibhav_a_a

I'm 6'2" and recovered from a slipped disc a decade ago. The City is atrociously low (FIL has one). I love sedans but my back doesn't.

Thank you. Had totally forgotten about the wash-wipe. I value practical, mechanical features over alloy wheels and the electronic Christmas tree that some of the current car dashboards seem to have morphed into.

If you are 6'2", then I would suggest V over VX or ZX. This is because the sunroof's mechanism reduces your headroom by nearly 2 inches. And that headroom is precious when you are this tall. As a rule of thumb for driver safety, there should be a fist wide space between the top of your head and the inside roof of the car.

This was the overriding reason for me to choose v over vx/zx.

Other than that, I find the lane watch camera to be a distraction. And I couldn't be bothered to switch off ADAS every time I started the car.

Originally Posted by akhilshenay

I've been experiencing a growing inconvenience with the wireless connection on my Elevate. Apple CarPlay disconnects roughly every 30 minutes, while Android Auto manages to stay connected for a bit longer. I reached out to Honda regarding this issue and received a promising response with a specified date. It's reassuring that they responded promptly and with a concrete plan. Now, I'm eager to see if they can uphold the promised date as stated.

The problem with wireless AA/ACP is that they both communicate with the HU over bluetooth. And IMHO, the bandwidth of the BT standard they must be following in the HU may not be enough to sustain AA/ACP in typical urban driving scenario with lots of radio interference in the BT spectrum. So I wouldn't hold my breath for this software fix that's coming from Honda.

I have moved to using BT-audio instead of AppleCarPlay. Now my music and my phone calls have no jitters or drops.

[ashokabs]

Not facing any problem with Android Auto probably because I have a small wired connecting cable. Bluetooth connection chews up a lot of battery and takes a few minutes to connect initially. The cable connect is much quicker. If you run the Android Auto and simultaneously charge wirelessly the phone battery overheats. That's not good for battery life.