[evilminstrel]

Originally Posted by GoBabyGo

Honda’s lackluster attitude, in India, do not encourage people to think about Honda other than someone specific need for “City” or “Amaze”.

I am intrigued by this observation of several members. Why would Honda allocate budget and resources to a car like Elevate keeping Indians in mind when it is not serious about Indian consumers?

Also, when we say Honda is late in market, what about BR-V (or WR-V)? It failed in the segment is a different matter, but it was there in the segment.

PS: I dont think BR-V was bad car. It was actually a good car in terms of dynamics and power. It just was not upto charm of the Indian eyeballs.

[Paritoshkalra]

Originally Posted by GoBabyGo

Honda need smart pricing to Elevate their downward going sales otherwise it will be difficult for them to compete. They may not exit but will remain crawling in Indian car market.

Or we can say it this way that Honda wants to launch a product just as an experiment if they can still sustain in India. I am sure that they are not going to price it considerably lesser than 1.5 NA Cretas and Seltos.

If this product fails in India, then probably Honda may be thinking of quitting from India. They still do not have any product strategy or future plans to launch more SUVs in Indian market.

Neither there is any hatchback like Jazz available from Honda, nor they have any proper luxury 7-seater MPV or a large SUV like CRV. There are no future plans as well other than Elevate which is still a raw product without competitive pricing.

Just on the shoulders of CITY and AMAZE, a company like Honda can not sustain in Indian market. Honda is indeed lacking proper research and product strategy in India.

[ashish2135]

I loved the clean design on the Elevate from Day 1. The size looks perfect for repalcing my Creta. The interior looks very understated and premium. I wanted a comfortable spacious car with a smooth reliable engine.

I booked the Elevate today in ZX CVT variant.
Below details from SA

[Paritoshkalra]

Originally Posted by ashish2135

I loved the clean design on the Elevate from Day 1. The size looks perfect for repalcing my Creta. The interior looks very understated and premium. I wanted a comfortable spacious car with a smooth reliable engine.

I booked the Elevate today in ZX CVT variant.
Below details from SA
Attachment 2485153

Honda should have offered a ZX without ADAS and ZX(O) with ADAS. Not everyone wants ADAS in India.

Also 6 Airbags are only available in top end, it should have been offered from base trim itself (like Seltos).

[Motorhead007]

Regardless of what everyone says, Honda's decision making is based on ability to sell numbers. Going by the waiting periods commanded by cars in this segment, all Honda needs to do is offer a decent car, with few standouts and price reasonably (reqd not too high). Honda, although late to the game, has realised that it is a seller's market in cars and has played to its strengths.
There will always be Honda's loyalists as well as buyers frustrated from long waiting periods who will be ready to buy this Honda. Agreed this car offers nothing spectacular, but ticks all right boxes for most buyers in the segment.

[RaghuVis]

Oh My God! The thread is on Fire! 250 replies in 2 days and lots of sparks flying!

First and foremost, excellent review guys. This has been one of the top 5 anticipated reviews this year and certainly has a treasure trove of Info. We only hope the CVT model review is also up on this page soon. Surprised to read about the suspension handling.

Coming to the car, this has safe car written all over it. After the initial purchase by the Honda loyalists, when the dust settles, this should easily do a 4-5K per month which would be the numbers that Honda is targeting.

Coming to the pricing, I am sure KIA has spoiled all the plans these guys would have had with terrific Seltos pricing, especially in the mid-level trims and the features packed into them. Honda being Honda would have definitely planned a premium for this irrespective of not having any wow factor, but now this gets tricky. Outside the Honda Loyalist Club, this will be a tough sell unless Honda really pulls a rabbit out of the hat. The only thing going for them would be immediate availability when compared to the Korean twins. A close friend of mine is looking for an upgrade from Jazz and is counting on the pricing of this. Seltos was not in the picture due to perceived safety concerns but the pricing and the packaging have put him into a big spin.

Outside team-bhp, in the 15-22L category, the common man is very hard to satisfy as he does not belong to any fan group. Choices are plenty and they are much more rational than us. For such people, Seltos is a near-perfect car. Very tough for Honda to compete.

PS: For those other than Honda fans/loyalists, please allow the Fans to have their moment. When was the last time Honda gave an exciting product in India? I can only remember the original Jazz way back in 2009. Even that was short-lived when the pricing was announced and they almost helped Hyundai to make the I20 a grand success. This is like a Kumbh Mela feeling for them. Let them have their moment. Just look at their last 5 official review! 3 of them were Honda City itself

[GoBabyGo]

Originally Posted by evilminstrel

I am intrigued by this observation of several members. Why would Honda allocate budget and resources to a car like Elevate keeping Indians in mind when it is not serious about Indian consumers?

Also, when we say Honda is late in market, what about BR-V (or WR-V)? It failed in the segment is a different matter, but it was there in the segment.

PS: I dont think BR-V was bad car. It was actually a good car in terms of dynamics and power. It just was not upto charm of the Indian eyeballs.

Hi evilminstrel - I agree with you that Honda India launched several products since last 10 years and they are serious about Indian market. But launching a product for the sake of launching a new products won't work in India now. It is okay to launch a BRV - WRV - Brio - 1st gen Amaze kind of products if competitors are offering similar products, however, look at Creta 1st gen v/s Mobilio or later BRV or Dzire v/s 1st gen Amaze. Honda never showed interest in India other than City or to some extent Amaze. I have a gut feeling that they are going Ford way of finding reasons to exit India by launching mediocre products of late

[GuChDa]

Originally Posted by John316_WRC

Likewise I have driven numerous Hyundais/Kias abroad and I can assure you they skimp on safety when it comes to Indian/subcontinent cars. In some places the Koreans can't seem to shed their rental car image. Nevertheless they too have some good offerings now like the Tucson, Elantra etc.

Love! that would be the Virtus GT not the Elevate. Every single review has highlighted the positives and negatives of this car, there is nothing to hide. I too agree that a hybrid/turbo option should have been there.

You seem to take it to heart whenever I bring up the safety issues in the Koreans and have tried to justify the manufacturers actions too. For that reason alone no further discussion. Cheers.

Honda has to price it competitively, about 40k-50k less than respective NA competitors.

Everyone has their own opinions, but you do realise that both are from different segments. It is equal to you saying the Seltos has no advantage over the Sonet.

Absolutely correct. It is Honda's loss that they didn't bring a turbo/hybrid option. That would have surely added to sales numbers.

Nothing like that.

All that I was saying is, something or the other matters most for each buyer based on his/her choice and will be their basis for purchase. As long as market gives such oppurtunity none can fault with others choices.

How can anyone call Korean car buyers less prudent just bcoz you and I consider these cars to be less safe (However correct it may be). That should be left to the choice of the buyers.

If features alone with multiple variants /engine options without safety is questionable, then so should be the case for cars with safety alone without the rest of the options available like with Honda.

For me in today's scenario safety and future proofing is important with min features included. I prefer one time investment more convenient with less running costs. So hybrid is a miss and don't see BEV worthy for investment in present time.

Elevate otherwise seems to be a decent car provided it is priced very aggressively.

Let's wait to see how much of the numbers from 45K units per month will be falling into Hondas plate.

[HartBandit]

Is there any weight to the idea that there is a gentlemen's agreement within the Japanese carmakers that India has been "given" to Suzuki and that Honda is just making do with an agreed smaller market share, or is just conspiracy theory?

[bvasista]

Thanks for the review Team BHP & Team ! Always keeps me hooked on !

Coming to Honda Elevate, I personally liked it, clean design, speedometer looks good, plain and not too funky or a fully digital - which I loved.

I bought a 2023 - Honda CRV- Hybrid in USA and I felt Honda Elevate is a compact version of the CRV - design (front), speedometer looks very similar too

For reference - https://www.edmunds.com/honda/cr-v/2023/hybrid/

[Flash777]

A lot of members here seem to be miffed about Honda not giving Turbo Petrol engines and instead sticking with the 'boring' NA engine.

My 2 cents on it:

I too feel Honda missed a trick ommiting the Hybrid. But they have also made it clear that their Hybrid Tech is not localised in India but imported and hence the cost is already high along with there being a supply issue resulting in long waiting times already for City Hybrid. And it is impossible that Honda can meet the demand if they plonk it into Elevate too. Thereby, they decide to invest in the EV tech instead which is making it's way into Elevate soon within a couple of years. I guess that shall quench the thirst for the much needed Power.

Second important thing being, Honda doesn't make 'just any' other Naturally Aspirated engine like most others.... It makes 'THE' Naturally Aspirated engine.
This side of a BMW, I believe Honda has the greatest Naturally Aspirated engine for a mass market car around the 1500 cc segment not just in India, but in the World. Vtec is simply a Legend.

I have personally owned and driven many great NA cars like Palio 1.6, Ikon 1.6, Fiesta 1.6S, Baleno, etc. All of them some of the greatest Fun to Drive cars with awesome low and mid range rush, but Nothing brought the joy and mad grin when I first floored the Honda City Vtec and the memories that flood remembering how the Car sang and danced at 7000 rpm. Its a magical experience.

Even in the world of superb Turbo Petrols with their DSGs, the very fact that the Vtec is surviving and keeping the Thrill of NA engine alive means we are lucky to experience it for some more time. None of the other manufacturers have a NA engine which can hold a candle to the Vtec. All this while being insanely reliable and efficient.

A Turbo engine gives you instant gratification whereas the Vtec makes you work for it. But when you reach there, it is no less rewarding in the thrill of driving to the limiter.

If someone still feels Honda's NA is boring, they have never driven the Vtec engine to it's boisterous limit. Enjoy it while it lasts coz that's the last of the greatest NA engine to have graced us.

I for one am just happy that the legacy continues to live in the Elevate.

If someone still wants Turbos, there are enough Makers giving you that choice already... Let Honda do what only they do the best - Vtec NA Engine.

[inwester]

Originally Posted by pannags

ADAS and a hybrid powertrain are two completely different systems.

The incremental cost of the latter will be 10x the former.

A hybrid variant typically cost around $1,000 - $2,000 (USD) over the comparable petrol engine variants.

For ADAS, you can buy Comma Openpilot for around $1,250. Plus add in the cost of whatever setup it's needed for that.

I do not think it's 10x. It's only in India that they overprice this hybrid stuff for whatever reason.

Imagine hybrid versions of Hycross, Grand Vitara, City and Elevate at a price 1-2 lakh over it's petrol variants!

[GuChDa]

Originally Posted by inwester

A hybrid variant typically cost around $1,000 - $2,000 (USD) over the comparable petrol engine variants.

For ADAS, you can buy Comma Openpilot for around $1,250. Plus add in the cost of whatever setup it's needed for that.

I do not think it's 10x. It's only in India that they overprice this hybrid stuff for whatever reason.

Imagine hybrid versions of Hycross, Grand Vitara, City and Elevate at a price 1-2 lakh over it's petrol variants!

Very correct. In India due to taxation at 43% for Hybrids instead of 28% the added tax component due to higher taxation for hybrid at the most would have costed 50K.

If Honda was concerned about final cost to customer then why would city be priced at 60 to 70 K premium price? How could they offer 1 Lakhs discount on hybrid last month on their HEV?

Contrary to the opinion: there is no waiting period, even if it's there it could be all created (could be area specific though) . I had a call last month from Honda showroom that in 3 days they can deliver HEV along with 1 lakh discount for City HEV (however color options were only 3 out of the 5 or 6 they launched).

How can Honda which claimed HEV to become common mass market offering in future offerings just end up with HEV as a limited edition to City?

Honda priced their HEV at super premium is a fact. Adding to that demand for hybrid in SUV form would be much higher which they may not be able to match due to thier import dependency, but then that's failed strategy from Honda for not being prepared while Toyota and Maruti achieved it.

For all those 1.5 NA ivtech pleasures being shared, I don't deny about that engine being a great one and also sadly only one as bread and butter for Honda India, I sincerely doubt how much of that pleasure will be truly felt CONVENIENTLY in Elevate though.

One engine fitting every use case in every form and size of vehicle with same kind of driving pleasure is a false dream and justification to me atleast.

[Jekyl87]

Excellent review. However, I think all reviews should stop until the pricing is announced. For most buyers, especially in India, the pricing is what will make or break the car. Everything in a car needs to be reviewed with the price in mind. What is a very good feature in a 10L car may be a very poor in a 20L one. This trend of media drives and reviews before pricing announcement should be boycotted by media houses by holding on to reviews till prices are announced.

[Durango Dude]

Wonder what's taking so long for Honda to announce the prices of the Elevate? I bet they have gone back to the "drawing board" regards prices!! If they price it on par/below par with the City there may be some chance of this doing "half" decent numbers: given its dulled performance and fuel efficiency. If they are going to stick to their guns and price it a huge premium (which they're known for) then the product would fail miserably and there may be a lot of cancellations of their already meagre bookings. I feel people may be better off going in for the 5th Gen City: given it's performance, comfort, features, pace, fuel efficiency and packaging than the Elevate. Honda hasn't been able to re create the magic of the City in any of it's products in India, till date.