Its side profile looks small like that of the Nissan Magnite. But I feel it would be a good option for first-time SUV buyers.

BHPian hummer recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have my booking with Dakshin Honda Hosur Road. They never called me to come see the vehicle or for a test drive. However, I had a pleasant experience with Magnum Honda, Kanakapura Road. I got a call to come see the vehicle even though I didn’t have my booking there and I also took a test drive after waiting for 30 mins (maybe because I went almost at closing hours on Saturday, there was not much crowd).

After the test drive, with a heavy heart, I cancelled my Elevate booking.

My reasons to cancel:

1. Rear seat width is just not enough for 3 adults, no headrest or seat belt for the middle passenger, hump on the middle seat makes it difficult, shockingly sales team asked me to modify the seat to remove the hump - with all this, Honda audaciously calls it a 5 seater.
2. It is not an upgrade from the Duster AMT except for interiors and limited technology
3. Wife didn't like the engine grunt when revved, it was too noisy (she will be with me during most of the road trips, so I have to consider her dislikes as well)
4. Side profile looks small, like the Nissan Magnite. Duster looks much bolder and bigger
5. 40 ltrs fuel tank means frequent trips to fuel station
6. Elevated footwell created even more low under-thigh support
7. My left leg (below the knee) was scraping the console which created discomfort while driving
8. Some pretty basic things missing: Illuminated windows buttons, better horn, TPMS, sliding driver's armrest, better designed AC vents

I feel it is good for:

1. First-time SUV buyers or those who are upgrading from a hatchback
2. Someone who is okay with a 4-seater with Honda's reliability, sensible features and ease of maintenance
3. Relaxed driving, mostly for city usage with occasional highways

It is very good at what it is designed/targeted for, it would have its own customers like the VW twins.

Few cars lined up for delivery:

My next options (Budget: 20L-25L):

• Toyota Hyryder Mild Hybrid (boot is small 373 ltrs - compromise)
• Facelifted Harrier (Max budget)
• XUV700 AX5 D AT (Max budget)

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

This SUV will attract people to the showrooms and may even help to boost the City and Amaze sales.

BHPian pk_del recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Got a chance to visit a Honda showroom today in Bangalore. And guess what, the showroom was bustling with customers and all were interested in Elevate. The Honda brand does seem to carry weight and aspirational value in India. As of now, this showroom has got 500+ bookings of Elevate and is now commanding 5-6 months of wait time.

Didn't get a chance to test drive the Elevate as all test drive slots were pre-booked. So test drove a Honda City Manual and saw the Elevate and came back.

Bottom Line on Top

For first-time buyers and people upgrading from a hatch, Elevate is a perfect family car (wife, kid and parents) and for bachelors for use in the city and who want to make some outstation trips during weekends with close friends.

Now here is the comparison between Elevate, Honda City and my Hexa XT (considering Elevate's performance will be similar to Honda City).

The moment you step into the Elevate you appreciate the commanding view from the driver's seat. But if you compare with Hexa you immediately feel it's a step down. The luxury quotient is less and the material felt sub par. Though the features are more than Hexa, this is expected considering the fact that Hexa is 6 years old.

The under-thigh support of both front and rear seats is less than Hexa (and Honda City too). Car doors felt heavy but while closing, I felt that there was something missing. Can't exactly put my finger on it.

Elevate as a standalone package punches above its weight and that's where its advantage is. Add to that Honda's reliability and it's global brand value.

Now, with very low expectations I stepped into the Honda City ZX model (please see this is my first encounter with the new Honda City after the 3G variant) and man I was blown away.

Everything oozes class, the front seats had proper under-thigh support with amazing seat contours, and the rear seat is like a sofa with proper back angle and under-thigh support. The doors close with a proper thud and this brings confidence, music system is good and the iVTEC is a gem of an engine. Compared to Hexa the interiors were at par.

I didn't like the low-end torque initially (maybe I am spoilt by Varicor torque) but got used to it. Had told the sales executive to bring the Honda City CVT for a test drive next week.

I would say with the Elevate, Honda has brought a product which will satisfy most people. And will attract people to its showroom and may even help to boost City and Amaze sales.

If you are considering Elevate then please evaluate it with an open mind and don't have any pre-conceived opinions. Unlearn, test drive and learn and see if you like it or not. Then only come to a conclusion.

Next few months of Elevate sales will give us a clear picture and trend.

But overall it seems genuine effort from Honda.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The SUV seems like a good option for those who want a no-nonsense car with great ride quality & prefer a practical, reliable and "fill it shut it and forget it" type of experience.

BHPian MrEnthusiast recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Test drove the Elevate ZX CVT. Here are my observations as a City 2015 V MT owner:

Positives:

1. The blue colour along with the front and side under spoilers look very premium and elegant.
2. Light steering with great maneuverability, should be super easy to drive around the city. Even the feedback was good enough.
3. Suspension is very well calibrated, bumps on the road were softened out very well without any suspension noise as such.
4. Doors felt heftier compared to my City 4th gen.
5. NVH levels were low and engine noise seemed lesser than the 5th gen (having travelled in it briefly).
6. CVT response felt very good compared to my Civic CVT which has a minor lag before it picks up pace (Obviously, once the Civic picks pace, it will be quicker).
7. For overtaking in the city, D mode is more than enough. S mode makes the throttle response quicker for those who might need it.
8. Even when I drove it on some slightly hilly type roads, the body roll was well-controlled and inspired confidence to push harder.
9. I am 5'10" and even though the movement range of the seat is slightly lesser than my City, I was able to find a comfortable driving position very quickly. Seats also felt comfortable both at the front and the rear.
10. I did not find the slight slope at the rear footrests to be an issue at all, unlike some other users who pointed it out.
11. The tan interiors were feeling fresh after being used to beige for my current car.
12. The driving position is something which many people will like.
13. Due to the bonnet being visible, even a newbie driver should be comfortable with the dimensions very quickly.
14. The connection for the wireless Android Auto was very seamless and even the audio quality was very good (I'm not an audiophile by any means, but the bass and clarity were good).
15. The lane watch and rear cameras were of good quality and the infotainment system was also crisp. Some YouTube reviews said that it lacked features, however, I think one might simply forget about it after the novelty wears off.
16. It surely has a good road presence and is a head turner on the road (maybe because of it being a new launch).

Negatives:

1. I don't get why Honda provides such a meek horn for its vehicles.
2. The side mirrors are a bit on the larger side, so one might have to be careful while turning.
3. Too many buttons on the steering wheel, although one should be able to get used to them very quickly. I liked the button placement in my City, especially the buttons for picking up calls.
4. Way too many options in the instrument cluster, they should have provided it in the infotainment system also.
5. I prefer the rotary knobs for the aircon of the City 5th gen compared to the Elevate.
6. I don't like why they removed the button for disabling ADAS which was present in the City Hybrid Prefacelift. Although I never felt the ADAS kicking in while driving around in the city. (I don't know if it activates only above a certain speed).
7. The width might be suitable for 4 adults and 1 child. 5 adults might be a squeeze. In comparison, the City 5th gen has acres of space (further enhanced by the beige interiors).
8. They should have provided a headrest and a 3-point seatbelt for the middle passenger like in the City.
9. Although not a major issue as such, Speedometer readings only till 180 give out a very bad feeling. Till 220 would have been preferred like in the City.
10. I really love the airplane-type lights interior lights in the City 5th gen, they give out a very premium feeling. They should have provided it in the Elevate as well.
11. Rain-sensing wipers would have been a good addition.

The Elevate seems like a good option for those who want a no-nonsense car with great ride quality and prefer a practical, reliable and fill it, shut it and forget it type of experience compared to those who prefer bling and features.

As a sedan lover, who digs the sharp looks of the 5th gen City facelift, I was not expecting to be impressed by the Elevate. However, after driving it, my views on it have changed and it also feels like a good competitor for those who are considering an upgrade.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Some plastics in the interior could have been better but the roof liner is better than the Skoda Kushaq.

BHPian John316_WRC recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

BRV and City Owner Checks out the Elevate

I went to the price launch yesterday, there was a City on display right next to 2 Elevates. Reading polar opposite experiences about seating comfort on our forum, let's start with that.

My height for reference is 5' 11" and I weigh 82kgs. I sat on all the seats of the Elevate back to back with the City multiple times to understand what it was all about.

Rear Seats: Very well bolstered and comfortable. Under thigh support was good, recline angle neutral and supportive, headrest angle also perfect and doesn't jut into your neck like in some cars. The rear is a great place to be for 2 adults and a kid.

Driver Seat: Equally comfortable in the Elevate and City. Preferred the raised feeling better in the Elevate.

Front passenger Seat: For my height, the Elevate driver's seat felt it had better under-thigh support than the passenger seat. You sit a little knees up in the passenger seat because of the footwell. Not a deal breaker but that's what I felt. I was sitting more knees up in the City passenger seat than the Elevate. My dad who is 5'9" was fine with both cars.

Visibility: View out front is 10/10, bonnet line clearly visible even at the lowest point. No second guessing for short/new drivers.

Looks: Butch front end is the design highlight and has an "American muscle" vibe to it that is unique. Understated design. Side profile is boring, but that's just me. This car will age well and won't offend many. Blue and White truly look classy.

Boot: Runs deep and wide. Practical shape. Very usable.

Interiors: What a classy dashboard design. Straight lines, no unnecessary cuts/creases. Looks very premium, dare I say, Swedish. But then some plastics could have been better. Roof liner is better than the Kushaq. Doors close with a reassuring thud.

Variants/features: Honda has messed up the spread. Only SV or ZX makes any sense. Knowing Honda's AC effectiveness, ventilated seats shouldn't be a big miss. I don't care about the sunroof so that's that.

Summarising the negatives

• 6 airbags should have been standard although Elevate should easily outscore Koreans in safety
• Cruise control only in ZX. Should have started from VX. City V now feels all the more VFM!
• For my height 5'11" I found the driver's seat better than the front passenger seat.
• Honda should have added a hybrid option when it is already present in the City. Talk about Elevate being the sacrificial lamb to protect the City.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

In a week, it may be used for 25 kms daily and an additional 50 kms on days I go to office

BHPian bhaskar.guru recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello all,

After more than ten years, I am planning to buy a bike for myself.

Requirements :

• Something in commuter segment
• Touch sporty
• Riding comfort is needed
• 99% will be city riding only
• In a week, it may be used for 25 kms daily and an additional 50 kms on days I go to office

I have owned a Pulsar 150 cc(2007-11), Avenger 220(2011-11, got stolen :( ), and a Suzuki GS-150R(2012-19).

Options I have seen so far and considering in the crowded segment are as below:

Honda Unicorn 160:

• Pros : Beautiful no nonsense engine, absolute comforting ride, decent performance and great mileage
• Cons : No upgrades whatsoever since the shift to alloy wheels, you can see it as the same bike which it was 16-17 years ago when it was launched. Only the engine got upgraded to 160 and addition of ABS due to it becoming a norm.

TVS Apache RTR 160 4V:

• Pros : Upgraded tech, digital display, connected experience, good performance, feels advanced like a spaceship when compared to the Unicorn
• Cons : Higher maintenance cost and lower mileage apparently from the reviews, not very sure of the reliability of the parts(would need your help here), Seating is a little on the sporty side with foot pegs right below the seat and as a 6 foot tall guy, it is difficult to bend and put the legs... It is not impossible but a tad difficult than the Unicorn.

Others being considered :

• Pulsar 150 : Have owned it already, will go for it as a last option
• Pulsar P150 : Doesn't look and feel like a Pulsar, will still check it out having heard decent reviews of the same
• Pulsar N150 : Need to check it out
• Avenger 160/ 220 : Loved the Avengers, but hate the new Cruise styling and also the fact that they haven't touched anything on this bike except for mandatory updates in the last so many years... Even the switch gear was old(Pre-2006 upgrade to Pulsar switches) last time I checked...

Confusions I have are:

Should I go for the no nonsense Unicorn and just be content with riding a very comfortable and good motorcycle which looks and feels(features wise) like a bike from 20 years ago or should I go for the modern tech and get the TVS or any other.

Should I go for Apache, is it okay to go for the 160 or should I stretch till the 200 as that gives the addition of Slipper clutch (heard it is a good feature especially for city commute, would be helpful if one of the Knowledgeable folks from here can help explain the feature) and Dual channel ABS considering safety.

What other options could I consider?

I am from Hyderabad btw!

Thank you in advance!

Regards,

Bhaskara

Here's what BHPian SaurAswale had to say on the matter:

Hello,

If I was in your position, I would completely ignore the Unicorn, it "feels" heavy for a 160cc bike, doesn't like to turn. It's a very old motorcycle and feels like bigger CB Shine, not a bad thing but very boring in my opinion. There are better options available. But do take a test ride.

If you want that Honda reliability, consider the the Hornet instead.

Apache 160 RTR is the best option you have. It has very smooth engine and good suspension. It is simply king of the segment. If you are concern about the mileage, it will not be wise decision to go for RTR200.

One wildcard entry from my side,

Check out MT15. It has that beautiful 155cc VVA engine which punches above its weight. There is light assist and slipper clutch which makes life easy in traffic. Plus, people are claiming great FE numbers, and I can confirm as I have recently bought R15v3 myself.

There should not be any reliability issue either (otherwise I'm doomed ).

Cons- It is very expensive (worth the price IMO), you might need to check used market to keep it in your budget. Spare parts are also expensive than all other 160cc rivals but as I said, don't compare it with any 160cc bike.

Here's what BHPian amit_purohit20 had to say on the matter:

Let me clear your doubts first - TVS vehicles are well engineered and I would rate their reliability only a tad below the Honda that too only in terms of engine reliability. I have seen honda unicorns with engine problem too. I would rate TVS higher than honda from my own experience for rest of the cycle and plastic parts in the 150 to 200 cc range.

Ps:- I have owned TVS Victor and Apache RTR 180 (took it to Ladakh) in last 20 years.

For commuter you want:

• Comfort
• Light bike
• Flickability or bike should be easy to change directions

From comfort POV :- Unicorn, Yamaha Fz, Yamaha FzX, Honda CB200x

From light weight POV:- TVS Apache, Yamaha FZ and FZx

From flickability POV:- TVS Apache series.

I would strongly suggest you go for a Dual Channel ABS bike. I would have lost my life in the city when I braked on wet road and realised no compromise on Dual Channel ABS.

I think it makes lot of sense to upgrade to 200 cc Apache RTR 4V.

If you are not comfortable with the driving position of Apache then I suggest to go for Unicorn or Yamaha FZ. Check all bikes which give Dual Channel ABS.

Regards,

Amit

Here's what BHPian Nikhildrao had to say on the matter:

I would recommend the newly launched Honda SP160 for the option of buying Honda's new 10 year warranty program if you want a fuss free ownership experience. Highly recommend the Apache rtr 160 and the disc variant of Pulsar p150. Buy the FZ if you want a no nonsense commuter with decent looks(buy the FZ not the FZ-S).

Here's what BHPian IshaanIan had to say on the matter:

Any chance you could try taking a test ride of the Yamaha MT-15? It is the perfect tool for the city; lightweight, excellent chassis, powerful smooth non-excessive motor with just enough go juice to bring a smile on your face and oh so poised at all times.

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

My experience with TVS has been good, in reliability, quality and service and across motorcycles and cities.

Service is dependent a lot on the area so hat varies a lot and is true for most manufacturers.

I don't think in the 100-200cc range there's any motorcycle you need to worry about in terms of reliability.

Coming to your requirements, I would say for someone 6 feet tall, the RTR 160/200 might not be the best suited in terms of comfort.

I would also suggest to try out some of the newer platforms and bikes like the Unicorn should be allowed to rest and retire.

I would suggest to test ride the following and find what syncs with your riding style:

• Bajaj : Pulsar P150/N160/N250 : check for comfort and FE.
• TVS : RTR 160/200 : On the 200, the slipper makes the clutch feel lighter but more importantly TVS's Glide Through Tech helps in crawling traffic. But if the clutch is light enough then it doesn't matter. If getting the 200 try the one with adjustable suspension for that added option for comfort or just to play around.
• Hero : Xtreme 160/Karizma XMR: Do check for ride and seating comfort. Also try the just launched Karizma XMR, it might suit your frame better along with the liquid cooling but its built more like a sports tourer.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I feel that the Elevate is definitely going to sell well at this price and will give competition to the Seltos and Hyundai Creta in view of good looks and sturdier feel.

BHPian motographer recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Checked out Seltos and Elevate back to back today and I'd like to add my 2 cents:

• Overall materials are more premium in Seltos. In the Elevate, the cabin looks good, clean and minimalistic but the quality of materials and plastics is visibly poor. More so when you check out the City showcased adjacent to it. The cabin of City undoubtedly appears more premium. The AC vents are such an eyesore and appear to be decades old.
• The omission of features that are available in City pinched even more as these omissions could have easily been avoided and could have made it slightly better.
• Driver seat travel is definitely less and felt cramped in its rearmost position even for someone like me who's 5'11". My knee was touching the lower extent of the dashboard.
• No dead pedal in ZX MT which was available. However, the SA said that it'll be available in AT.
• The rear seat is less wide than the Seltos and can accommodate only 2 adults and 1 child in comparison to the Seltos where 3 adults of which one is quite slim could sit comfortably.
• The comfort of the rear seats was decent cushioning-wise. However, the thigh support was not good. Middle seat was not comfortable due to the hump.
• The look of the car is definitely good and is amongst the best-looking cars in the segment in terms of road presence along with Seltos. Kushaq also looks good but lacks road presence.
• With such a high bonnet, the visibility of whatever is just ahead of the car is going to be an issue. A front parking camera would have been a helpful addition.
• The paint job was good and doors appeared heavy and closed with a satisfactory thud in comparison to Seltos where they were definitely one or two notches lower.
• Sound system was amazing and despite not being branded, music sounded astonishingly good. I am an audiophile and the sound quality was undoubtedly much superior to the Bose-branded system of Seltos GTX+.
• I personally feel that powered seats are only good when they have a memory function. Otherwise, it's just slow and another electric component that can go bad. I would always prefer powered seats with memory but with memory function like in Seltos, I would rather prefer mechanical adjustment of Elevate.
• Ventilated seats of Seltos work well. Liked the features offered in GTX+ compared to HTX + with regards to price difference. However, I prefer the interior of HTX+. That white leather insert on the door is what I feel going to be the worst nightmare as it's the most contacted touch point and is going to get dirty in a few months. Probably will require to change it to black aftermarket. The black interiors also make the car feel claustrophobic. The tan of Elevate was definitely better.
• The SA said that ventilated and massage seats are going to be offered in Elevate as an accessory for roughly 15k and will be connected to the 12V power socket at the back. The only gripe is that I assume that means that only the driver's seat can be changed as 2 seats can't be connected or maybe they provide some sort of connecter to connect both seats.
• The display car had a dashcam which the SA said would come as an accessory.
• The SA said that VX will come with 2 airbags. That's a bummer. I was hoping they would offer 6 airbags as standard. Also, I feel a ZX without ADAS and ADAS being offered only in a variant above ZX , maybe ZX(o) would've been a good option.
• SA was sure that Elevate ZX CVT will undercut City's price by 30-35k. That was pleasant information.

As gist, I feel Elevate is definitely going to sell well at this price and will give competition to 1.5 NA of Seltos/Creta in view of good looks and sturdier feel. Wifey also said that it appears to be a larger car due to the sitting position and due to the high bonnet. A good NCAP rating and Honda badge will also add to its repertoire.

I just felt bad for Honda as to why they couldn't give a few more basic features and get their beautiful hybrid engines and iVtec Turbo engine to India as with these additions, they would've blown away the competition. For me a Hybrid or Turbo, had it been offered would've become a no-brainer. And I might still end up with Seltos for the 1.5 Turbo.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Kia Seltos has a very thin door frame around the window area with thin welding to hold the frame together - the Honda Elevate felt safer to us.

BHPian reppy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Checked out the Elevate again at Ring Road Honda with wifey to make some sense out of our dilemma of Seltos vs Elevate:

• The driver-side seat due to height adjustment is OK - some extra legroom can be freed by reducing the driver-side seat height, but the front passenger seat definitely lacks legroom and sorely misses height adjustment! The legs rest on a steep incline and felt very uncomfortable - not the place to sit for me or my tall elder son but my wife thought it was manageable.
• The rear seats under thigh support was not enough for my 5'8" frame but no complaints from my 5'1" wife - she even loved the rear inclined floor board which was just right for her but made my legs incline up with under thigh support reducing due to this. On the plus side, the front passenger seat can move WAY ahead, opening up massive legroom for taller occupants to sit comfortably - I had plenty of legroom that way if it's just me and the driver travelling.
• Thankfully, someone forced the sales rep to turn on the AC while I was in the car. The AC throw and air volume was superb (I was sitting in the rear seat!) and this was a great plus point for us!
• Another plus - the steel on the doors felt solid and I pointed out to my wife that these doors are 'formed' at the window frame area. The Seltos has a very thin door frame around the window area with a thin welding to hold the frame together - the Elevate felt safer to us and this was a huge plus point
• Considering the above points and noting that our driver will drive the car 90% of the time and usage would be mostly by the wife and kids, we booked the ZX CVT variant.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

This is in contrast to the Kia Seltos in which the three of us could sit comfortably at the back.

BHPian skarthiksr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Since the car is not available in Dakshin Honda yet, went to Magnum Honda yesterday to check out the car. Here are some of my observations:

1. The car looks big outside but feels somewhat small inside.
2. Driver seating position is excellent. Gives a commanding position. Even when the seat height is not fully up, the visibility was great.
3. Presence of both tilt and telescoping steering adjustment is good and helps pick a comfortable driving position.
4. Passenger seat didn't feel low. Bonnet lines visible both from the driver and passenger seats.
5. I went with my friend who is tall and even when the passenger seat is pushed fully backwards, he said that his legroom had no issues.
6. The rear seat will work best only for two. It is not going to be comfortable for the middle passenger no matter how you try to adjust. This is in contrast to Seltos where three of us could sit comfortably. Not sure what Honda's engineers thought about this during the design phase. At a tentative 20L+ top-end OTR price range, a four-seater is not something many will compromise.
7. The window area starts a bit at a higher-than-usual position at the rear, but I didn't feel claustrophobic. Even when looked at from the outside, the rear window area looked small. You can clearly notice this if a Honda City is parked next to the Elevate.
8. Boot space was pretty good. No complaints.
9. The car did not have keys so I couldn't open/close the sunroof or try the windows down/up etc.

I expected a lot of crowd in the showroom since the car reached the dealership only on Friday, but there wasn't much. We were able to patiently check out the car. Magnum Honda has both red and blue colour Elevate though the blue one only is put on display.

With that said, now, it is all upto the pricing as I believe every other details about the car is already out.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I checked out the car in a showroom & although I didn't want to talk about the omitted features, I will make two exceptions.

BHPian pannags recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Visited Magnum Honda, RMV, Bangalore, to have a first look at the Elevate. Opted for the morning slot (9-10 am) to avoid crowds. Surprisingly, we were the only ones at the showroom.

The displayed variant was the top-end manual in Red, and perhaps one of the cars employed for media test drives. The dealership had not taken an effort to clean the car thoroughly, resulting in fingerprint marks on the handles and interiors. A somewhat disappointing experience considering it's a newly launched car on exhibit.

My observations are the following. I’ll skip what has been already discussed extensively (missing features, variants, reasonable pricing etc.).

1. The Elevate sports a decent road presence and sleek design lines. While the styling did not evoke awe, it did not provoke disapproval either. The external components are overall well put together, except for the rather underwhelming, low-quality front grille. I hope there would be some aftermarket options for the grille!
2. The doors feel satisfactorily hefty, although they lack the substantial thud seen on the German or Czech counterparts. Nevertheless, they outshine their Japanese cousins by an observable margin. I reminded myself that perceived quality does not invariably equate to structural resilience.
3. The interior design prioritizes pragmatism over opulence. There's little justification for criticism regarding the modest layout and discreet features. The display fulfils its purpose by delivering pertinent information without undue distraction - a refreshing departure from the trend.
4. Seated behind the wheel, I was greeted with a comfortable and authoritative position. It's reasonable to assume that long drives would be comfortable. Caveat: Please take breaks every two hours for the sake of physical well-being.
5. The rear bench offers a similar, comfortable arrangement. The elevated middle seat appeared less uncomfortable than initial reviews suggested. However, extended journeys might prove tricky.
6. The boot is expansive and can effortlessly accommodate three to four pieces of check-in category luggage.

I did not want to talk about omitted features, but will make two exceptions.

The three-point seat belt and a front parking camera are necessities conspicuous by their absence. While the latter can be easily added as an accessory, Honda seems to have cut a corner too much with a lap belt-only arrangement for the rear middle passenger.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The build quality feels a level below its Korean rivals. The difference is the same as that between the Honda City and Hyundai Verna.

BHPian Teleporter recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Got to see the Honda Elevate at Harmony Honda showroom in Chandigarh. The car is one of those used at the media drive at Udaipur. It was a ZX CVT variant. After having read the review on Team-BHP and having seen the reviews from the media drive, below are observations from a customer perspective.

Please note: I have not covered often repeated things like lack of panoramic sunroof, electrically adjusted seats etc.

1. Front of the car looks distinct from other cars in the category. Front appears imposing and gives the car a good SUV character.
2. The car would have a good road presence. Probably, if not the best, among the best in the segment.
3. The suspension travel is probably more than average, as when four passengers sat in the car, the car sank noticeably. This may hint towards a softer ride as mentioned in the reviews.
4. View on all sides from the driver's seat is great. Driving position felt better than some main rivals.
5. Ergonomics wise car looks well thought through, especially for the driver seat.
6. Quality of the infotainment display is much better than City’s smaller and older display. Rear camera quality is also better than the City’s.
7. Front seats do not travel as far back as they do in other rival cars. This may pose some challenges for very tall drivers.
8. Overall, front-seat experience is good.
9. All the seats are quite comfortable in terms of cushioning.
10. Ingress and egress is easy on all sides.
11. As you open the rear door, you feel that there could be some more space (width-wise). Compared to Creta, the back bench width is noticeably lesser. For two people, it’s a joy to sit on those well-cushioned seats but three would be uneasy, definitely, for long travels. The width of the back bench felt lesser than even City’s. Knee room and headroom for the back seat are enormous. Definitely class leading.
12. Overall, in terms of comfort, for two people, the back seat is very comfortable but there is also a feeling that you are sitting in a smaller car than what Elevate appears from outside. Cabin color scheme and low outside lighting at the showroom could be one reason for this feeling.
13. Build quality feels a level below Korean rivals. The difference is the same as that between City and Verna. Please note that build quality in terms of thickness of exterior metal has nearly negligible bearing on the overall safety rating of the vehicle, which is rather determined by the structural design and stability.

Overall, the experience was slightly underwhelming compared to what I had expected (because of the lack of roominess on the back bench). If one is not a Honda fan, then there is hardly anything except a unique front facia that can make a deal on the first interaction with Elevate. Let's hope drivability makes up for the lack of other things. That we will get to know by the last week of August.

Deliveries and test drives:

Another dealership in Chandigarh confirmed that the first tranche of 19 cars will be received by the dealership starting August 19. Of this lot, 2 are test-drive vehicles and the rest are for sale. However, sales will commence only after launch, which is expected around September 02. Prices will also be revealed by then. Tentative prices are quoted in the range of 11 to 16 ex-showroom.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.