Honda unveils the name of its all new SUV with a teaser image “Honda Elevate”. Previously, Honda had codenamed the compact SUV as 3US, has been seen on road tests. The worldwide debut will be on June 6th, with sales expected to begin in August 2023. Honda Car India has officially announced the SUV’s name as the Honda Elevate SUV. The projected cost of the vehicle could be around ₹12 to ₹19 lakh.
Further, Honda will manufacture its new Elevate SUV for both domestic and overseas markets. It has plans to produce around 8,000 units per month, with a significant percentage being allocated for exports. However, the compact SUV segment is already crowded with popular models. Naming a few, such as the Creta, Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Volkswagen Taigun, and Skoda Kushaq.
Despite this competition, Honda’s Elevate will have a sporty and attractive profile. With features such as a prominent nose, chunky grille and bumper. Further, the sleek headlamps with LED DRLs, a rugged-looking skid plate, thick body cladding, muscular wheel arches, liberal use of chrome accents, and an alloy wheel design similar to the 5th-gen Honda City. The tail lights at the rear of the SUV are expected to resemble those of the new-gen WR-V available in Indonesia and other Asian markets.
About the Honda Elevate SUV
The Honda Elevate is expected to be around 4.2 to 4.3 meters long. With a wheelbase that is among the longest-in-segment, providing spacious interiors. Key features include a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 7-inch full-color TFT instrument display. Moreover, it gets a wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a dedicated connectivity platform, a premium sound system, automatic climate control, PM 2.5 air filter, and engine start/stop.
The Elevate will be powered by a twin cam 1.5-liter petrol engine. Generating 121 PS of max power and 145 Nm of peak torque, with transmission options of 6-speed manual and CVT automatic. Although the Elevate will not have diesel or strong hybrid options at launch. However, Honda may introduce a strong hybrid version in the future.
The compact SUV segment is rapidly growing in India, and Honda’s decision to launch the Elevate is timely. By using an existing platform, Honda can reduce production costs. Moreover, its target audience for compact SUVs is generally open to trying new products. This can definitely benefit the Honda Elevate SUV.