Honda has introduced the all-new Elevate, its latest offering to the South African market. This compact family SUV marks a significant addition to Honda’s lineup, with eye-catching styling and a comprehensive list of standard features.
Unveiled globally in June 2023, the Elevate is Honda’s newest mid-size SUV. Honda South Africa says the car was conceptualised under the theme of ‘Urban Freestyler.’ The aim was to integrate seamlessly into various lifestyles while catering to individual customer preferences for desirability, functionality, and usability.
In terms of size, it slots in below the Honda BR-V, making it Honda’s entry-level SUV/crossover. (The HR-V is shorter from nose to tail than the BR-V, but it is more of a premium product than the BR-V. The CR-V is the fourth and most premium car in Honda’s four-model SUV/crossover line-up.)
Design
The Honda Elevate boasts a bold exterior design with rugged body styling, generously proportioned dimensions, and a wide stance. Measuring 4 312 mm in length, 1 790 mm in width, and 1 650 mm in height, the Elevate commands attention on the road with its distinctive appearance.
Honda makes the Elevate available in six colours, including the vibrant Phoenix Orange and the elegant Obsidian Blue.
For now, only two versions are on offer. They are the Elevate 1.5 Comfort Manual (R369 900) and the Elevate 1.5 Elegance CVT (R429 900).
Performance
The Elevate gets its power from a 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine, delivering 89 kW of power and 145 Nm of torque. Paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), the Elevate delivers decent fuel efficiency.
Though there’s nothing inherently ‘wrong’ with the engine, many of the Honda’s competitors beat it on output. The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite manual (R355 900) generates 108 kW and 210 Nm, while the Mahindra XUV300 1.2T W8 (R358 099) and XUV300 1.5TD W8 (R378 099) achieve 81 kW and 200 Nm and 86 kW and 300 Nm respectively.
Many drivers will find the Honda’s performance to be adequate, but those who place a premium on strong performance will find the Elevate lacking.
Interior comfort and convenience
Inside, the Elevate welcomes passengers with a spacious and premium interior environment. The cabin features contemporary fabrics and soft-touch materials, complemented by a modern, minimalist design aesthetic. Both front and rear passengers enjoy generous legroom, while the Elevate offers impressive luggage capacity at 458 litres.
The steering wheel adjusts for height and reach, and keyless entry and -start are included. The 8” touchscreen is compatible with Apple, Android and Bluetooth.
Safety
Safety is paramount in the Elevate, which incorporates Honda’s latest Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure technology. According to Honda, this ensures excellent crash protection for occupants. The Elevate also comes equipped with ISOFIX child seat anchors, traction control, stability control, hill-start assist, rear parking sensors, auto door locking, and airbags. The headlights, daytime running lights, and rear lights all use LEDs.
What do you get for that extra dough?
The price difference between the manual (Comfort) and CVT automatic (Elegance) is R60 000. Besides the convenience of a self-shifting transmission, what else do you get. Let’s compare the key specifications:
| HONDA ELEVATE | COMFORT | ELEGANCE |
| Transmission | Manual | Automatic (CVT) |
| Airbags | Two | Six |
| Sunroof | No | Yes |
| Side mirrors | Manual | Electric |
| Upholstery | Cloth | Artificial leather |
| Instruments | Analogue | Digital |
| Auto-on headlights | No | Yes |
| Wireless phone charging | No | Yes |
| Speakers | Four | Six |
| Wheels | Steel with hubcaps | Alloy |
Fuel consumption
Honda claims an average fuel consumption figure of 6,7 litres/100km for the manual, but 6,1 litres/100km for the CVT auto. Even though these numbers will be hard to achieve in everyday driving, they represent a 9 percent advantage for the auto.
Pricing and aftersales
As mentioned above, the prices of the two model derivatives are as follows:
- Honda Elevate 1.5 Comfort Manual – R369 900
- Honda Elevate 1.5 Elegance CVT – R429 900.
Honda provides a comprehensive aftersales package. This includes a 5-year/200 000 km warranty, a 4-year/60 000 km service plan, and 3-year AA roadside assistance.
With its combination of striking design and competitive pricing, the Honda Elevate is poised to make a strong impact in the South African SUV market.
