Honda is gearing up to unveil its latest offering, the Honda Elevate, for the Indian market on June 6th. The compact SUV aims to compete with popular models like the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. While the Elevate may not offer cutting-edge features found in its rivals, it is expected to excel in areas such as interior quality, premium build, crisp design, and reliability. Here are the key features that the Elevate might miss out on:
1. Panoramic Sunroof:
A panoramic sunroof, often a deciding factor for buyers, may not be available in the Honda Elevate. Rival models such as the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Grand Vitara, and Toyota Hyryder offer this feature, and even the upcoming facelifted Kia Seltos is expected to include it.
2. Diesel Engine:
Honda recently removed diesel options from its lineup in India, and the Elevate will not feature a diesel engine either. While the compact SUV segment mostly lacks diesel options, some rivals still provide customers with the choice of a torque-rich powertrain.
3. Turbo-petrol Engine:
In addition to missing out on a diesel engine, the Honda Elevate is unlikely to offer a turbo-petrol unit. Honda typically focuses on fuel-efficient powertrains, such as hybrids, rather than performance-oriented engines. This puts the Elevate in the minority within the compact SUV segment, where most models feature turbo-petrol engines.
4. Infotainment Display:
Honda is not known for offering segment-leading infotainment displays in India, particularly in terms of size. While the Elevate may have a larger screen than the 8-inch infotainment display found in the City, it may still fall short of its rivals. A 10.25-inch touchscreen unit is expected, which is the standard size in the segment. However, some competing SUVs priced at Rs 15 lakh or higher offer dual-integrated display setups, which might not be available in the Elevate.
5. All-Wheel Drive:
Although all-wheel drive is not commonly found in most urban compact SUVs, it has its appeal. Only the Maruti-Toyota duo of the Grand Vitara and Hyryder offer this feature. Given that the Honda Elevate lacks some of the aforementioned features compared to its rivals, offering all-wheel drive could have set it apart. However, it is unlikely to be available.
Launch and Competitors:
The Honda Elevate is set to be launched in August 2023, with an expected starting price of Rs 11 lakh (ex-showroom). It will compete with popular models like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Volkswagen Taigun, and Skoda Slavia.
While the Honda Elevate may miss out on certain features, it still has several strengths to offer, including its interior quality, premium build, crisp design, and renowned reliability.
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