HONDA ELEVATE

Honda's long awaited India-specific SUV arrives finally. Will it shake up the establishments in the midsize SUV segment?

- ABHAY VERMA

The Honda Elevate is, in my opinion, the most important product for Honda in India till date. It has been developed with India in mind, though obviously, it will be sold in other markets too. It also has what is perhaps the longest list of direct rivals – over half a dozen to be precise, including big names like the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, Škoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Astor and also the upcoming Citroën C3 Aircross. Clearly, the Elevate thus has a lot riding on its shoulders as an all-new product. I mean, after all, it will sit in what is the most fiercely contested car segment in one of the biggest automobile markets in the world! The question is, does the Elevate have what it takes to ruffle a few feathers and carve its own niche in the midsize SUV segment?

It sure looks unique and also has the same premium look and feel inside as the Honda City. The styling isn’t what we’re used to seeing from Honda though – the design language is new, making for a fresh and distinctive appearance. The Elevate looks very American from the front courtesy the slab-sided face – the grille is large and flat, sans any chrome, though there’s a fat strip of chrome on top that extends onto the headlamp units. The bumper design is simple too, without too many lines or curves and the fog lamps sit at the far ends on either side. The bottom line is, the Elevate’s front end will help it stand out – despite the clutter of very good-looking SUVs in the segment – thanks to that massive vertical grille.