Honda’s been on some sort of roll recently in terms of global launches, but the brand has seemingly zeroed in on one segment, the SUV and Crossover market.
Honda Elevate
Over in the enormous car market that is India, the brand has just launched yet another small SUV called the Elevate. The Japanese automaker says it was developed “on the grand concept of ‘Urban Freestyler’, Elevate aims to appeal to customers with active lifestyles & a global mindset, and blends cutting-edge aesthetics with functionality to create a visually stunning, incredibly versatile, comfortable, and fun-to-drive SUV that’s ready for an adventure inside and outside the city limits”.
The Elevate is classified as a mid-sized SUV that features a Bold and Masculine exterior design with a striking front face, sharp character lines, and unique rear design which come together to create a vehicle with a strong road presence. The front fascia showcases Honda’s signature grille, flanked by sleek LED headlights, while the side profile emphasizes its sporty character and the rear boasts a distinctive tailgate design and LED taillights. In all honesty, it really looks like a shrunken BR-V, which isn’t a bad thing.
Interestingly the Elevate was developed closely by Honda R&D Asia Pacific center located in Thailand to match the needs and aspirations of younger customers who are looking for status, comfort, and an active lifestyle.
The Elevate comes fitted with a new floating type 26.03 cm (10.25 inch) In-Plane Switching (IPS) High-Definition (HD) resolution LCD touch-screen display audio with Optical Clear Adhesive (OCA) that offers high contrast and visibility. It can be connected to various types of smartphones via wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Weblink, Bluetooth, and USB.
At the heart of the Elevate is the 1.5L i-VTEC DOHC petrol engine with VTC it churns out 89 kW (121PS)* of power and 145 Nm* of maximum torque between 4300* to 6600* RPM. It is mated to a 6-speed Manual Transmission and 7-speed CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).
In terms of safety, it will also come with Honda Sensing which utilizes a high-performance front camera with a wide-angle, far-reaching detection system to scan the road ahead and alert the driver to minimize the risk of accidents and, in some cases, intervene to avoid or lessen the severity of a collision. Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive Cruise Control, Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Lead Car Departure Notification System, and Auto High-Beam.
What makes this launch interesting is the fact that ASEAN already has the WR-V which more or less also fills the gap the Elevate does. So if the Philippines were to get either of these baby SUVs which would it be?
