Honda Elevate road test, review

The Elevate is late to the midsize SUV party, yet Honda hasn’t entered the segment all guns blazing. It hasn’t offered multiple powertrain options or a laundry list of features. Instead, the company has taken a more conservative approach with just one petrol engine and no strong hybrid option. What makes the Elevate desirable is that it gets the basics right and bundles the strengths of the popular City sedan – supreme seat comfort, a responsive engine and good ride and handling – with the practicality of an SUV – a commanding driving position and high ground clearance. Compared to other SUVs in the class, it does miss out on some features, but at Rs 11 lakh-16 lakh, it undercuts all rivals, so it is pocket friendly too.

In summary, it is a practical midsize SUV, and for most buyers, the reliability and peace of mind associated with the Honda badge are reasons enough to gravitate towards the Elevate.