[captain.torque]

It was the summer of 2005 and high school had just got over. One fine evening, I was chatting with a dear friend from the other gender when out of the blue, she told me about a former classmate proposing to her.
She was somewhat reluctant to start dating but since I knew the lad well, she sought my advice to help her decide. Without much consideration, I gave her the green light, and she said that she would sleep over it.

That night, as I settled into my bed, shut-eye eluded me. There was an odd feeling, but I couldn't pinpoint what it was. Hours passed, and eventually, as the sun started to peek over the horizon, it hit me – I was in love…I had fallen for a girl whom I never considered more than a friend till that point in my life. And now, the thought of “losing” her to some other guy was gnawing at me.

I chose the term “losing” because our bond was so strong that we would spent hours chatting on the phone nearly every other night. And no boyfriend in the world would like that.

So, Did I reveal my feelings to her? Did we end up together? And what in the world has this got to do with buying a Honda Elevate?

Keep reading

Fast forward to 2024, I was in the market for a compact SUV with a budget of around Rs 18 lakh on the road and just three conditions:

1. A naturally aspirated (one thing less that can go wrong) petrol engine (Delhi resident)
2. Manual gearbox (I am old school)
3. Japanese or Korean (low maintenance = peace of mind)

The only contenders were -- Grand Vitara (Alpha), Creta (SX), and Seltos (HTX) – in that order of preference.

I must mention here that while the Skoda Kushaq and VW Taigun manual variants are a safe bet as compared to their DSG variants, the duo was dropped because of the limited cabin space and the overall smaller dimensions (no offence to anyone).

The Elevate was not even in contention at the beginning because, in today’s day and age, social media plays a crucial role in our buying patterns. And whenever I opened YouTube and Instagram, my feed was full of videos of the Grand Vitara, Creta, and Seltos getting either delivered or modified.

The videos titled “base to top” in particular caught my attention as despite having a budget of Rs 18 lakh, I could get a base Vitara modified with 80 percent of the Alpha variant features and still save a whopping Rs 3 to 3.5 lakh.

Hours and hours of research on YouTube and Instagram only left me confused with no clear winner. The million-dollar question was whether I should go for the Korean cousins’ superior interiors and features or Suzuki’s reliability and better mileage.

Checking out the Vitara and the Korean cousins in person:

Grand Vitara: This was the one that really left me disappointed although it was on the top of my list. The Vitara just felt like a slightly bigger Brezza that I got in 2016. It did not really feel like an upgrade.
Moreover, I am 6 feet tall and after setting the driver’s seat to my driving position, there was hardly any space left at the back. This was exactly the problem with my Brezza -- lack of rear leg space. This was a major deal breaker and I decided to drop the car right then and there.

Creta: The showroom wasn’t offering walk-in test drives as per a “new policy”. A potential customer is taking out time to visit a showroom but he should share his phone number and e-mail ID so that the car can be sent to his house for a test drive. Makes no sense to me.
Anyway, I checked out the car and quite liked it. The only failing -- the ice grey interiors with fabric seats which in some way felt cheap and with a 5-year-old at home would be tough to keep clean.

Seltos: Similar to the Creta, I liked this one too but in addition to the white interiors, the HTX variant had metal grey, non-diamond cut alloy wheels which looked hideous.
My neighbour has a Seltos HTX and two kids and I’ve seen his struggles to keep the car interiors clean. I can live without ventilated seats but not soiled seats which need dry cleaning every few months. Enough said.

To summarise, the Grand Vitara was ruled out while the Creta and Seltos didn’t really tug at my heartstrings. Still, the Creta had moved to the top of the list by default.

Meanwhile, the infamous Google algorithm got active and videos of the Elevate started popping in my suggestions on my social media accounts. Although I had seen a few Elevates on the road, the sublime design language didn’t excite me. It just didn’t look like a brand-new launch.
Having said that, the silver lining for the Elevate was its trusted engine and gearbox combo. And this opinion is based on my ownership experience of a 2009 Honda City that was with me till 2021. Thanks to the City, the brand Honda continues to hold a special place in my heart.

After watching at least, a dozen review videos of the car, I started appreciating the Elevate for I was familiar with the 1.5 i-VTEC and the design with its clean lines like that of a German started to grow on me. The interior colour combination, cabin space, boot space, and ground clearance further tilted me towards the machine from the land of the rising sun.

I think journalist Kartikeya Singhee, in one of his YouTube videos, best described the Elevate – “It’s a German SUV made by a Japanese company”. I couldn't agree more.

As I dwelled deeper into the technical specs and the offered features at the given price point – around Rs 17 lakh on the road for the ZX manual variant – I realised it was the perfect car for me.

The love for Honda, dwelling in a corner of my heart unbeknownst to me, was rekindled. And just like that, I fell for the Elevate and it was 2005 all over again.

The Elevate was like that girl from high school whom I was in love with but did not know. Back then, it took me a phone call to acknowledge my feelings, but in the case of the Elevate, the realisation happened gradually, over a few weeks. History repeated itself 19 years later.

The sole distinction between the two tales -- the girl NEVER said “Yes” and the Elevate COULDN’T say “No”.

My Honda Elevate ZX Manual in Platinum Pearl White colour

Booking Process:

I zeroed in on three dealerships in the city with the best Google reviews -- Ring Road Honda in Connaught Place, Courtesy Honda in Wazirpur, and Cherish Honda on Outer Ring Road. Although I had planned to purchase the car in June after getting my finances in order, the hunt for the best deal began as early as March.

The first visit was to Courtesy Honda. Saw the car in the flesh for the first time in the 'Phoenix Orange' shade with all the Honda official accessories -- none of which I was besotted with except the illuminated door sill guards.



A quick test drive of the Elevate CVT -- no manual available -- and I was convinced that I was on the right path. At the risk of playing the devil's advocate, I quite liked the sound of that i-Vtec filtering in the cabin -- it brought back so many memories.

A week later, I landed at Cherish Honda and this time got my hands on a manual. Believe me when I say, the manual Elevate was a hoot to drive as compared to the CVT.

The excitement, however, was short-lived as all the dealers suggested that I contact them at the end of the first week of June as they could not guarantee any discounts three months in advance.

Several videos on deliveries, long-term ownership, and accessorising of Elevates on YouTube later, June arrived.

Now I must mention here that both Courtesy and Cherish Honda outlets were quite far from where I put up while Ring Road Honda is the closest -- just 20 minutes. Also, it was the same outlet from where I got my City in 2009. Yet, for some reason, I did not visit them even once despite taking quotes on WhatsApp.

So, on the first day of the month, I landed at Ring Road Honda and after half an hour of negotiations got a good deal. I wanted to take a test drive again but there was no manual available. They offered a test drive at my home the next day but my wife and five-year-old daughter wanted to visit the showroom to relish the "new car-buying" experience.

The very next day on June 2, despite no let-up in the blistering heat, the three of us reached the Honda showroom. As luck would have it, the manual Elevate was in the 'Platinum Pearl White' shade. My wife and I both took turns driving the car and to put it mildly, she was floored.
The munchkin meanwhile loved the acres of space at the back seat and of course -- the sunroof!

It's pertinent to mention here that I showed walkaround videos of the Creta, Seltos, and Grand Vitara to my daughter and despite the panoramic sunroof on offer on all three cars, she chose the Elevate, insisting that it was the prettiest. The obsession was such that even the mention of getting any other car would leave her on the verge of tears.
Once back at the showroom, immediately got the paperwork started. After fifteen minutes and poorer by Rs 21,000, the booking was done with June 16 being decided as the delivery date.

I can describe my overall experience with Ring Road Honda in just two words --- thoroughly great!

Right from day one when I first visited them to D-Day when I got the car, they made every effort to act in a friendly and calm manner and not come across as someone desperate to make a sale -- the latter being the case with some other dealership that I wouldn't like to name.

For starters, they gave me the best deal (of all three dealerships), matched the insurance quote I was getting from outside without any drama, kept me updated at all times, and had no qualms with a third-party PDI (although I did it myself).

Also, they never pushed for any accessory, coating, or insurance add-ons. Basically, If I said no to something just once, that was it. They didn't try to convince me to shell out some extra bucks from my pocket and this is a trait I truly appreciate whenever I go shopping.

The Pre-Delivery Inspection:



The car landed at the showroom on the morning of June 14. Armed with a Team-BHP checklist, I reached the showroom in the afternoon. It took me around an hour and a half to complete the PDI. The buttons clicked, the headlights dipped and the throttle blipped without any trouble. To put it simply, everything looked good.

Shot a video of the car and also took some pictures, including that of the plate with the VIN and engine numbers, gave the thumbs up to the sales adviser, and out I went with the promise of returning two days later.

Jab We Met for the first time!



D-Day:



The delivery experience was smooth and the entire process was over in around an hour. The only grouse -- there was no cake-cutting ceremony which my daughter was looking forward to. When asked, the SA profusely apologised and told me that a cake is arranged only if a customer asks for it.
Well, I was in no mood to let a cake or lack thereof spoil the moment so I took my daughter to the McDonalds outlet next door and all it took was a happy meal to turn the frown upside down.

The munchkin's excitement knew no bounds. She was the first to hop in and check out the new car.



After taking delivery, bought sweets on the way back home and went straight to the local temple for the puja ceremony and then to my in-law's place. This is when I got to stretch the car's legs for the first time as I drove on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

Checked the adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist and everything worked perfectly and the car felt futuristic. I was truly happy with my new ride especially because it was a Honda.


My City and Elevate clicked at the same spot 19 years apart:





Accessory from the dealer:

Illuminated door sill guards: I’ve always had a thing for illuminated sill guards as I find them classy and useful at night. This is the only accessory that I purchased from the dealer.



Accessories from Amazon:

1. Backseat headrest grab handles: I had similar handles in my Brezza and these are extremely useful for elderly passengers.



2. Tissue paper holder on the visor: Again, had one in my Brezza but got an updated read more expensive version for the Elevate. The earlier design had elastic bands that had to be unclipped if the co-passenger wanted to use the vanity mirror on the sunshade. This doesn’t. Also got a Baseus sunglasses holder clip fixed on the driver-side visor.



3. Utility bag for knick-knacks in the boot: I keep my umbrella, tyre shiner, windshield washer fluid, electronic tyre inflator, wax and polish, basic tool kit, and some carry bags in this.



4. Qubo dual channel dash cam: Got the hardwire installation done from an accessory shop.




Aftermarket accessories installed:

1. Hydro dipping of interior panels: I found the matte appearance of some of the interior panels very basic. Inspired by the glossy interiors of the Grand Vitara Alpha variant, got the same treatment done on the Elevate.




2. GFX car mats:



3. Window visors and mud flaps



4. Original Hyundai/Kia horn: Purchased from an authorised Hyundai spare parts dealer as the meek horns from Honda commanded no respect from the auto/e-rickshaw wallahs of Delhi.

5. Sub-woofer and amplifier: These were from my Brezza and I just had to get the wiring done.

6. Suzuki bonnet garnish (for the new Brezza): This was a perfect fit on the Elevate as you can see in the pic as if it was made for the Elevate and not the Brezza. It does add some character to the car.




7. Treel TPMS: Got the internal sensors installed from a local tyre dealer which was followed by wheel balancing and alignment.

My thoughts on the car after more than a month of ownership:

* Interior space -- The first time my mum sat in the Elevate she could not stop praising the space inside. In her words, the Elevate gave her a "badi gaadi wali feeling" (big car feeling) which was missing in the Brezza despite both cars having the same width.

* Interior look and feel -- While the space wowed my mum, the tan leather, faux wood combo left my better half spellbound. To quote her, she got a "BMW vibe" from the interiors. To summarise, both the women in the household gave two thumbs up to the car. What more could I ask for.

* Headlights -- The throw of the headlights coupled with the foglamps at night is simply superb. I was thinking of getting projector foglamps before buying the car but that idea has since been dropped.

* That NA i-Vtec engine -- The Elevate has received criticism for its engine noise filtering into the cabin. Personally, I find that sound to be music to my ears. It's like a time machine that transports me back to 2009 to the carefree days of my final year in college - pure nostalgia!

I don't know if this is a like or a dislike so let me put it in between the two
The front seat footwell slopes upward almost 70 degrees which is a boon for shorter people like my wife and mum as it acts like an under-desk footrest. However, taller folks like myself with a shoe size of UK 11 will find it uncomfortable as there is no room to stretch your legs. Thankfully, this issue is not there on the driver-side footwell otherwise I might have dropped the idea of getting the Elevate.

Dislikes:

* No adjustable armrest -- This is a big let-down as my Brezza had it and is an extremely useful feature, especially for taller folks like me.

* No sunglasses holder -- A car this big and expensive and Honda doesn't care to give a sunglass holder. Every other car (top model) in the segment has it.

* Lack of storage spaces -- Again my Brezza had twin gloveboxes, a passenger under-seat storage tray, slightly bigger and better-designed door bottle holders, and pockets -- all of which I miss in the Elevate.

* Seats -- A lot has been said about the lack of under-thigh support on offer in the Elevate. Personally, I found the seats comfortable but the Brezza's were a tad bit better.

* No TPMS -- Unlike many, I feel the Elevate is decently well-kitted and a VFM package. However, TPMS is a safety feature that is much needed in a family car.

Some interesting tidbits:

* The design of the alloy wheels on my previous ride -- Brezza -- was "inspired" by the Mercedes E Class (2014) while those on the Elevate are an ode to the Mercedes GLS (2016). Have a dekko:





Even the MG Gloster sports similarly designed alloy wheels.

* Back in 2016 when I bought my Brezza Zdi+, it was supposed to replace my Swift Vdi (2010). While the Brezza was an upgrade from the Swift, both cars had the same DDiS "national engine" under the hood. Similarly, the Elevate has the same engine - albeit with minor alterations - as my 2009 Honda City. The body kept changing, but the soul remained the same!

* Both the Honda Elevate and my City were purchased in Lok Sabha election years -- 2009 and 2024 -- and on both occasions the Congress sprang a surprise. In 2009, the party was facing anti-incumbency yet it managed to retain power and what happened in the recently concluded elections is there for everyone to see. P.S. I am an apolitical individual.

The ADAS, especially the CMBS, will improve your driving style. Simply put, drive sanely on narrow streets and roads with heavy traffic and it won't bother you.

Having said that, in the close to two months of driving the car, it did get triggered on at least 3 occasions when I had the situation under control but the ADAS thought otherwise. And I must mention here that when it did get activated, there was a beep with an amber flash in the central console and a slight application of the brakes to warn me. The car did NOT come to a complete halt as is being claimed/feared by some.

Some parting shots:

A befitting song for the Elevate!



Rear profile:



The front looks absolutely menacing from this angle:



Somewhere between City's 'Arrow Shot Form' to the segment-leading 220mm of ground clearance of the Elevate, we grew up!

[sharmanova]

A Review straight from the heart!
Congratulations on this beauty, I love the colour of the car especially!
Wishing you a fuss-free ownership experience @captaintorque.

OT: BTW did you confess your love to your childhood friend

[voldemort]

Excellent review. I'm kind of looking at buying an automatic car to replace my diesel manual City for city runabouts, and Elevate is my preferred choice. It seems like a straightforward reliable all-rounder.

Reassuring to know that ADAS isn't too intrusive.

Can you tell me how's the headlights at night during the rains? I read elsewhere — in the Verna review I think — that white LEDs are terrible at night during the rains.

Originally Posted by captain.torque

My City and Elevate clicked at the same spot 19 years apart:

I think you have the dates mixed up a little bit; the generation of City you had was launched in 2008 or 2009, at most 16 years ago. 19 years ago was when you had your thing with your crush!

[myavu]

Excellent Review

I am back from Kerala after driving our ZX MT there through all sorts of terrain and incessant rains.

Boy, oh boy! This one is a true-blue enthusiast's delight. It's not as feature-rich as, e.g. Cretas or Seltos. But the mechanical side is brilliant. Floor it to believe it.

I wish you thousands of elevated miles ahead.

Originally Posted by voldemort

Can you tell me how's the headlights at night during the rains?

I can answer this. One of the best in the segment.

Cheers!

[captain.torque]

Originally Posted by sharmanova

OT: BTW did you confess your love to your childhood friend

Of course, I did... But was friend-zoned back when the term did not even exist

Originally Posted by voldemort

I'm kind of looking at buying an automatic car to replace my diesel manual City for city runabouts, and Elevate is my preferred choice. It seems like a straightforward reliable all-rounder.

Can you tell me how's the headlights at night during the rains? I read elsewhere — in the Verna review I think — that white LEDs are terrible at night during the rains.

Go for it, mate. It's the perfect city car. The throw and spread of the headlights and the fog lamps are spot on under normal conditions. However, I haven't had the opportunity to test them at night during rain.

Originally Posted by voldemort

I think you have the dates mixed up a little bit; the generation of City you had was launched in 2008 or 2009, at most 16 years ago. 19 years ago was when you had your thing with your crush!

My bad! It should be 15 and not 19 years.

[GauRanVid]

Excellent review and Congratulations on your new buy.

I am also in the market to buy a new car and Honda Elevate is one of the option. Can you tell me how is the rear seat seat comfort for 3 passengers, especially the middle passenger? Will the passenger experience any discomfort because of hump in seat and also on the floor?

[lightfootdriver]

Lovely writeup, captain!
P.S. I skimmed through most of the car part to find out what happened with your girl. :')

[s2K_scorpioN]

Really love the same spot shot 19 years later, haha!

Also, did the image of the Honda K-Series engine (I think that's what it is) come by default in your infotainment screen or did you set it that way? That what I would call "tugging at the heart-strings" :P.

[SithDefender]

Originally Posted by captain.torque

Attachment 2635734
2. Tissue paper holder on the visor: Again, had one in my Brezza but got an updated read more expensive version for the Elevate. The earlier design had elastic bands that had to be unclipped if the co-passenger wanted to use the vanity mirror on the sunshade. This doesn’t. Also got a Baseus sunglasses holder clip fixed on the driver-side visor.

Well written review that read more like a novel. Sir, you are a romantic at heart!

I was also eager to get to the part where the hero gets the girl, but alas it's not all fairytale endings in real life !

By the way, that tissue paper holder is somewhat unconventional. Is it not neater to keep it in the glove box instead ? Can't believe Honda doesn't offer a sunglass holder !

With your Mom, wife and munchkin all happy with the purchase, it sounds truly like a family decision. Wishing you many more miles of happiness ahead!

[VikramAditya]

Congratulations on the new car!

Honda Elevate is my fav anytime I see it on the road as it looks just old-school bossy. Honda could have helped us by giving us at least a bigger engine to suit the drive or maybe a rear wheel drive version as it is priced so and with the competitors like Mahindra Scorpio N which are giving rear-wheel drive versions in the 4x2 variant. If Honda would have given 1.8 with a rear wheel drive it would have been the second best choice then Skoda Kushaq or Volkswagen Taigun.

[CSA]

Congratulations to you. Honda Elevate is a good all round vehicle at affordable price.
The 1500 cc petrol engine is so good even after BS6 emission norms. Engine is still rev happy as you expect from a Honda engine.

Hyundai N/A petrol engine cannot compete with Honda N/A engine in revs and high end power and torque.

[varunswnt]

Originally Posted by VikramAditya

If Honda would have given 1.8 with a rear wheel drive

Across Honda's entire global portfolio, only S660 is RWD car and is sold only in Japan as Kei car. Honda legends like Civic, Accord, CR-V, Pilot, Odyssey are all FWD. So there is no way we would ever be getting RWD Elevate.

Even the very recently showcased Prelude sportscar concept will be based on Civic platform thereby making it clear that it will turn out to be another FWD vehicle in Honda portfolio.

Everyone wishes though, but Honda being Honda just ignores them all.

I think I have digressed far from topic but could not control the urge to comment on RWD Honda.

[jerk_free]

Originally Posted by GauRanVid

Can you tell me how is the rear seat seat comfort for 3 passengers, especially the middle passenger? Will the passenger experience any discomfort because of hump in seat and also on the floor?

Elevate backseat space for 3 people is just okay. Leg room is good and the hump is kind of minimal. It is not a dealbreaker.

I would however suggest you to actually get the 3 people who are likely to sit in the back seat to a car showroom and test. The Elevate is perfectly fine for small to medium built people.

If you want better space, go for City or other sedans. None of the CSUVs are good in back seat space.

[Vikash Kumawat]

What an interesting write up sir, I couldn't even miss a single word, I was totally glued to the thread. Putting a short paragraph of love story in the starting helped some of readers stick to the thread ( including me ). I thought you confessed to her and finally got married and now buying the Elevate together
By the way Elevate is a no nonsense car, front of the Elevate looks best in the segment, would love to read long term ownership review from you. Good luck

[deetee]

Congratulations! Elevate looks nice and bold in white!!
Did you find the Leds adequate at nights , esp when vehicles come in the same lane?