[kattackakamjino]

Introduction

I was eagerly anticipating the launch of the Honda Elevate and had been closely following the updates from the company. My excitement led me to Dakshin Honda Singasandra in Bangalore for the official launch. However, my enthusiasm soon turned to frustration when my requests for a test drive went unanswered despite Honda already beginning deliveries. Finally, after persistent calls, I managed to secure a test drive last week, trying out the ZX CVT model.

Comfort and Seating

One of the first things I noticed during the test drive was the discomfort of the driver's seat. As a 6-foot-tall individual, the lack of thigh support made it uncomfortable to sit for an extended period. This is a crucial aspect for tall drivers, and the Elevate seemed to fall short in this regard.

Cabin Noise and Premium Feel

The cabin of the Honda Elevate didn't meet my expectations when it came to a premium feel. When you rev the engine, there's an irritating sound that permeates the cabin, detracting from the overall driving experience. It's essential for a premium vehicle to provide a quiet and refined cabin environment, and this is an area where the Elevate fell short.

Audio Quality

Another letdown during the test drive was the audio quality. The music system in the Elevate was below average, which was disappointing, especially for those who appreciate a good in-car audio experience.

Performance and Ride Quality

While there were various disappointments during the test drive, the Honda Elevate did have some strengths. The suspension seemed to be a strong point, as it handled road imperfections well, resulting in a smooth and comfortable ride. However, when it came to acceleration, the Elevate didn't shine, leaving much to be desired in terms of performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my experience with the Honda Elevate ZX CVT model was a mixed one. While it excelled in certain aspects like ride quality and suspension, it fell short in terms of driver comfort, cabin noise, audio quality, and performance. This review underscores the importance of conducting thorough test drives and considering individual preferences when making a car purchase. If the Elevate's drawbacks align with your priorities, it might be worth exploring other options to find a vehicle that better suits your needs and expectations.

[SKT210]

On 18th Oct, I conducted PDI on our Red ZX CVT Elevate and took help from a modified checklist that I found on XUV300 thread (Due credits to the creator). I was pretty satisfied with the allotted car and was offered a delivery on the same day. It being a good day (muhurat-wise) and upon my parents insistance, we took delivery of it. I will post the whole car buying experience soon.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by SKT210

The nearest is 67Kms/90 mins away and next to nearest is 100Km/150 mins away. This is one of the biggest reasons not many in my city even consider Honda cars, they should improve upon this. Even so, Jharkhand has only 3 Honda dealers while Maruti Suzuki has 37 dealers and Hyundai has 16 dealers.

Note that both those non Honda brands have a larger model portfolio and sell a lot more cars. In Honda's books, it won't justify to have more dealers if there are not enough sales. Its a hard to take up dealership too if the brand does not have too many models under its belt.

If you have a good relationship with the dealer, you should ask them if they are willing to extend the warranty support as long as the car is serviced in time, at a third party dealer. Give them business for parts and consumables and get the car serviced at a reputed FNG. At the end of the day, the only time you need to take the car in is if there is a warranty claim. Else I don't see the point of why the car needs to go back only to Honda Authorized outlets. Honda's remain as fairly simple cars mechanically.

[amitabhr]

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

Respectfully disagree to some extent. Yes, the paddle shifters do work, but the overall procedure is not something that is "effortless". You do have to anticipate, calculate (especially 2 lane road) and then undertake the maneuver. With a full load, that is even more necessary. Done this many times in my (ex) City CVT. Suffice to say, MT is a better performance option with the Honda 1.5 engine any day, CVT is comfort oriented. But the biggest problem with the City on the highways, in its stock configuration, are the stilletto like tyres.

No it'll be Effortless once you get in sync with it in a few months. The paddle shifters will never be used. Ever. It'll shift whenever you think you should touch the paddles!

Not just Effortless but actually way better than manual 90% of the time. I have just gone from city auto to creta manual and now its evident quite a few things were because of that auto box and not umm.. my increasingly brilliant driving skills !

[RenuKumar]

For features, the Korean manufacturers are on the top spot. But for CHARACTER, nothing can beat the Japanese

[Chinni]

An easy and cheap extended jugad arm rest for left elbow support for the driver in Elevate. Rs 150 cotton pillow placed over the arm rest extended forwards as much as needed provides super comfort while driving or in parking. No pain in left shoulder, upper arm and left elbow which is usually hanging without support causing pain. Sweet idea by my sweet wife. Will be providing a decent cover for the pillow though.

[pannags]

Originally Posted by Chinni

An easy and cheap extended jugad arm rest for left elbow support for the driver in Elevate.

Nice workaround for not having a sliding armrest!

What is also needed is something to improve thigh support. The ventilated seats help to an extent, but they take away the comfort the seats otherwise provide!

[TribalRoar]

Been scouring and researching for a few years to replace my 2015 grand i10 with a versatile 'all rounder' SUV to suit my needs in the hilly and narrow terrains of my location. Zeroed in and chose the Elevate after gleaning a lot of input from fellow BHPians here. I decided on getting a NA engine which suited my needs the best.

Tested, Considered and skipped these options:

Grand Vitara - Flimsy build, poor rear headroom, only 5 speed manual.

Seltos - Lower variants not appealing, terrible approach angle.

Creta - Not palatable. In my subjective opinion, one of the ugliest cars ever.

Astor - No service network in my state.

So I finally got my Honda Elevate VX MT delivered to me on the first week of October and I have been driving it sporadically for about 3 weeks.

I have done some 500 kms and my experience has been a mixture of hits and misses. Here are some observations.

1. Overall the engine is a joy to drive. I am a sedate driver and the power and torque seems to be distributed very well across all the speeds of the gearbox. Love the fact that I can amble along pebble infested roads on third gear. I felt the delivery of power on take-off at first gear is a bit slow but beyond that there is nothing to complain about considering that it is a NA engine. Cruising between 60 to 100 kmph speeds on the highway with the foot half pressed on the gas pedal is its finest experience. At the same time its also quite nimble in stop-start traffic where the tight turning radius helps. Honda has largely achieved the aim of their moniker 'urban freestyler' with the car.

2. The build quality and the overall construction of the vehicle is summed up by the word 'average'. The car does not feel like a unified and distinct enterprise but rather like a cobbling together of both ideas and materials. Cost cutting is apparent in many areas. One look at my friends BRV and it is clear that this car is half a notch below those standards. Its not bad mind you, but not a continuation of the quality honda is known for.

3. Coming to the noise of the vehicle, insulation is not the best. The noise of the engine and the roads seep in considerably though not at discomforting levels. The noise of the engine itself is not pleasant, at high revs it sounds labored but not annoyingly so. Another BHPian complained about a 'buzzing' sound from the engine and I can confirm that it is present and audible on moderate acceleration on silent highways. It sounds as if the engine noise is emanating from 2 separate areas. The 'buzzing' coming from the left side. My suspicion is that it may be due to the abundant plastic underbody cladding on the vehicle which is creating the strange acoustics.

4. I am pleased to report that the ride and handling feels great. The ground clearance is delicious for the roads in my state and the car tackles all reasonable terrains with ease. Body-roll is also very well contained to make the ride experience very good. The gear box is very smooth but I found the gearbox of my cousins hyundai creta just a tad slicker. The Elevate gearbox operates on the traditional back slot for the reverse gear instead of the current trend of the switch reverse in most cars. It takes a bit of time navigating and getting used to placement of the slots.

5. The vehicle definitely gives you a mass market vibe. The attention to detail is poor overall. For example the rubber beading of the doors has been installed partially on the doors and partially on the frame of the entrance and the beading ends looks like someone has cut it with a knife in a hurry. The lack of a sunglass holder is grating while the quality of the front grill plastic is bordering on a joke. I have also noticed that the windshield has been bonded on the front frame without any kind of plastic or rubber beading making it look like you could lift it off at any time. (Pictures below). Also something I noticed is that the hatch door closes with a really unconvincing clank that leaves you wondering whether it has caught the lock.

6. The high belt line of the car generates a snug effect but compromises the feeling of airiness in the cabin. Add the rain visors and the windows become noticeably narrow (Pictures below). I think the ZX variant with its darker leather interiors may make the cabin claustrophobic. Space and seating comfort did not bother me too much. It seemed fine to me.

7. Another thing that's been a nasty surprise for me is the proprietary wireless charging pad. I don't know whether Honda calibrated it to any wireless charging standards but it overheats my phone within half an hour. My phone shut off due to overheating during my first charge going from 24% to 37%. I picked it up and it was a hot potato. Of all the gripes I have, this has annoyed me the most. I don't like wires dangling in the cabin so the wireless charger was something I wanted to have. I charged it two or three times subsequently and it cooked my phone every time. My battery health has gone down from 87% to 83% in this brief period (Pictures below). If I am not missing anything, it means the wireless charger is pretty much useless now unless I want to destroy my phone battery by frying it. Fellow BHPians may please enlighten me if this is the case with the proprietary wireless chargers of other car brands.

8. Audio quality is not very good. The head unit is simple and the interface is quite pleasant to use. I like the semi-digital instrument cluster but the mileage statistics seems unreliable displaying some unreal numbers. The plastics in the car seem okay. The door thud seems solid even if it feels a little 'puffy' compared to its competitors. Its certainly better than the marutis.

9. Fuel efficiency is not horrible but I do wish it was better.

On the whole, despite the undeniable shortcomings, I am quite happy with the car. A lot of things could have been better but it fulfils the fundamentals efficiently if not spectacularly. It covers so many bases for the normal car buyer which is its strength. Hope Honda finds success with this.

(P.S. I don't think you can find much that is 'premium' in this car however high you raise the trim. Its strength lies in its fundamentals, so for any prospective buyer I would recommend checking out the base SV trim. Without the sunroof, it has tangibly better rear headroom. You wont lose much and the price at which the SV trim is being offered right now is a killer deal in my humble opinion.)

[BhayanaV]

Originally Posted by TribalRoar

5. The vehicle definitely gives you a mass market vibe. The attention to detail is poor overall. For example the rubber beading of the doors has been installed partially on the doors and partially on the frame of the entrance and the beading ends looks like someone has cut it with a knife in a hurry. The lack of a sunglass holder is grating while the quality of the front grill plastic is bordering on a joke. I have also noticed that the windshield has been bonded on the front frame without any kind of plastic or rubber beading making it look like you could lift it off at any time. (Pictures below). Also something I noticed is that the hatch door closes with a really unconvincing clank that leaves you wondering whether it has caught the lock.

The windshield bond and well is really poor, doesn't belong to a car in 2023.

[Ays7]

Originally Posted by TribalRoar

5. The vehicle definitely gives you a mass market vibe. The attention to detail is poor overall. For example the rubber beading of the doors has been installed partially on the doors and partially on the frame of the entrance and the beading ends looks like someone has cut it with a knife in a hurry. The lack of a sunglass holder is grating while the quality of the front grill plastic is bordering on a joke. I have also noticed that the windshield has been bonded on the front frame without any kind of plastic or rubber beading making it look like you could lift it off at any time. (Pictures below). Also something I noticed is that the hatch door closes with a really unconvincing clank that leaves you wondering whether it has caught the lock.

Congrats on your acquisition, this car is definitely VFM right now and you have made a very practical selection. However, as you say, this is one gripe now I have with almost all car manufacturers today. The fit and finishing even in 20 Lakh odd car is off in most cases. Koreans do it better than the others as far as fit and finish is concerned, but cutting corners and cost cutting is evident even in their vehicles. The premiumness you earlier associated with a 20 Lakh or even a 30 Lakh purchase is now gone. I do not mind cost cutting, that is a given, but atleast do not make it so blatant that it is visible that it is visible or it affects the fit and finish of the car. I guess premiumness is moving to vehicles higher up the cost chain. I mean, I loved the Polo and Vento or rapid, but cost cutting in VW2 products has affected their fit and finish as well. As a consumer, this does put me off.

[satvik4134]

I don't understand who much does a person needs to spend in current scenario for feeling satisfied with the purchase. It's either we are expecting too much or it's that the whole market has turned into seller's market.

Even when I have spent Ra 15.5 lakhs on 1st gen taigun, i don't feel happy. While on some fronts, Taigun is best but it's NVH levels are so poor. The cabin makes all sorts of noises. If I go to Korean twins, it is nothing but features.

If we go all out on Harrier, it feels that we got the best product but then, VFM has to be tossed out. At that price point, mind gets attracted towards the higher class of vehicle.

It is all so confusing. Or it is a problem of every enthusiast?

[TheRealityLemon]

Congratulations on your new car and thanks for your detailed and non biased observations. We tend to prise the car and the brand surprising from the moment we buy them. But your review sounds like coming from a neutral ground which is refreshing to see.

On the mileage front, one of the ODO pic was the average is 23.6 km/l, I would be really happy if that is the case. But you mentioned that you are just ok with the mileage. What am I missing?

[TribalRoar]

Originally Posted by BhayanaV

The windshield bond and well is really poor, doesn't belong to a car in 2023.

I agree. Was pretty shocked when I saw it myself.

Originally Posted by Ays7

However, as you say, this is one gripe now I have with almost all car manufacturers today. The fit and finishing even in 20 Lakh odd car is off in most cases. Koreans do it better than the others as far as fit and finish is concerned, but cutting corners and cost cutting is evident even in their vehicles. The premiumness you earlier associated with a 20 Lakh or even a 30 Lakh purchase is now gone. I do not mind cost cutting, that is a given, but atleast do not make it so blatant that it is visible that it is visible or it affects the fit and finish of the car. I guess premiumness is moving to vehicles higher up the cost chain. As a consumer, this does put me off.

I totally concur with your view. It’s increasingly a sellers market we live in today. Unless it’s the luxury brands, almost all the other players in the mass market are now in the game of numbers I feel. And in a country like ours, numbers matter over almost everything else. They have enough footfalls in their showrooms to consider customers as ‘expendable’.

This I feel is one of the main reasons for the dip in the quality control of the car brands. Like you say, atleast they used to care in the past as to how their products were perceived even if they failed. With the demand as it is today, us buyers don’t have the leverage like we used to unfortunately.

Regarding the Koreans, I think they are just the best at polishing their products and presenting what they offer. I do like them. Yet I remember inspecting my friend’s brand new venue a couple of years ago and coming away thinking that my 2015 grand i10 felt distinctively sturdier.

Anyhow, let’s hope the market changes for the better going forward.

Originally Posted by TheRealityLemon

On the mileage front, one of the ODO pic was the average is 23.6 km/l, I would be really happy if that is the case. But you mentioned that you are just ok with the mileage. What am I missing?

I mentioned in my post raising doubts about the reliability of the readings on the ODO. It was showing that number after I randomly set a trip and just made a run of around 40 kms. I felt it was too far-fetched.

But post 500 kms it seems to have normalised a bit. Currently I’m in the middle of a trip of mostly highway driving and it is showing more realistic numbers of 15.5 - 16.5 kmph.

Maybe the system was calibrating and getting up to speed with real life usage. I remember it showing averages of 26 kmph earlier in some short trip meter runs.

[ADC_99]

Originally Posted by outdoorlover

Loads of assumptions loaded here in your statement, my friend. Entirely true if we were in the 1960-70s, but not in today's age and time.

Apologies dear friend, but I could not make a head or tail about your opinion regarding 60-70s. All i meant was that a Ford/VW's driving behavior/stability/ cornering is unmatched even today. After driving Fiesta for more than 1.5L kms I was unable to find a better sedan under 20L bracket. I drive a 4th gen Honda City currently but it always feels like a compromise when it comes to drivability though I find it superior in terms of iVtec's engine response, light steering and some gizmos.

[TorqueIndia]

Originally Posted by TribalRoar

But post 500 kms it seems to have normalised a bit. Currently I’m in the middle of a trip of mostly highway driving and it is showing more realistic numbers of 15.5 - 16.5 kmph.

Maybe the system was calibrating and getting up to speed with real life usage. I remember it showing averages of 26 kmph earlier in some short trip meter runs.

It's the instantaneous read out right ? It's wild often, but your tank range estimation looks accurate around 500km for its 40L tank~ 13kmpl in that pic. Give us more tank- tank fillup stats along with driving style details.