Would the Elevate be a good upgrade from my 2012 Honda Jazz

I am also going to evaluate other cars like the new Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and MG Astor.

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On the Ugadi holiday, I decided to visit Dakshin Honda to check out the Elevate with my family. Having been a happy owner of 2012 Jazz, my comparison will be from that perspective.

My usage is primarily in Bangalore traffic. The increasing depths of potholes, the height of bumpers, and maddening traffic are forcing me to move to a vehicle with auto transmission and higher GC. But otherwise, I feel my Jazz will keep serving me well for the next decade as well. I have listed areas where I felt the Elevate is/is not better than my 12-year-old Jazz:

• Engine and Transmission: This is straightforward, the 1.5 CVT in Elevate > 1.2 Manual in Jazz especially for Bangalore traffic.
• Ground Clearance: This is one place where Elevate trumps Jazz easily.
• Exterior: While the Elevate looks butch and a proper SUV, I would say the Jazz looks adorable as well. Since looks are subjective it won't be fair to compare them.
• Dashboard and Infotainment: Again it won't be fair to compare a 12-year-old vehicle with a recent one, but Elevate > Jazz. The Jazz is not bad, but when I sit in any of the new-gen vehicles I realize that I'm missing out on so much stuff. I liked the infotainment system in Elevate more than that of City as well. The one in the City is pre-historic.
• Internal Space: Both my wife and I felt that our Jazz was a lot more spacious than the Elevate. The window panes are comparatively so small in Elevate, that it felt like a Kwid/Alto from the inside. The backseats were also not that good. So for this Jazz > Elevate.
• Storage and Practicality: My Jazz has magic seats, end of story! Jazz >>>> Elevate.
• Driving Position: Elevate gives you a nice view of the road, but the Jazz is also equally good in providing a wide viewing angle with huge glass areas. This may be a bias of driving the car day in and day out, but I felt more comfortable in my Jazz than in the Elevate behind the steering.
• Interiors: The Elevate looks good, but I wouldn't say that it is way ahead of my Jazz. The City has a much plush feel to it when it comes to interiors and comfort compared to Elevate.

I think the Elevate is a good car at the price point that it is offered but for me, I feel it may not be a huge upgrade from current Jazz. I will evaluate the new Creta, Seltos, and Astor as well. I have ruled out the Germans as reliability is a primary aspect for me. With the Japanese twins, I'm not that happy with their interior quality, and lack of boot space in the hybrid versions.

If not for the ground clearance and Jurassic-era infotainment system, I would have picked the City (or Verna 1.5 NA) as my upgrade eyes closed.

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