
Honda has announced that the new Elevate crossover is coming to South Africa, and it’s launching very soon.
The company confirmed to cars.co.za that the car is scheduled to arrive here towards the end of February 2024 which is only one short month from now.
What to expect
The Elevate is built in India and uses the same platform as the Ballade sedan, though it naturally has different proportions on account of its SUV body type, which you can see in the breakdown below:
Dimension | Honda Elevate | Honda Ballade |
---|---|---|
Length | 4,312mm | 4,568mm |
Width | 1,790mm | 1,748mm |
Height | 1,650mm | 1,467mm |
Wheelbase | 2,650mm | 2,600mm |
Ground clearance | 220mm | 137mm |
Unsurprisingly, the crossover is larger when measured vertically, while the sedan has a longer horizontal profile.
The Elevate also has better ground clearance and a slightly longer wheelbase – both of which suggest it’ll be much better off the tarmac.
The company has not yet announced the pricing for the new vehicle, but publications like AutoCar India list models like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Suzuki Grand Vitara, and Toyota Urban Cruiser as its main rivals.
This lines up with the idea that the Elevate will cost similar to the Ballade, if not slightly higher, putting its speculative price tag somewhere in the R350,000-and-over bracket.
This puts it ahead of the carmaker’s entry-level crossover – the WR-V – and below other options like the BR-V and HR-V, though we will find out soon where Honda has ultimately decided to place the newcomer in its local roster.
In India, the front-wheel-drive Elevate uses the same 1.5-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol engine as the Ballade giving it a total of 89kW and 145Nm.
The South African Ballade is exclusively sold with a CVT transmission, though the Indian crossover is also available with a six-speed manual gearbox, so it will be interesting to see whether the automaker’s domestic arm decides to bring the manual option here as well.
The local spec sheet is also yet to be confirmed, but looking overseas shows the Honda is equipped with items like a 7.0-inch digital driver display, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, a wireless charger, a reverse camera, cruise control, hill assist, and a two-tone interior.
More information regarding the new Honda Elevate, including its South Africa pricing, equipment, and powertrain details will be announced closer to its launch date in February.