Despite no less than 29% of all South African new car sales concentrated in the B-SUV segment, new models continue to make their debut. But not all compact SUVs are made equal, as some, we discovered last month, are significantly more equal than others.
Once the toast of the local motoring scene, Honda’s South African fortunes have waxed and waned for the better part of the last decade, as a handful of models worked overtime to maintain the Japanese brand’s flag flying in this country.
For years, nameplates such as the omnipresent Ballade (now named the Civic), the luxury Accord, and the highly popular Jazz (known as the Fit, today) formed the bedrock of Honda’s offering here, with the iconic and highly desirable CR-V SUV, and a flock of cheap and cheerful compact sedans and hatches bringing up the rear.
REDISCOVERING HONDA
While some Honda models have been better than others at keeping the brand top of mind with consumers enticed by evermore impressive offerings from a growing number of Chinese rivals, mid-range Hondas have not always been as successful as the brand’s Jazz, Civic, and CR-V stalwarts.
That’s all good and well in a booming economy where discretionary vehicle purchases are the order of the day, but when the heat is on, consumers want (and demand) good quality and affordable motoring from a brand they can trust.
The new Elevate, says Honda, is the car to “put Honda back in the mind of consumers” and to drive new business “with an attractive value proposition that will appeal to a broad audience”.
UP TO THE TASK?
With the responsibility to replace the spot in Honda’s line-up occupied by the WR-V compact SUV and to drive the sales volume that Honda needs, the Elevate has quite the task ahead of it, and needs to tick a few significant boxes to be taken seriously.
Firstly, design. Honda’s designs have vacillated between dashingly daring and predictable, often erring on the side of being overly cautious. The Elevate takes a bold step forward for Honda in this segment with its daring new face and high beltline. The highlight of the exterior look has to be the audacious LED headlights and taillights, which are found on both available models – Comfort and Elegance.
Price versus value. Elevate plays in a market segment dominated by the likes of the Toyota Urban Cruiser, Suzuki Grand Vitara, the Kia Seltos, and Hyundai’s Venue. While the latter two are smaller cars overall, the Urban Cruiser and its Grand Vitara relative present a serious benchmark in terms of value and price competitiveness.
Both Elevate derivatives are fitted with the same 1.5-litre DOHC I-VTEC engine producing 83 kW (at 6,600 rpm) and 145 Nm (at 4,300 rpm), with the Comfort model sending power to the front wheels via a six-speed manual, and the Elegance version doing the same through a CVT transmission. This puts the Elevate ahead of its rivals in terms of power and torque, while offering better or equal fuel consumption to most normally aspirated competitors, justifying the slight price bump. That’s quite an improvement for Honda, which has traditionally struggled with fuel consumption relative to other market contenders.
QUALITY FEEL
The Elevate was designed by Honda Thailand and is built in India for the local market. While some cars sourced from the sub-continent are less than stellar in terms of build quality, the newest Honda manages quite the opposite. Fit and finish are good for this segment, and materials found throughout the cabin are of a high standard. Yes, the Elevate does lack some of the more elaborate technologies found in its Chinese rivals, but its baked-in build integrity will ensure that the compact SUV easily outlives some of its rivals, making it an ideal choice for first-time buyers or buyers looking to invest in decent wheels for the long-term. In my books, quality trumps quirkiness any day.
LAST WORD
The Honda Elevate launch event took place in the Western Cape, and it remains to be seen if the 15 to 17% loss of power at altitude will negatively affect driving feel up in Gauteng. We guess buyers looking to invest in a long-term mobility solution will likely be less concerned with performance and more with getting their money’s worth over the long run – something that Hondas have done exceedingly well for over four decades in South Africa.
Report by BERNIE HELLBERG JR | Images © HONDA SOUTH AFRICA
