Automobile Desk – Honda Elevate Facelift: The competition in the compact SUV segment in the Indian automobile market is becoming interesting day by day. To keep itself strong in this race, Honda Cars India is preparing to introduce a new and updated avatar of its popular SUV 'Honda Elevate'. This new car has been spotted several times during testing on Indian roads as well as in foreign markets, which clearly indicates that the company is going to launch its facelifted model in showrooms very soon. If sources to the auto industry are to be believed, it can be launched in the Indian market in late September or early October to cash in on the festive season.

In the current era, the demand for technology and comfort features has increased significantly among Indian customers. Keeping this in mind, Honda is going to add some modern features in its Elevate, the lack of which was felt in the existing model. It is reported that this time features like 360-degree surround view camera and ventilated front seats can be included in the Elevate facelift. Both these features not only make driving easy and safe, but also prove to be quite comfortable in the Indian weather during long journeys.

Talking about the exterior look and design, the company will retain the original boxy and strong silhouette of the car. However, to give it a new and sporty feel, some cosmetic changes are being made to its front and rear profile. At the front, a newly designed front grille, revised bumper and improved headlight cluster can be seen. To make the side profile attractive, it will be given new style alloy wheels, while the rear part is expected to get a new tail lamp setup.

The company is also trying to bring innovation inside the cabin. There won't be much change in the basic layout of the dashboard, but the interior will be given a fresher look through new color theme, premium upholstery and updated infotainment software. Like the current model, it will retain features like a large 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, wireless charging, 8-speaker sound system and push-button start/stop.

Honda has always been cautious on the safety front. The new Elevate will be provided with 6 airbags, ABS, EBD and electronic stability control as standard safety features. Along with this, Honda's Advanced Driver Assistance System i.e. 'Honda Sensing' (ADAS) will also continue in it, which provides facilities like lane keep assist and automatic emergency brake.

Talking about mechanical changes, the possibility of any change in the engine of the car is very less. It will get the same reliable 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder i-VTEC petrol engine, which generates 121 hp power and 145 Nm torque. With this engine, the option of 6-speed manual and CVT automatic gearbox will continue to be available as before. In the Indian market, this new Elevate will compete directly with vehicles like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara and Skoda Kushaq.