ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE ENGINE: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder DOHC i-VTEC petrol POWER: 89kW @ 6 600rpm TORQUE: 145Nm @ 4 300rpm AVERAGE CONSUMPTION: 6.1l / 100km CO₂ EMISSIONS: 146g / km TRANSMISSION: Continuously variable transmission( CVT) DRIVE: Front-wheel drive PRICING: From R373 800
Safety hasn’ t been treated as an optional extra either. Depending on specification, features include ABS, VSA, ISOFIX and a rear view camera with parking sensors, and multiple airbags.
What surprised me most wasn’ t one standout feature, but how effortlessly the Elevate fitted into everyday life. From grocery runs and N1 cruising to muddy parking areas after winter rain, it simply handled everything without drama.
In a market obsessed with oversized grilles, fake exhaust tips, and enough buttons to launch a spacecraft, the Honda Elevate takes a different approach. It focuses on reliability, comfort, practicality, and efficiency. Sometimes, that’ s exactly what you need.
After a week together, handing back the keys felt a little like saying goodbye to a friend. Not the loud one, but the dependable one who always gets you home safely, makes life easier, and somehow still leaves you smiling.
The Honda Elevate won’ t necessarily make your neighbours jealous. But it just might make your daily commute something to look forward to, and in Cape Town traffic, that’ s about as close to a miracle as you’ ll get. IB
84 INBOUND SA / SEPTEMBER 2026