Honda Elevate vs BMW X1 [2010-2012]

We spent time with the Honda Elevate to see if it is a case of 'better late than never' or 'too little, too late'.

December 2010 was a great month for BMW as it unveiled a product that was its cheapest yet, the X1. But, the trust in BMW ensured buyers did not look down upon it; instead they jumped at it. The result was massive bookings and a long wait of several months to drive one out of the showrooms. Sceptics however, say it’s common for any new car to witness such response; first few months are after all called the honeymoon period for a new car for a reason. The question then is, is the X1 as good as one expects a BMW to be? Is it fun to drive? And do its booming sales, actually make it worth owning? To find out, we drove the baby BMW, the X1.

Honda has finally stepped into the fierce mid-size SUV segment with the Elevate. And the Japanese carmaker aims to change its fortunes in the country with it. The Elevate SUV has been developed and engineered from the ground up in India with more focus on the domestic market. So what is Honda bringing to the table where Korean giants like Hyundai and Kia are leading the pack? Let’s find out.