Introduction
Sikkim is the only state in India landlocked by three countries – Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. This has amazed me since childhood. So, when Honda invited us to explore this region in their cars, it was a pleasant surprise for me. The Elevate being the latest launch, I was elated to see it along with the City and the Amaze. But in such a bio-diverse region with drastic weather and challenging driving conditions, I was apprehensive if these cars would be capable enough to cope. We found out over the five legs of the journey.
First Leg - West Bengal (Bagdogra) to Sikkim (Gangtok)
Flying to Bagdogra didn't bring us any respite from the climate or traffic conditions, especially for a Mumbaikar like me. But the Elevate's AC kept me cool as we made our way out of the city through the crowd and in the sun. The ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), or Honda Sense, as the carmaker calls it, helped us with its consistency in moving ahead with the traffic. It is gradual and doesn't brake suddenly. Also, it allows you to override its functions and even deactivate it if it feels intrusive.
And by the time we cleared traffic and road closures, it was dark at 4 pm as the sun set there by 4:45 pm! This is when the auto headlamp feature showed its magic. It detects oncoming traffic and switches to the lower beam, thus helping reduce the driver's efforts. Impressed by the new SUV but dejected by the geographical challenges and driving conditions, we decided to sleep it off, only hoping for a better day.
Second Leg - Gangtok to Nathu la
We had a late start in the morning, but a good one. The rain gods had made the weather pleasant and fog covered the hills in the background. After that, it didn't rain anywhere along the way to the Nathula top. A quick search will tell you Sikkim is known for its alpine meadows and is home to glaciers, including one of India's highest mountain peaks, Kangchenjunga. No point in guessing then, that we were driving on one of the highest motorable roads in the world.
To our surprise, there was fresh snowfall, making it the first time for Drive to Discover Edition in snow. All Honda cars made it with ease and without any hiccups. The extreme cold, however, had a toll on my health. Nonetheless the Elevate’s comfy passenger seat put me to good sleep as my colleague Aditya ferried me the way back.
Third Leg - Gangtok to Pelling
For our third leg, we had the City CVT with us to take on the challenging twists and turns. The Honda sedan not only took these with ease but kept us engaged all the while with spirited driving. This engine has good power to handle any terrain or even overtake vehicles with quick sprints. It loves to be revved but gets audible when you give it the stick at higher revs. But that wasn't much of an issue as the infotainment system kept us entertained, and the seats cocooned us in comfort for hours. The visual delight was provided by the different variety of flowers that added some spunk to this dramatic hilly landscape.
Fourth Leg - Pelling to Kalimpong
From the enchanting views of the snow-clad mountains, it was time to make our way through narrow streets and broken roads again. This time, the City Hybrid was our trusted companion, and having driven the City a day earlier, we were confident about it. It astonished us with its super silent nature at city speeds. We were ready to take on steep paths that lead to hilltop Buddhist monasteries, but were certainly not prepared for broken steep descends towards the tea plantations. However, the City managed that without scraping its underbelly.
The mileage pointing upwards of 18kmpl started to reduce with the traffic congestion towards Darjeeling. Even 15kmpl here seems okay as this entire trip had road closures, diversions, traffic snarls, and many hilly slope climbs. I was startled to see a small train chugging next to the traffic and so close to our car. That's Darjeeling for you! Half of the stuff from stores spilled over onto these tracks, two-way traffic in one lane, people crossing, utter chaos! After missing a turn, the joy of driving along the railway track took us away from our destination but into a series of twisties up and down the hill. Credit goes to the City's good ride-handling balance, otherwise, a detour in these conditions gets worrisome.
Last Leg - Sikkim (Kalimpong) to West Bengal (Siliguri)
We were back in the Elevate but in a manual this time, which I was trying to avoid for the clutch-less convenience the automatics had provided us. Otherwise, the cabin is a nice place to be in, not very luxurious but classy. I was also at ease with the fact that the Elevate's ergonomics and visibility from inside the car were spot on. I didn't have to worry about the car's width in narrow bylanes, even though I was driving this car for the first time. The clutch was light, the gears slotted well, no unwanted jerks, the engine was smooth, and building up speed wasn't tiring. The three hours of travel time on the last day was masked well to bring us back to the point where we had started.
This Drive to Discover Edition captured the essence of the East but more importantly, portrayed the capabilities of Honda vehicles in varied driving, weather, and road conditions that our country has to offer. Well suited, tuned, and apt! Until next time then — for maybe even more challenging conditions and terrain.
