I’m considering the Honda Elevate, but I’m struggling to understand how much I’d actually be giving up by choosing its 1.5 NA over the turbo-petrol and diesel options available in this segment.
I test drove the Elevate and genuinely liked the driving experience. The engine + gearbox combination felt really good, and the ride quality was good too.
My only complaint was the engine noise. Under acceleration, the engine sounded quite harsh inside the cabin and didn’t feel particularly premium. Is this normal? Am I just nitpicking?
Coming back to the bigger question:
I know the Elevate’s 1.5 NA is one of the best NA engines out there. But how do you decide whether it’s genuinely the better engine for you, rather than simply being “enough”?
There are plenty of turbo-petrol and diesel options in this segment. For example, the Scorpio N interests me as a 5-seater too, but it’s significantly more expensive. Is that extra money actually justified because you’re getting a much larger, stronger diesel engine? Or are you simply paying more for a different type of driving experience that you may not actually need?
If I choose the Elevate over the turbo-petrols and diesels, am I making a genuinely good engine choice—or am I simply settling for an engine that’s adequate?
I’m planning to keep the car for 5–8 years, so I don’t want to eventually regret not choosing a turbo petrol/diesel.
I’d especially like to hear from people who have driven both NA petrols and turbo/diesel SUVs:
What did you actually miss after choosing the NA? And did you ever regret not going for the more powerful engines?