Honda Elevate Won’t Get A Panoramic Sunroof | V3Cars

Honda Elevate Won’t Offer A Panoramic Sunroof

The new Honda Elevate joins a list of C-segment SUVs without a panoramic sunroof, which currently includes the Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq. When we asked Honda whether they have any plans to add this feature in the near future, they confirmed that the Elevate will not get a panoramic sunroof even though it can accommodate one without any major modifications.

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Generally speaking, to incorporate a larger, dual-pane sunroof in place of a single-pane unit, every car requires substantial modifications and reinforcements to the structure of the roof in order to withstand the additional load of the glass. For example, when Kia decided to equip the Seltos facelift with a dual-pane sunroof, the SUV’s roof required multiple reinforcements to incorporate the much-loved feature. Honda claim that the Elevate already has the required strength to withstand the load of a dual-pane sunroof but the brand has decided to give this highly-desirable feature a pass. Why, you ask? Well, Honda are yet to give us an official response. However, here’s why we think Honda refrained from giving the Elevate a dual-pane sunroof.

Economies of Scale

If you look at Honda’s Indian portfolio, which currently comprises just 3 cars, including the Elevate, you will notice that only the City and the new Elevate offer a sunroof. That too, a single-pane unit. To offer a panoramic sunroof, Honda may require a new supplier or convince the existing supplier to build a new dual-pane unit exclusively for the Elevate. Building components for just one model is quite an expensive affair and it would have resulted in a higher ex-showroom price. Instead, Honda may have chosen to use the same supplier to supply the single pane sunroof that fit both the City and Elevate in larger quantities, and thanks to economies of scale, reduce the cost per unit even further. That does make sense, right?

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Before you ask, yes, the Kia Seltos facelift is an exception. The Seltos is currently the only made-in-India Kia offering that offers a panoramic sunroof. You might ask how the economies of scale work in the case of the Kia Seltos? But it is worth noting that the pre-facelift Seltos was one of the best-selling SUVs in the segment and the updated one is likely to carry this trend forward. While the Elevate looks promising on paper, it is unlikely that the Honda SUV will match the Seltos’ monthly sales figures. Furthermore, Kia may have taken the decision to equip the Seltos with a dual-pane sunroof after considering feedback from current Seltos owners and prospective buyers, even if it required additional structural reinforcements to the roof of the SUV.

Also Read: Honda Begin New Elevate SUV Production