Honda Elevate vs iCAUR V23

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Honda Elevate in South Africa

Honda Elevate

1.5 Elegance CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 399,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 119 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
VS
iCAUR V23 in South Africa

iCAUR V23

2WD Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 100 kW 🔧 180 Nm ⛽ Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Honda Elevate vs iCAUR V23: the short answer

V23 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Elevate remains close.

Elevate starts ZAR 150,000 cheaper Elevate from ZAR 369,900 · V23 from ZAR 519,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Elevate V23
Maximum Power Elevate119 kW V23100 kW
Maximum Torque Elevate145 Nm V23180 Nm
Engine Size Elevate1498 cc V23Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Combined Fuel Economy Elevate16.1 km/l V23Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
Ground Clearance Elevate220 mm V23190 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Elevate

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

V23

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Elevate

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

V23

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Elevate V23
Model Introduced Year 2023 2026
Generation Built on Honda’s latest compact SUV platform with improved safety and structural strength South African May 2026 local specification sheet for the current V23 generation.
Facelift History Recently introduced model with latest design language and modern features -
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version -
Facelift Version Ending Current -
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red, Black -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Published
Segment SUV Electric SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1240 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec Elevate V23
Length 4312 mm 4220 mm
Width 1790 mm 1915 mm
Height 1650 mm 1845 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm 2735 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 220 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 220 mm 165 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Boot/Cargo Space 458 l 372 L rear seats up; 994 L with rear seats folded
Kerb Weight 1240 kg 1550–1850 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1680 kg 2085 kg
Payload Capacity 400 kg 350–650 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.2 m 5.9 m
Front Headroom 1015 mm 1020 mm
Rear Headroom 980 mm 990 mm
Front Legroom 1040 mm 1060 mm
Rear Legroom 995 mm 970 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Elevate and V23 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Elevate 39 vs V23 41.

Efficiency index: Elevate 62 vs V23 99.

Safety-equipment index: Elevate 88 vs V23 93.

Practicality index: Elevate 63 vs V23 60.

Ownership-cover index: Elevate 43 vs V23 not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

V23 leads by 11 points

V23 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Elevate remains close.

Evidence leader 71 /100
Lead 11 points
Data 67% source coverage
71
#1 Evidence leader

V23

67% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 99 Check Performance 41
Performance 41
Efficiency 99
Safety 93
Practicality 60
Leads by 11 points
60
#2

Elevate

87% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 88 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 62
Safety 88
Practicality 63
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance V23 +2 Efficiency V23 +37 Safety V23 +5 Practicality Elevate +3

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

V23

Performance 41/100
Efficiency 99/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 60/100

Elevate

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index iCAUR V23 leads the specification evidence index with 71 pts vs 60 pts for Elevate

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, V23 leads. However, Elevate may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Elevate vs V23 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.