Honda Drive To Discover 13: A ‘Monsoon Trail’ Adventure From Kerala To Tamil Nadu

It’s not every day in automotive journalism that you get to discover new places. Most days are about road tests and spec sheets, but the joy of experiencing a journey through beautiful destinations is rare. So when the invitation for the 13th edition of Honda’s Drive to Discover themed around a Monsoon Trail through Kerala and Tamil Nadu arrived, I was more than just interested. 

And why wouldn’t I be excited? The promise of rolling out from Kochi, passing misty Athirappilly waterfalls, catching the stillness of Munnar’s tea gardens at sunrise, and breathing in the crisp breeze of Kodaikanal’s pine forests before descending into the sun-baked plains of Coimbatore, all while driving Honda’s latest lineup including the Elevate, City, City Hybrid and Amaze, was enough to stir up curiosity.

But I have had this feeling before. Last year, Drive to Discover 12 had taken me through the snow-laced mountains of the Northeast. That journey stayed with me long after I returned as a reminder of what it means to explore with purpose. It had set the bar really high.

So this time, a quiet question kept surfacing while glancing at the invite. Did I just strike gold on my first try, or does Honda really know how to hit the sweet spot every single time?

To find out, I took that flight to Kochi, the Queen of the Arabian Sea, not just to drive the cars, but to see if lightning really can strike twice.

Day 1: Kochi to Athirappilly ft. Honda City Hybrid

After some paperwork in Kochi, I was handed the keys to the Honda City Hybrid, and just like that, the journey began. (P.S. This was the car I loved the most when Honda took us to the peaks of Nathu La in the 12th edition of Drive to Discover, and hence a really good start indeed.)

I left the city behind and began cruising along quieter stretches of the countryside. The skies were dark and heavy with clouds, and the hybrid powertrain complemented it with a calm and effortless drive. Within minutes, the telephone network dropped off, and the phone was only used to click photos and stream some calming Mohit Chauhan songs through wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay offered with the City Hybrid.

As the road began to climb and narrow, the City Hybrid adapted beautifully. The 1.5-litre petrol engine came alive here, offering enough punch to carry momentum through the winding hill roads. The transition between engine and motor was seamless, and the drive stayed composed through every corner and gradient.

On one such stretch, traffic came to a sudden stop. I looked up to see an Asian Elephant watching quietly from the forest canopy. It was a surreal reminder that I had truly entered the wild. Eventually, as I neared Athirappilly, traffic began to slow down again. The electric motor quietly took over, handling the crawl with ease while still sipping fuel gently.

By the time I arrived for the night, the sky was dark and hunger had long since taken charge. I had always heard so much of the Athirappilly waterfalls, the very falls featured in Baahubali movie, but at that point, sleep and food were winning. I figured the falls could wait until morning. After a quick snack, I thought the day was done.

But curiosity had other plans. Even as torrential rain began to pour, something nudged me to get back in the City Hybrid. The car felt ready. Confident and composed, it tore through the soaked forest roads and brought me to the viewpoint of the majestic falls.

This was the first waterfall of the trip and my first real brush with the monsoon I had been waiting for. It wasn’t the last, but it set the tone for everything that followed.

Day 2: Athirappilly to Munnar ft. Honda Amaze

Day two began with a car swap. I handed back the keys to the City Hybrid and picked up the Honda Amaze, the most recently updated car in Honda’s India lineup. I was especially excited about this one. The last time I drove the Amaze, I had come away with a lot of good things to say. It was lively, felt light, and offered a genuine go-kart-like experience.

The road narrowed and wound through patches of forest and relaxed cities as I left Athirappilly. The Amaze felt right at home here. Even though it has the smallest engine in Honda’s lineup, it never felt underpowered. In fact, its sub-4m size added to the fun of driving as it was a pleasure to thread it through narrow lanes. It was lively, nimble, and had just enough power to keep the drive interesting.

Gradually, I started climbing the hills, passing tall trees and tea gardens as fog rolled across the windshield. Throughout the journey, the Amaze kept its steady balance. It handled the turns effortlessly and never seemed to struggle.

It was late evening when I reached Munnar. After parking the car and settling in, all of us journalists gathered at IHCL SeleQtions for dinner. The initial awkwardness had started to fade by now. New friendships were beginning to form, and just like the drive itself, they felt easy and unforced.

Day 3: Munnar to Kodaikanal ft. Honda Elevate

The morning of Day 3 started with a worry. Rumours had it that the day’s stretch from Munnar to Kodaikanal would be one of the toughest of the trip with broken roads. The thought of spending hours behind the wheel on them wasn’t exactly comforting. But it was as if the universe was on my side. I got the keys to the Honda Elevate, the only SUV in Honda’s Indian lineup, and it felt like just the car I needed for the day.

With a healthy 220 mm of ground clearance, the Elevate took on the rough stretches with ease. It didn’t flinch over potholes or sharp edges. The suspension soaked up everything in its path and kept the cabin settled. The steering, too, was nimble and carried the Elevate through corners with an unexpected ease.

But not only was the Honda SUV composed, it had the familiar 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine at its heart, which has been revered by car enthusiasts for years. And as expected, it responded spiritedly every time I tapped the accelerator. The entire package reminded me of the composure of the Honda City Hybrid I drove on day 1, and this is high praise for a SUV that sits taller and has a high centre of gravity.

On the drive, I was joined by Tirth Pandya from Zigwheels, who proudly calls himself a skilled driver, and he proved his case in minutes. On the curvy roads leading to the day’s destination, he chased down a fast Honda City, and to my surprise, the Elevate kept up without breaking a sweat. This drive summed up the Elevate perfectly. It felt like a Honda City on steroids. 

Like the other two days, I reached Kodaikanal around dusk. It was dinner time and the Honda team had organised a bonfire. With a shared camaraderie, the day that started with worry ended with shared ghost stories, musical chorus and laughter echoing through the valley.

Day 4: Kodaikanal to Coimbatore ft. Honda City

Day 4 silently arrived, and what had begun just a few days ago had approached its final chapter and was on the verge of an emotional end. There is something a little bittersweet about the end of a journey, especially a beautiful one like this. But a hearty breakfast with flavours from across India ensured my spirits were lifted a bit.

The best part came soon after when I received the keys to the 6-speed manual version of the Honda City. I enjoyed the City Hybrid, and now my excitement grew because I was going to drive the popular Honda City manual. 

Behind the wheel, the narrow winding roads of Kodaikanal soon came to an end in a jiffy, and the landscape shifted to the smooth straight roads of Tamil Nadu. The Honda City settled on such roads calmly while easily touching triple-digit speeds with a sense of confidence.

Later in the day, we journalists made our way to Coastt High Performance Centre where we planned a track session to push the Honda cars beyond the public roads. But an ongoing event at the track meant we could not go all out. Still, the long open stretches of highway more than made up for it. The City shone like a knight with its refined engine and smooth gearbox, making the most of every drop of fuel.

After all this enthusiastic driving, my insides were growling with hunger. So a quick stop at a local restaurant and dug into some delicious Tamil Nadu cuisine. It felt like the perfect closing meal that was full of flavour and warmth. With that, bags were packed, goodbyes exchanged, and I made my way to the airport. Drive to Discover 13 had officially come to a close.

An End That Will Linger Like A Memory

However, what is a journey if it ends the moment you reach your destination? As I sit and look back, I realise that Honda once again found that sweet spot where travel and emotion come together. I still remember my first time at Honda Drive To Discover, and this time too, I am making a lot of memories.

From spotting an Asiatic Elephant to the impromptu stop at Athirappilly Falls, from chasing a Honda City through winding roads to ghost stories by the bonfire, every moment added something special. The food, the people, the places and the warmth of the organising team all of it made all 4 days perfect.

In the end, it was not just about the drive alone. It was also about the memories made along the way, and I will carry them with me for a long time. Thank you, Honda, for the invite. I will be eagerly waiting for the next one.