First Drive: Will Honda Elevate Facelift Take on Rivals?

Honda, the Japanese car maker, has brought in a heavily updated Elevate SUV, after it was launched three years ago, to increase its appeal not only to Honda fans but also the wider aspiring buyers in this increasingly competitive mid-size SUV market segment in India.

Honda has priced the 2026 Elevate facelift from Rs 11.80 lakh to Rs 18.58 lakh and it competes with the likes of Hyundai Creta, Toyota Hyryder, Kia Seltos, Tata Sierra, Renault Duster, Nissan Tekton, Volkswagen Taigun, and Skoda Kushaq, among others.

We took the new Honda Elevate for a spin to check out what it promises.

The Exterior

The first look at the new SUV may not catch the major differences in the design of the refreshed Elevate but it has surely become handsome with a clean and boxy front end with an imposing new front grille which gives it a more imposing presence on the road, along with black garnishes on the fenders and the lower parts of the bumpers.

On the grille, you now have a split LED pilot lamp at the top and the grille also has front parking sensors and the camera for the 360-degree view system. The biggest noticeable change in the rear is the new connected LED taillamp. The door-mounted ORVMs come with integrated turn indicators and a side camera for the 360-degree view system. The left ORVM also gets the lane watch camera.

As you enter inside, you notice that the visual changes are minimal, with a new upholstery colour called Ivory Black, more soft touch leatherette materials on the dash and a new orange colour for the ambient light. The cabin layout and design remain more or less the same. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is nice and strong which is adjustable to height and reach.

The new Elevate does not get rain-sensing wipers, but it has got auto headlamps and the left stalk now has a button to activate the 360-degree view camera. The digital+analogue MID with a clear display has all the basic information. Significantly, the car has got ventilated seats for both front and rear – making this the only car in the segment to offer this. The rear seat gets the real deal with ventilation on the back and the base of the seat. The other changes are the inclusion of rear disc brakes, 360-degree camera, front parking sensors, a low-speed follow feature for the adaptive cruise control and an auto-clean function for the air quality in the cabin. All the added features are useful and add to the daily convenience of the user. The car has 458-litre boot space, adequate to hold the luggage of a family on a picnic.

Mechanically, there are no changes to the Elevate Facelift which is powered by the same 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine and is available with a 6-speed MT and a CVT, churning out 119bhp and 145 Nm of torque. The familiar engine is one of the few enjoyable naturally aspirated engines but if you are looking for a more powerful and exciting engine, one may look for the turbocharged engines in VW-Skoda (148 BHP), Hyundai-Kia (158 BHP), Renault-Nissan (160 BHP) or Tata (158 BHP).

However, once you start, the car rolls out smoothly, and you notice the refinement levels of the 4-cylinder engine. There are hardly any vibrations creeping into the cabin, though it gets loud on the inside at higher revs which adds to the driving experience rather than becoming a noise. As you accelerate on the highway, it is a smooth and comfortable drive. During the low speed, the Elevate handles the typical Indian roads well, absorbing broken roads and potholes that come your way. You also notice plenty of stability and control on vertical movement as well at high speeds and the car remains steady and under control on corners and when it dips into a bump at high speed. The steering feels just the right amount of weight, sending accurate feedback. On the highway, overtaking slow-moving traffic will need some planning but cruising is a comfortable affair as the engine feels relaxed at triple-digit speeds. The ARAI-rated fuel efficiency of the Honda Elevate is 15.31 km/l for the 6-speed MT and 16.61 km/l for the CVT variant.

Should I Buy It?

Honda has made the Elevate more handsome and appealing with its design updates and list of usable features. Honda's proven reliability and after-sales service ensure a fuss-free ownership experience and the 7-year extended warranty and 10-year anytime warranty is a class-leading package. However, unfortunately, the company has stuck to a single petrol engine option, depriving buyers the multiple powertrain options. That said the new Elevate is still a strong car, appealing to diverse potential customers.