Honda Elevate Review: Well engineered SUV but lacks premium features

INTRODUCTION

Honda’s Elevate is more than just another SUV in the crowded mid-size segment — it’s the brand’s answer to what Indian families have been asking for. Blending Honda’s trademark reliability with bold styling, a smooth petrol engine, and a roomy cabin, it’s built to handle city runs, weekend escapes, and everything in between.

STYLING

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The Honda Elevate makes a confident first impression the moment you see it. With its upright stance, large grille and LED headlamps, it looks every bit a proper SUV rather than a crossover. The design is clean and proportionate, which gives it a timeless appeal. This should help the car age gracefully. Like the City and Civic sold earlier, rest assured that the Elevate will still look up to date even after a decade of more. Honda stylists know what they are doing when they design their products.

INTERIOR

The front cabin of the Honda Elevate feels modern, practical, and welcoming, but when you look closer, it also reveals a few areas where Honda has played it safe. The dashboard layout is clean and functional, dominated by a 10.25-inch floating touchscreen that supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The instrument cluster combines a part-digital, part-analog setup, giving it a mix of tradition and modernity. The driving position is excellent, with a commanding view of the road thanks to the upright stance and high bonnet line. Visibility all around is strong, aided by slim A-pillars and large mirrors, which makes maneuvering in traffic or tight spaces easy.

The front seats are well-bolstered, supportive for long journeys, and offer a good range of adjustment. The steering also adjusts for tilt and telescopic movement, helping most drivers find their ideal position. The quality of materials is decent, with soft-touch panels in key areas and a tasteful two-tone finish on higher variants, but you do notice some hard plastics, especially lower down on the doors and centre console, which slightly dilute the otherwise premium feel.

Where the Elevate falls behind is in the feature list, especially when compared to rivals like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, or even the MG Astor. There is no panoramic sunroof, only a standard unit, which feels underwhelming in a segment where buyers expect the wow factor. Ventilated seats, a 360-degree camera, fully digital driver’s display, and powered driver’s seat adjustment are also missing — all of which are now common in this class. While Honda has included its Honda Sensing ADAS suite, which adds advanced safety technology, the lack of these convenience and luxury features makes the cabin feel a little behind the times in terms of equipment.

​REAR SEAT COMFORT​

The rear seats of the Honda Elevate are one of its strongest selling points, especially for Indian families who often place comfort for passengers above everything else. Thanks to the SUV’s 2,650 mm wheelbase and its upright design, the cabin feels spacious and airy the moment you step in. Legroom is generous, and even taller passengers will find enough space to stretch out without brushing their knees against the front seat backs. Headroom is equally impressive, helped by the squared-off roofline that avoids the coupe-like sloping style some rivals adopt.

The seat cushioning strikes a balance between firmness and comfort — supportive enough for long journeys without being too hard for short city commutes. The backrest recline angle feels natural, giving passengers a relaxed seating posture. Three passengers can fit in the rear, though the middle seat is slightly raised and firmer, making it best suited for shorter trips or for children. The flat floor helps reduce the feeling of being cramped, but for maximum comfort, the Elevate works best as a four-seater with two passengers at the back.

Practical touches like wide-opening rear doors, rear AC vents, a central armrest with cup holders, and large windows enhance the sense of comfort and usability. The high seating position also gives rear passengers a commanding view of the road ahead, something families really appreciate on long drives. Combined with the 458-litre boot that can swallow luggage with ease, the Elevate’s rear seat experience reinforces its appeal as a family-friendly SUV that doesn’t compromise on practicality.

ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE

Out on the road, the Elevate carries Honda’s familiar 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine, the same unit that powers the City sedan. It produces 119 bhp and 145 Nm of torque, which might not sound exciting on paper, but in practice it delivers a smooth and reassuring drive. The six-speed manual gearbox feels precise with a light clutch that makes city commutes effortless, while the CVT automatic brings a layer of convenience that shines in stop-go traffic. There is a slight rubber-band effect under sudden acceleration with the CVT, but for everyday driving and relaxed highway runs, it proves to be easygoing and refined. Acceleration is adequate rather than thrilling, and the Elevate feels most at home when driven in a calm, measured manner.

The engine itself is quiet and smooth, and refinement is generally high, although tyre noise becomes noticeable at higher speeds, especially on rougher road surfaces. It is not intrusive, but buyers who are particular about cabin hush will notice it. Otherwise, the overall experience is one of composure and comfort.

RIDE AND HANDLING

Ride quality is another strength. The suspension has been tuned to strike a fine balance between comfort and stability. Rough patches and potholes are absorbed without much fuss, while the body remains composed through bends. The steering is light in the city, making parking and manoeuvring simple, yet it firms up enough on highways to inspire confidence. High ground clearance adds to the sense of security, allowing the Elevate to glide over tall speed breakers and uneven surfaces without hesitation.

TECH AND SAFETY

Technology and safety are areas where Honda has given the Elevate a strong edge. The infotainment system supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the instrument cluster is part-digital, and features like a wireless charger, automatic climate control and a sunroof are available. More importantly, Honda’s ADAS suite, branded as Honda Sensing, brings in advanced features such as lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation braking, which are still rare in this price bracket. With up to six airbags, electronic stability control and hill-start assist, the Elevate does not compromise on safety.

SHOULD YOU BUY ONE?

With prices ranging between roughly eleven and sixteen lakh rupees, depending on the variant, the Elevate offers solid value when you consider the space, reliability and advanced safety features that come with it. It may not deliver the turbocharged punch of some rivals or the diesel economy that others provide, but it offers a balanced package that blends Honda’s traditional strengths of refinement, practicality and dependability with the modern features Indian buyers expect.

In the end, the Honda Elevate petrol is not trying to be the most powerful or the flashiest SUV in its segment. Instead, it is a well-rounded family car that feels robust, comfortable and safe. It is for those who value reliability over gimmicks, space over style excess, and a smooth driving experience over outright performance. For buyers who want a petrol SUV that will quietly do its job day after day while keeping the family happy and secure, the Elevate feels like a choice that will stand the test of time.