Honda Elevate facelift review, first drive: A no-nonsense SUV

When the market and the automakers have been operating on a level of excellence, it is very difficult to make a case for something a bit ordinary like the Honda Elevate. When it was first launched, Honda’s mid-size SUV entrant came across as a staple, no nonsense option but against the market leaders, it fell grossly short, in terms of looks, space, comfort but mainly the performance and tech. And so the first update for the SUV comes at a crucial time, when its rivals that already trumped it, have leaped far ahead. While the headlamps remain unchanged, the Honda Elevate facelift gets a redesigned grille with new tri-beam signature lighting, adding a fresh and appealing touch to its front-end styling. Honda has always had designs that offended none, and pleased everyone and the Elevate is a continuation of that philosophy. The SUV was the most contemporary looking car in the segment, simple headlamps, standard grille, nothing odd going on and this appealed to the people who really wanted something unoffensive, similar to what the black or white colours of the iPhone are like. Now though, Honda has gone a bit bold and now created a bit of a ‘family aesthetic’ that started with the City. So now while the lights have remained the same, the grille along with its tri-beam signature light is new and it actually looks quite nice. The housing for the LED fogs is new, and so is the lower bumper. There is a slightly revised 2D Honda logo too, that has been While we got our hands on the full black, the Elevate does a new colour along with this update. The side profile remains largely unchanged, with glossy plastic cladding and revised alloy wheel detailing being the only notable updates. Over to the sides, it is nearly impossible to tell the car apart compared to before, as there is no change save for the glossy plastic cladding and a cut-difference on the alloys, which makes them look a bit more prominent. The rear gets a neat, full-width taillamp setup that looks stylish without being flashy. At the rear, the Elevate adopts a full-width taillamp setup that looks quite nice, especially because it's still clean rather than loud. A revised lower bumper rounds up the cosmetic updates, and as far as facelifts go, the Elevate actually scores well considering it still looks contemporary, with the minor additions that make it quite appropriate. The cabin gets lighter leatherette upholstery on the dashboard and door panels. Inside, Honda has given the Elevate a colour revision, the dashboard and the doors now feature a light theme leatherette upholstery, feels upmarket and gives the cabin a feeling of lightness. The 10.25-inch infotainment display remains unchanged. The wide 10.25-inch display is as before, but the climate control panel now features two new switches for the seat ventilation, added with the update as well as a revised display that now features a PM2.5 readout. The steering and the driver’s display is as before, and this is a good thing considering how well the digital-analogue style has been executed, unlike some of its rivals that in a bid to fully utilise digital displays go overboard with unusual layouts and themes. The climate control panel now gets two additional switches for seat ventilation. There is also a 360-degree camera, as well as multi-colour ambient lighting and front parking sensors that make up the upgrades. But by far, the most-talked about upgrade has to be the rear seat ventilation, and these work really well. Honda has always been great with their aircon, and the Elevate is no exception, and both the front and the rear seat ventilation work really well. Powered seats are now available, with 8-way adjustment for the driver and 4-way for the front passenger. Another major kit that was missing earlier, powered seats have now been added, 8-way adjust for the driver and 4-way adjust for the passenger. Now while some of the missing kit has now been added to the Elevate, it still doesn’t a panoramic sunroof, or a larger infotainment display, that are for the most part a bit superficial, but sales data for the market leaders suggest, that these are exactly what the Indian customers want, and this seems like a missed opportunity on Honda’s part.Speaking of missed opportunities, the big news is that the Elevate does not get the hybrid powertrain from the City. And there doesn’t seem to be an explanation for this. Honda is of course working on a larger SUV, and a sub-4m one, both with multiple powertrains and due to arrive in a couple of years, but neglecting the Elevate just seems odd now, as the hybrid setup in the City is quite superior compared to anything we have south of the Rs 20 lakh mark, and the SUV could have finally justified its positioning against every other rival. The Elevate retains its 1.5-litre petrol engine, paired with a CVT or manual gearbox, producing 120 bhp and 145 Nm of torque. What we do get is the same, tried and tested 1.5-litre petrol paired to a CVT or a manual. This makes 120bhp and 145Nm of torque, which on paper is of course better than a few of its rivals, the naturally aspirated petrols and the smaller turbocharged units but doesn’t really feel like it. It is smooth, and refined, and Honda has also improved the NVH levels so the cabin is even quieter than before, and for city driving the setup works quite fine and has the muscle to make quick overtakes in the city. Out of the highway, reaching cruising speeds is easy, but try and makes overtakes on faster cars, and the engine does feel like it could do with a few more horses. The CVT doesn’t really make its job any easier at higher speeds, the jabbing the throttle is quite a vocal experiment, with the rubber banding ensuring that the engine hits the reds, without a very strong push. But this is mostly nitpicking considering just how easy the Elevate feels to drive in any type of condition. The Elevate offers predictable handling, balanced cornering and direct steering, while its light steering makes everyday driving effortless and comfortable. Even before the Elevate handled well, and it continues to do so. Mind you, this isn’t a precision missile like the Taigun/Kushaq/Duster/Tekton, but rather an artillery gun that does hit the target, but within a few metres. The chassis is well-balanced, it can take corners with predictable roll, and a fairly direct steering, that gives one quite a bit of confidence to push the SUV. At the same time for those who would never drive it hard, the steering is just soft enough to be really easy for those who want a simple machine to take them from point A to B. The Elevate delivers plush ride quality, comfortable seats, improved cabin insulation, confident all-wheel disc brakes and an electronic parking brake with Auto Hold. The Elevate shines when it comes to the ride quality, the SUV takes everything in its stride and moreover has a softer setup compared to its rivals giving it a pillowy feel, which coupled with the really comfortable seats make for a brilliant car to be chauffeured around in. NVH levels are actually pretty good now, with Honda improving in this area. Also an improvement are all-wheel disc brakes, the bite is good and stopping power is impressive and confident. Another piece of convenience is the EPB, creates more space in the central console and comes with Auto Hold for the traffic snarls.Verdict: The 2026 Honda Elevate facelift offers refreshed styling, improved features, comfort and reliability. While it remains a sensible, no-nonsense SUV, rivals continue to push segment boundaries. The 2026 Honda Elevate is a fine machine, it ticks all the boxes. Its a handsome car, well proportioned, doesn’t act like its an off-roader, the new elements look nice. The interiors are contemporary, of good-quality and now get important bits like ventilation and powered adjustment. And it has a good ride and handling package that is enough for most users. But being good is just not good enough, when your rivals are excelling, pushing the boundaries of the segment itself. The Elevate is a no-nonsense, sensible, and most importantly reliable car that a lot more people will choose now.Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine - Ends