In 2023, when Honda launched the Elevate, a midsize SUV, it was late to the party – where the star was Hyundai Creta, and around it the coterie of Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, and others.
But in my first review of the SUV, I argued that the sheer volume of Honda loyalists – almost a million strong – would likely “elevate the Elevate.”
Two and a half years later, having lived with a media unit for a month, the reality is sobering. The Elevate is a solid piece of engineering, but the segment demands rapid-fire innovation, and the competition has moved on.
What others offer
Midsize SUVs have petrol engines, diesel, CNG, strong hybrid, mild hybrid, and turbo-petrol engines. The Elevate is stuck with the 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol (121 PS and 145 Nm), which was a masterpiece in the City sedan, but in the almost 100-kg extra Elevate, it feels slow, and thirsty.
Although SUVs like the Grand Vitara hybrid return more than 20 km/litre in real-world conditions, the Elevate struggles to touch 15 km/litre in the city.
The Elevate is fairly fast – my test unit went from 0-100 km/h in 11-12 seconds – but turbo-petrol SUVs like Creta and Seltos break the 9-second barrier to 100 km/h.
The Elevate also gets a CNG option, but it’s a dealer-fitted model, not factory-fitted.
An analogue SUV
The Elevate is a no-nonsense SUV – it has a huge boot space (458 litres), and its tight turning radius of 5.2 metres makes it a breeze to drive in narrow streets of India, but having driven SUVs such as Tata Sierra and the all-new Seltos, the Elevate feels dated.
While most other midsize SUVs feel and look ‘digital’ – with their large, colourful dashboard screens – the Elevate feels ‘analogue’. The cabin is carefully crafted and the material used is upmarket, but to a modern Indian exposed to panoramic sunroofs, the Elevate’s regular sunroof feels basic.
But lovely to drive
Where the Elevate absolutely shines is on the highway. The ride quality is possibly the best in segment, and even at high speeds it drives ‘sticking to the road’, giving a sense of safety and confidence. For the purist, the 6-speed manual gearbox is a joy to operate, and while the CVT can be noisy when you accelerate hard, it’s the purest form of driving in the city.
The Elevate also gets Honda Sensing – the semiautonomous driving system – but it’s now commonplace in the segment.
A sensible SUV
Sales are dropping. In its first year (2023), the Elevate formed a respectable 7.4% of midsize SUV sales. In 2024, however, its sales share dropped to just 3.8%; and in 2025, merely 2.6%.
This isn’t something that Honda Cars India was anticipating. But in many ways, it’s the most sensible SUV in its class. It has failed to dominate possibly because Honda made a late entry, introduced features that were commonplace by that time, and maybe relied on the badge that Indians can trust. But India moved on.
What I didn’t like
Driving it for a month, I didn’t like its power-to-weight ratio – the engine feels strained during highway overtakes, and the cabin turns noisy when you accelerate hard. I also didn’t like the fact that it doesn’t have a 360-degree parking camera and ventilated seats.
What I absolutely loved
The way the Elevate is put together is pure nirvana. Its suspension is amazing, and every button is where it should be – I didn’t have to take my eyes off the road to change AC temperature, or speaker volume, or any other control.
The rear-seat is gold standard – it’s got perfect thigh support, sense of space, and airiness.
Overall, the Elevate feels like it’s built to last 20-25 years, but the problem is that India changes cars every 5-6 years.
