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Honda Elevate Facelift Brings Rugged Styling and Ventilated Seats to India
Honda has updated its entry-level SUV in India with a bolder grille, new interior features including segment-first ventilated rear seats, and a starting price unchanged at Rs 11.80 lakh.
By Edward Beaumont · 3 min read
Honda has launched a facelifted version of its Elevate SUV in India, introducing a more rugged exterior design and premium interior features while keeping the entry-level price unchanged. The mid-lifecycle update aims to keep the compact SUV competitive in one of the world's most crowded segments.
The most visible change is a new front grille with a honeycomb pattern, black trim pieces, and segmented LED position lights integrated between the headlights. The Honda emblem has been relocated to the hood, giving the Elevate a tougher stance. The front bumper is carried over, but the side faux inlets now feature body-coloured inserts around the fog lights. A new Nordic Forest Pearl paint option joins the palette, and a flagship ZX+ Black trim adds black 17-inch alloy wheels and leather upholstery.
Inside, Honda has replaced the previous faux wood inserts with extended leatherette padding on the dashboard and added ambient lighting. The headline addition is ventilated seats in both the front and rear rows — a feature not offered by any rival in the segment. The 10.25-inch free-standing infotainment screen remains, and higher trims can be equipped with power front seats, rear climate vents, touch-sensitive reading lights, and remote engine start. Safety equipment includes six airbags as standard, with the Honda Sensing ADAS suite available on top models, offering adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist.
Under the skin, the Elevate remains unchanged. It shares its underpinnings with the Honda City sedan and is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 119 hp and 145 Nm of torque. Power goes to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. The SUV measures 4,312 mm in length.
Pricing for the facelifted Elevate starts at Rs 11.80 lakh (approximately $12,200) for the entry-level SV manual trim, identical to the outgoing model. The range-topping ZX+ CVT is priced at Rs 18.40 lakh (around $19,000), a slight increase over the previous lineup. The model is now available to order in India.
The Elevate was first introduced in 2023 and is exported to Japan as the WR-V. The updates are expected to reach the Japanese-spec WR-V, which is manufactured alongside the Elevate at Honda's facility in Tapukara, Rajasthan. The compact SUV segment in India includes rivals such as the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Renault Duster, and Nissan Tekton.
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