Honda Elevate update: New Features, Prices, Rear Disc Brakes & Cooled Seats
If you were waiting for Honda to finally add a strong hybrid or turbo engine to the Elevate, I’ve got bad news. Nothing has changed under the bonnet. It’s still the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor.
That said, Honda has clearly been listening to customers this time. They’ve fixed the biggest complaint, added some genuinely useful comfort features, and even thrown in something no other car in this segment currently offers.
Here’s the full rundown on the updated Elevate.
The Engine Stays the Same (On Purpose)
Honda has stuck with what it knows works:
- 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder i-VTEC petrol
- 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque
- You get the choice of a 6-speed manual or CVT automatic
Why no hybrid? Simple — cost. Bringing the HEV system to India would push prices up by almost ₹4 lakh. By sticking with the regular petrol engine, Honda has kept the starting price sensible and running costs low.
Fuel Efficiency: Official Claim vs Real-World Road Reality
Since Honda has carried over the identical 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol setup without any mechanical changes, the fuel economy figures remain exactly the same as before.
Here is how the numbers stack up on paper versus actual driving conditions:
- Official ARAI Claimed Figures:
- 6-Speed Manual (MT): 15.31 km/l
- CVT Automatic: 16.92 km/l
- Real-World City Traffic (Stop-and-Go): Let’s be totally honest here. In heavy city commutes with the air conditioning running full blast, you can realistically expect around 10 to 11.5 km/l from the manual and roughly 10.5 to 12 km/l from the CVT automatic.
- Open Highway Cruising: Out on open motorways at steady speeds between 80 to 95 km/h, the naturally aspirated engine breathes much easier. You should easily see 14.5 to 16 km/l, making it a very economical long-distance cruiser.
While it won’t match the crazy 23+ km/l figures of a proper strong hybrid, it delivers dependable, predictable fuel economy without the massive price tag of battery packs and electric motors.
Ride Comfort, Road Noise, and Highway Driving Reality
Thanks to its 220 mm ground clearance and well-judged suspension setup, the Elevate deals with uneven roads and everyday city potholes comfortably. In bumper-to-bumper city runs, the CVT automatic remains effortless, returning around 10 to 12.5 km/l.
However, out on open expressways, the naturally aspirated engine and CVT gearbox exhibit a slight rubber-band delay during sudden overtakes. Even with better insulation around the wheel arches, the cabin isn’t completely quiet, as rough concrete roads and expansion joints continue to send a fair amount of rumble inside. Cruising steadily between 80 to 90 km/h will return a respectable 15 to 17 km/l, while pushing the engine hard drops efficiency to roughly 12 to 14 km/l.
The Big Fix: Rear Disc Brakes Are Finally Here
When the Elevate first launched, pretty much everyone complained about the drum brakes at the rear. For a car in this segment, that felt outdated.
Honda has finally sorted it. The new model gets disc brakes on all four wheels. On a highway run with a full load of passengers and luggage, the extra stopping power makes a real difference to how confident you feel behind the wheel — especially if you frequently navigate uneven highway patches or bad roads in India.
Segment-First Feature: Cooled Seats for Rear Passengers
This is the biggest surprise of the update. We’ve all seen ventilated front seats, but the Elevate now offers cooled seats in the rear as well.
Neither the Creta nor the newly previewed Hyundai Bayon crossover gives you this. If you’re chauffeured around or regularly carry family in the back during peak summer, this is a proper game-changer.
Other cabin upgrades worth noting:
There’s an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and 4-way power adjustment for the front passenger.
Choice of an all-black cabin with ambient lighting or a dual-tone ivory-and-black theme
- Top variants finally ditch the mechanical handbrake for an electric parking brake with auto-hold
- Air Purifier with Live AQI: The updated climate control deck now shows real-time air quality readings alongside a built-in purifier.
- Rear Seat Ventilation: While the addition of rear ventilated seats is a segment-first highlight, the airflow at the back is relatively gentle compared with the front, offering modest cooling rather than a noticeable chill.
- Rear Passenger Practicality: The previously sagging rear armrest has been improved, and passengers in the back now get dual Type-C fast chargers.
- A Cleaner Screen, Practical Controls: The infotainment interface has been refreshed, but the physical buttons remain, allowing drivers to change settings without unnecessary distraction.
Styling Tweaks and Six Cameras
You won’t notice major changes from a distance, but the updates are smart:
- The front grille is darker and more aggressive, with extra black trim
- The car now has six cameras in total — four for the 360-degree system, the usual Lane Watch camera on the passenger mirror, and the ADAS camera behind the windscreen
- Honda Sensing has received a software update. Adaptive cruise control now supports low-speed follow, so it can crawl smoothly in stop-and-go city traffic
Exact Prices (Ex-Showroom Delhi)
Honda has kept the entry price the same at ₹11.80 lakh and added a new top-spec ZX+ variant:
| Variant | Manual (MT) | Automatic (CVT) |
|---|---|---|
| SV | ₹11,80,000 | — |
| V | ₹12,29,000 | ₹13,79,000 |
| VX | ₹13,93,000 | ₹15,39,000 |
| ZX | ₹15,39,000 | ₹16,89,000 |
| ZX+ (New) | ₹16,80,000 | ₹18,30,000 |
| ZX+ Black Edition | ₹16,90,000 | ₹18,40,000 |
Pearl and dual-tone colours cost a bit extra. The ZX+ Black Edition comes with Crystal Black Pearl paint as standard.
Final Verdict
Look, if you want aggressive turbo power or a massive glass roof, this car still won’t do it for you.
Honestly, that is completely fine. Lots of buyers compare practical family cars like the Renault Triber vs Maruti Brezza or look closely at modern options like the Tata Sierra lineup. But Honda has taken a different route here. They focused straight on reliability, proper disc brakes, and keeping your passengers cool in hot weather.
Out of all the upcoming SUVs in India, this updated Elevate remains a solid, sensible family workhorse. To be fair, it is easily one of the most honest buys you can make today.
