Following the City, Honda is now working on a mid-lifecycle update for the Elevate SUV. It is expected to come with the new features seen in the City facelift as in a recent interaction with Autocar India, Kunal Behl, Vice President Marketing and Sales at Honda Cars India, said, “We are giving 360-degree camera and ventilated seats on the Elevate via the accessory route currently. But, going forward we could consider getting them in the main line.”
- Elevate facelift expected with 360-degree camera, ventilated seats
- Expect revisions to front and rear bumpers, lighting elements
- Updated SUV to launch in the second half of 2026
Honda Elevate facelift: what to expect?
Indeed, the Elevate gets a 360-degree camera and ventilated front seat covers as optional extras, along with features like ambient lighting. However, with the facelift, these features can be expected to be offered on the mid- and top-spec trims, along with the new 10.25-inch touchscreen that was also introduced on the City facelift. Like on the City, the ADAS suite could also be made available on more than just the top trim, and it could new trim and upholstery materials.
On the outside, the Elevate facelift can be expected to get new front and rear bumpers, revised headlamps and tail lamps with new lighting signatures and perhaps a new set of alloy wheels, too. A recently spotted heavily camouflaged test mule, however, did not reveal many details.
The Elevate facelift is expected to retain the engine from the current model. So, expect it to carry over the 121hp/145Nm, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine mated to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT gearbox. However, this is likely to remain the only engine option on offer.
The Elevate facelift is expected to launch sometime in the second half of this year, and it can be expected to come at a slight premium over the current model.
Honda also working on a new compact SUV for 2028
Beyond the Elevate, Honda is also working on two more models - a compact SUV and a midsize SUV - which are expected to debut starting 2028. With over a dozen models in the compact SUV space already, it may appear that Honda is late to the party. However, the Japanese carmaker is taking a slightly different approach, banking on an asset which perhaps only Maruti Suzuki has – a ready first-time car buying audience in its two-wheeler base.
“Every year we sell about 6 million two-wheelers. We have a huge chunk of Honda loyalists in our two-wheeler buyers. When they want to upgrade, they do not have anything from us in the sub-4m SUV space. That’s the reason why we want to come into the sub-4m SUV space and get hold of our loyal customer base of two-wheelers to upgrade,” said Behl.
Honda is not banking on the product alone. The two-wheeler customer base, when upgrading to their first four-wheeler, is still price sensitive. To make the progression more attractive, last year Honda established a new financing division called Honda Finance India Private Ltd. It’s a captive finance company providing easy financing and leasing options. Behl said the company is already working on financing solutions specifically suited to the Indian market.
In a similar vein, Honda has also established a new digital platform called Honda Digital Innovation India. Explaining the idea, Behl said, “The concept is that you have to unify the database of two-wheelers and four-wheelers into a single platform. This application is going to increase our touch base with our customers and we can offer them tailor-made solution – it could be finance, it could be used cars, it could be connected services, and so much more.”
“You can’t have growth just by adding more products, it has to be multi-fold. And these investments also outlay how committed we are to the Indian market,” added Behl.
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