Honda Elevate: Nearly two years after its initial launch, Honda’s compact SUV contender has undergone its first significant mid-cycle refresh. The 2025 Honda Elevate builds upon the solid foundation of its predecessor, bringing refinements across the board rather than revolutionary changes – a characteristic approach from a brand known for its methodical evolution.
Subtle Aesthetic Enhancements
The 2025 Elevate maintains the clean, understated design language that set it apart in a segment often characterized by aggressive styling. However, Honda’s designers haven’t left the exterior untouched. The front fascia receives a tasteful update with a revised grille featuring a more intricate hexagonal pattern and slimmer LED headlamps with updated DRL signatures that extend further into the grille area.
New 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels with a more intricate 10-spoke design add visual interest to the profile, while the rear sees subtle updates in the form of restyled LED taillamps with a connecting light bar – a modern touch that widens the visual stance. Three new exterior colors join the palette: Platinum White Pearl, Radiant Red Metallic, and the standout Urban Gray – a matte-finish option available exclusively on the new Elevation Edition trim.
“The design updates were intentionally restrained,” explains Akira Watanabe, Chief Designer for Honda’s compact SUV lineup. “The Elevate already possessed a timeless aesthetic that customers appreciated. Our goal was enhancement rather than reinvention.”
Cabin Refinements: Premium Touches Where It Matters
Step inside the 2025 Elevate, and the improvements become more apparent. Material quality sees a noticeable upgrade, particularly in high-touch areas. The dashboard now features soft-touch materials with contrast stitching across all variants, while the range-topping ZX trim receives genuine aluminum trim inserts replacing the previous piano black elements – a welcome change that reduces both fingerprints and glare.
The most significant interior update centers around the infotainment system. The previous 10.25-inch touchscreen makes way for a new 12.3-inch unit with sharper resolution, faster processing, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. This larger display now integrates climate controls, allowing for a cleaner center stack design with fewer physical buttons.
Behind the steering wheel, the driver now faces a fully digital 10.2-inch instrument cluster (standard from the V trim upward) that offers multiple display configurations, including a minimalist mode that reduces potential distractions during night driving.
Addressing a common critique of the original model, Honda has enhanced sound insulation throughout the cabin with additional dampening materials in the doors, floor, and firewall. The result is a noticeably quieter interior, particularly at highway speeds, where wind and road noise have been significantly reduced.
Powertrain Evolution: Hybrid Efficiency Joins the Lineup
The most substantial update for the 2025 Elevate comes under the hood, where Honda has expanded the powertrain lineup to include an electrified option for the first time. While the familiar 1.5-liter i-VTEC naturally aspirated petrol engine (121 PS, 145 Nm) carries forward with minor refinements to improve fuel efficiency, it’s the new e:HEV hybrid system that headlines the mechanical updates.
This sophisticated hybrid system pairs a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle petrol engine with two electric motors – one acting primarily as a generator and the other driving the wheels. The combined system output of 126 PS and 253 Nm of torque provides a noticeable performance upgrade over the standard petrol variant, particularly in urban environments where the instantaneous torque delivery of the electric motor enhances responsiveness.
More impressive than the performance gains are the efficiency improvements. Honda claims a fuel economy figure of 23.4 km/l for the hybrid variant – a remarkable 38% improvement over the standard petrol model. This efficiency doesn’t come at the expense of usability, with the compact lithium-ion battery packaged beneath the rear seats to maintain the full 458-liter cargo capacity.
“The introduction of our e:HEV system to the Elevate lineup represents Honda’s commitment to progressive electrification across our range,” notes Takahiro Hachigo, Honda’s Global Powertrain Development Head. “We’ve optimized the system specifically for Indian driving conditions, ensuring it delivers both efficiency and performance in real-world scenarios.”
Transmission options remain unchanged for the petrol variant, with a 6-speed manual and CVT available across most trim levels. The hybrid variant is exclusively paired with an e-CVT that manages power delivery between the engine and electric motors.
Driving Dynamics: Refined and Responsive
Honda has always prioritized driving dynamics, and the 2025 Elevate continues this tradition with subtle refinements to the suspension setup. The basic architecture – MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear – remains unchanged, but retuned dampers provide a better balance between ride comfort and handling precision.
The electric power steering has also been recalibrated with a slightly quicker ratio and improved on-center feel, addressing feedback from owners of the previous model who occasionally found the steering too light at highway speeds. The brake system sees an upgrade with larger front discs and a more progressive pedal feel.
During a brief media drive on the outskirts of Bengaluru, the hybrid variant demonstrated impressive refinement, with smooth transitions between power sources and a well-judged regenerative braking system that’s noticeable but never intrusive. The standard petrol variant benefits from the chassis refinements with more composed handling through corners and better absorption of road imperfections.
Technology and Safety: Raising the Bar
Honda has significantly enhanced the Elevate’s safety credentials for 2025, with the Honda Sensing suite of active safety features now standard from the V trim upward. This comprehensive package includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Auto High-Beam.
A new 360-degree camera system with dynamic guidelines joins the features list on the ZX trim, making urban parking significantly easier. Other thoughtful additions include a wireless charging pad with cooling function, rear USB-C charging ports, and an air purifier with AQI display integrated into the climate control system – a feature particularly valuable in urban environments.
Pricing and Positioning
With prices starting at Rs 11.58 lakh for the base S petrol manual variant and extending to Rs 16.27 lakh for the range-topping ZX hybrid (ex-showroom, Delhi), the 2025 Elevate positions itself as a premium offering in the compact SUV segment. The hybrid variants command a premium of approximately Rs 1.4 lakh over their petrol counterparts, a difference Honda expects customers to recover through fuel savings within three to four years of typical usage.
Conclusion: Thoughtful Evolution of a Winning Formula
The 2025 Honda Elevate doesn’t reinvent the compact SUV formula but instead refines it with meaningful updates across every aspect of the vehicle. The introduction of hybrid technology brings Honda’s efficiency expertise to the forefront, while the enhanced interior quality and expanded safety features address the few criticisms leveled at the original model.
In a segment crowded with competitors vying for attention through increasingly aggressive styling and feature lists, Honda’s measured approach to evolution stands out. The 2025 Elevate remains true to Honda’s core values of engineering excellence, thoughtful design, and long-term reliability – qualities that may not grab headlines but historically have built lasting customer loyalty.
For buyers prioritizing refinement, efficiency, and understated quality over flash and drama, the updated Elevate makes a compelling case as perhaps the most well-rounded offering in its class.