Honda Cars India has launched the 2026 Elevate facelift at a starting price of Rs 11.80 lakh (ex-showroom). This is the first major update to the midsize SUV since its 2023 debut. The changes are mostly cosmetic and equipment-related, and the engine and gearbox options are unchanged. Bookings opened on October 1, 2026.
Highlights –
New grille, LED signatures and a new Nordic Forest Pearl colour
New ZX+ and ZX+ Black trims with rear-seat ventilation and a 360-degree camera
Same 1.5-litre petrol with MT and CVT options
Price & Variants
| Variant | Petrol-MT | Petrol-CVT |
|---|---|---|
| SV | Rs 11.80 lakh | – |
| V | Rs 12.29 lakh | Rs 13.79 lakh |
| VX | Rs 13.93 lakh | Rs 15.39 lakh |
| ZX | Rs 15.39 lakh | Rs 16.89 lakh |
| ZX+ | Rs 16.80 lakh | Rs 18.30 lakh |
| ZX+ Black | Rs 16.90 lakh | Rs 18.40 lakh |
All prices ex-showroom, introductory. MT – Manual Transmission, CVT – Continuously Variable Transmission.
- The starting price is unchanged at Rs 11.80 lakh. The V and VX start Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 higher, and the ZX starts Rs 21,000 higher.
- The CVT costs Rs 1.50 lakh more than the MT on most trims. The VX is the exception, at Rs 1.46 lakh.
- The ZX+ Black costs Rs 10,000 more than the regular ZX+ with either gearbox, and its price includes Crystal Black Pearl paint.
- Pearl and dual-tone paints cost extra.
- Bookings are open at dealerships and on Honda’s website for Rs 21,000.
Design
Front
- New mesh grille with a gloss-black finish
- Segmented LED DRL strip above the grille (position lights from the VX upwards)
- Fog lamp housings now in body colour
- Honda logo moved to the leading edge of the bonnet
Side
- 17-inch alloys from the VX upwards. The ZX and ZX+ get a darker finish, and the ZX+ Black gets gloss-black alloys.
- Body cladding now has a gloss-black finish instead of matte.
Rear
- New LED light bar connecting the tail-lamps
- Updated roof rails and gloss-black lower bumper garnish
- The dimensions are unchanged: 4,312mm long, 1,790mm wide, 1,650mm tall, with a 2,650mm wheelbase and 220mm ground clearance.
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Colour Options
The range gets 7 single-tone and 3 dual-tone options. The new colour is Nordic Forest Pearl (NEW), a blue-green shade offered in single-tone and dual-tone. Dual-tone paint is limited to the ZX+ CVT. It pairs a black roof with Nordic Forest Pearl, Radiant Red Metallic or Platinum White Pearl.
Interior
- New ivory-and-black cabin theme with revised upholstery and roof lining
- More white leatherette padding and stitching on the dashboard, replacing the faux wood trim
- Soft-touch dashboard and door surfaces on higher trims
- Ambient lighting, earlier a dealer-fitted option, is now factory-fitted from the VX
- The ZX+ Black gets a black cabin with black leather and trim
Features & Safety
New features
- Ventilated rear seats, which Honda says is a first in the segment (ZX+)
- Powered front seats on the ZX+, 8-way for the driver and 4-way for the front passenger
- Ventilated front seats from the ZX upwards
- 360-degree camera and front parking sensors (ZX+)
- Capacitive-touch rear LED reading lamps
- Electronic parking brake with auto-hold and rear disc brakes on CVT variants from the V upwards
- PM2.5 air-quality display with auto clean-air function (VX onwards)
- USB Type-C ports front and rear on higher trims
Carried over
- 10.25-inch touchscreen on the ZX and above (the V gets an 8-inch unit)
- Semi-digital instrument cluster, sunroof, wireless charger and 6 airbags
ADAS –
Honda Sensing is offered from the ZX upwards. Adaptive cruise control now adds a low-speed follow function, but only with the CVT.
Refinement
Honda says it has added more sound-deadening material to reduce cabin noise, one of the outgoing car’s main criticisms. This is a claim and will need verifying in a road test.
Powertrain Options
| 1.5-litre Petrol | |
|---|---|
| Power | 121PS @ 6,600rpm |
| Torque | 145Nm @ 4,300rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT / CVT with paddle shifters |
| Claimed mileage | 15.31kmpl (MT) / 16.61kmpl (CVT) |
The claimed CVT mileage is lower than the outgoing car’s 16.92kmpl. There is still no hybrid option, unlike the City.
Rivals
The Elevate takes on the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun.
Our Take
The facelift fixes the Elevate’s weak points, which were a plain look, a modest equipment list and cabin noise, without changing its simple petrol-only formula. Rear-seat ventilation and the 360-degree camera are headline features, and the starting price has not moved. The caveat is that the top of the range is now much costlier, and the best features are only on the ZX+ trims. Take a test drive, especially to judge the claimed NVH improvement, before choosing a variant.
What do you think of the Elevate facelift? Let us know in the comments below!
