The 1.5-litre 4-cylinder i-VTEC makes 121 PS at 6,600 rpm and 145 Nm at 4,300 rpm. Being naturally aspirated, power builds as the revs climb rather than arriving in a surge from low rpm.

In city driving, this works entirely in the car’s favour, as the response is linear and predictable. The CVT keeps the engine in its useful power band without drama, and the whole package is easier to manage in traffic than most rivals. I found myself using only light throttle inputs most of the time, and the car was easing forward without the rubber-band feel some CVTs still show.

On the highway, pressing the accelerator past 80 kmph for an overtake makes the CVT hold the revs high while speed builds. The cabin gets louder, the engine sounds more strained, and the manoeuvre takes longer than it would in a turbo-petrol.

Once you settle into a steady cruise between 80 and 100 kmph with the AC running, the engine relaxes, the cabin quietens and the car feels planted. Wind noise starts entering around 100 kmph and road noise is present but not intrusive if you keep the music at a normal level.

The CVT in dense city traffic is one of the better transmission experiences available in this segment at this price. There is no hunting, no lurching and no jerkiness at low speeds. On longer drives, I occasionally used the paddle shifters to hold a higher ratio for overtakes and the response felt immediate enough for everyday use.

However, if you are looking for more exciting options, here are the most powerful turbo petrol SUVs you can explore in a similar price range.

ARAI rates the ZX CVT at 16.92 kmpl. In dense city traffic with AC on, I consistently saw 10 to 12 kmpl on tank-to-tank calculations. The MID usually reads 1 to 2 kmpl higher.

On mixed highway runs I managed 15 to 17 kmpl without trying hard, and a couple of expressway stretches returned figures closer to 18-19 kmpl when speeds stayed around 90-100 kmph.

Naturally aspirated petrol engines are less punishing of enthusiastic throttle as compared to turbo-petrols, so efficiency does not collapse the moment you push them hard.

The only three words that can sum up the Elevate's interior are spacious, simple, and black. Unlike the toyish decor that has started gracing Tata and Mahindra SUVs lately (more on that later), Honda has always taken a subtle approach. The interior feels wide, solid, and built to prioritise the driver. The clear, easy to read gauge cluster and physical buttons for critical functions like the AC are exactly what I expect from a Honda product, and they deliver.

The dashboard, door cards, headliner, and leatherette seats are all finished in matching dark tones, making the cabin feel more premium and cohesive than the standard dual tone interior. It is a good looking space, and the single pane sunroof adds some airiness.

Space itself is the Elevate's biggest strength. Rear legroom is genuinely class leading, and two tall adults can sit in the back without compromise. Headroom, both front and rear, is equally generous thanks to the SUV's upright shape.

The seats are well padded with good lateral support and remain comfortable over long drives without causing the lower back fatigue that some rivals do.

While there is a front armrest, it doesn’t serve its purpose. It is non adjustable, positioned too low, and too narrow to be genuinely comfortable on long highway drives, especially for larger drivers.

The 10.25 inch touchscreen is responsive with virtually no noticeable lag. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay work well, although I did hear from a couple of Elevate owners at the dealership that they occasionally disconnect for a few seconds.

My bigger issue is the buttons below the display. They feel weirdly slim, flimsy, and offer almost no reassuring tactile feedback.

They simply don't feel as well engineered as the rest of the cabin.

An eight speaker sound system and ambient lighting round off the highlights of the top spec infotainment package.

Now, I'll contradict myself from what I said at the beginning of this section. The simplicity of the Honda Elevate only appeals to someone actively looking for it, not someone born in or anywhere near the Gen Z era.

Buyers today have grown up with smartphones, giant touchscreens, connected tech, and feature packed products. SUVs like the Creta, Seltos, and Sierra offer exactly that, and this is one of the biggest reasons behind their strong sales numbers.

Compared to them, the Elevate simply feels under equipped. There is no panoramic sunroof, no ventilated seats, no fancy UI, and not even something as simple (and in my opinion, mandatory) as a USB Type C port.

We Indians do care about making an impression, and half the cars sold here are bought as much for the features as they are for the badge.

Sadly, no matter how good the Elevate's engine and driving manners are, the rest of the package simply doesn't keep up with what most buyers want, and what its rivals offer in this segment.

The all-black finish was the main reason I did not hesitate when the Elevate Black Edition arrived for the drive. On paper it looked like the closest thing to a Japanese Batmobile in this segment. Seeing it in person, one question came up immediately: why add a thick strip of chrome across the front of an otherwise blacked-out SUV? If the theme is all black, it should stay that way. The bright chrome feels unnecessary and slightly undercuts the stealthy look.

Crystal Black Pearl is easily the best colour for the Elevate. It complements the upright stance, flat bonnet and clean proportions far better than any of the lighter shades. The darker paint also highlights the sharp body lines and gives the car a more purposeful road presence.

Up front, the chrome strip on the upper grille is the only major interruption. Everything else, including the lower grille, bumper inserts, skid plate and air intake surrounds, stays dark and gives the nose a clean, aggressive appearance. The 17-inch dual-tone diamond-cut alloys with black inserts fill the wheel arches nicely and suit the proportions. The silver roof rails and silver door lower garnish still feel out of place on a special edition built around a stealthy theme. Black finishes for those pieces would have completed the package.

At the rear the design stays simple with sleek LED tail lamps connected by a clean tailgate. The subtle Black Edition badge on the left of the tailgate is tastefully done. From the side, the thick C-pillar, large glasshouse and upright profile give a strong SUV stance that looks especially good in black. The unpainted plastic sections on the lower front bumper stand out more than they should and feel like a cost-saving measure, yet overall the Elevate remains one of the best-looking black-themed SUVs in the segment.

6 airbags are standard across the entire Elevate lineup from the base SV. The ZX Black Edition does not have more airbags than the variant below it, but it carries the Honda Sensing ADAS suite that is exclusive to the ZX.

It gets front discs and rear drum brakes, with a progressive pedal that is easy to modulate. However, I found the emergency braking with ADAS to be slightly over-sensitive in dense city traffic, triggering on slow-moving vehicles ahead before I intended to brake myself.

The Elevate has a 5-star rating from Japan NCAP. It has not been submitted for Bharat NCAP or Global NCAP testing.

The Elevate sits in one of the most competitive SUV segments in the country.

The segment leader Creta is arguably its toughest rival. Its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine is significantly more powerful and feels much quicker during overtakes. The Hyundai is also much more feature loaded.

Against the Seltos, the Elevate trades a longer feature list for a larger boot, more rear seat space, and a smoother naturally aspirated CVT driving experience. As the Creta’s sportier sibling, the Seltos offers premium features such as ventilated seats and a panoramic sunroof.

The Elevate fights back against its Korean rivals with a roomier rear cabin, a noticeably larger 458-litre boot, and Honda's reliability and hassle-free ownership experience.

Although better than many rivals, the Elevate does not match the sharp handling and engaging driving dynamics of the Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun. In return, it offers a more comfortable ride, a roomier cabin, and a bigger boot, making it the easier SUV to live with if you regularly travel with five adults.

The Maruti Victoris is another close alternative. It edges ahead with stronger safety credentials and more powertrain options like CNG and strong hybrid in addition to a standard petrol engine. The Elevate counters this with a more solid-feeling cabin, better rear seat comfort, and one of the largest boots in the segment.However, I fail to understand why Honda has not introduced a hybrid on the Elevate yet, especially when it is already offering the City e:HEV.

The Honda Elevate perfectly sums up what Honda as a brand stands for. It does not try to wow you with massive screens, flashy ambient lighting or a brochure full of features you will rarely use. Instead it focuses on the fundamentals that matter once the novelty wears off: a refined engine, excellent visibility, genuinely class-leading rear-seat space, a huge boot, comfortable seats and the kind of solid build quality that inspires confidence over years of ownership.

That approach is refreshing, but it also explains why the Elevate has not enjoyed the same success as some of its rivals. Today’s buyers expect their SUV to feel modern the moment they step inside, and the Elevate simply does not create that first impression. The missing convenience features, dated instrument cluster and conservative cabin make it feel older than it actually is, despite being one of the newest entrants in the segment.

For me the Black Edition is easily the best-looking version of the Elevate. The all-black treatment suits its upright proportions and gives it a far stronger road presence than the standard colours. I just wish Honda had committed fully by ditching the chrome trim and adding a few missing features that buyers now consider essential.

If you judge a car by how it drives and lives with you every day rather than how it looks on a spec sheet, the Elevate remains one of the best choices in its class. It is simply aimed at a different kind of buyer than most of its competitors.

The Rs 10,000 difference between the standard ZX CVT and the ZX CVT Black Edition is not worth thinking about. Take the Black Edition.

The Rs 68,000 gap between the Black Edition and the Signature Black Edition is a real decision. The Signature removes the silver exterior accents and adds 7-colour ambient lighting inside. If you keep the car in the day mostly, the difference in exterior finish is subtle. If you use the car at night regularly, the ambient lighting in the Signature makes the all-black cabin feel like a noticeably more expensive car. It is a genuine upgrade, not a gimmick.

If you are comparing the ZX Black Edition against the standard VX CVT, which sits Rs 2.5 lakh lower, be clear about what you are buying. If Honda Sensing ADAS with adaptive cruise control, the LaneWatch camera, and the collision mitigation system matter to your use case, the ZX is the minimum entry. If they do not, the VX at Rs 14.90 lakh covers the sunroof, leatherette seats, 17-inch alloys, and the wireless connectivity without the ADAS.

For those of you comparing across the segment, the Elevate earns its price for 5-seater family use where rear passenger comfort, boot space, and reliable long-term ownership matter most. It loses the argument when the priorities are engine options, features-per-rupee, or an independently verified crash test result.