Honda Elevate Safety Rating: Japan Gives it 5 Stars, But Will India Follow?
Key Highlights
- NCAP safety ratings are not a legal requirement in most countries and are initiated by manufacturers voluntarily.
- The made-in-India Honda Elevate (WR-V in Japan) scored 5 stars in April 2025 Japan NCAP.
- Honda Car India is yet to send the Elevate for Global or Bharat NCAP crash safety tests.
Honda Car India has big plans for the coming years, but at the moment, the portfolio feels less exciting compared to its main competitors. The Japanese automaker essentially has only three products: Amaze, City (including its Hybrid variant) and Elevate. Honda, once an aspirational brand among the wider Indian mass, seems to have lost its momentum somewhere post the introduction of BS6 emission norms. Even the previous-gen Amaze sub-4m sedan is still available as the brand’s entry-level product.
The Honda Elevate, aimed to rival the segment-leading Hyundai Creta, is currently the brand’s only SUV (compact crossover, technically). It offers great space on the inside, upmarket safety equipment and a tall driving position. Honda Car India exports the Elevate to multiple markets, including Japan (as the Honda WR-V). In early 2025, the crossover hit a cumulative sales milestone of 1 lakh units. Let us explore the Honda Elevate in greater detail!
Honda Elevate: NCAP Safety Ratings
Honda Car India has not tested the Elevate in Global NCAP or Bharat NCAP. However, the 2024MY Japanese-spec Honda WR-V secured an impressive 5-star rating (176.23/193.8) in Japan NCAP (April 2025). Apart from a few mandatory safety systems, such as rear seatbelt pretensioners and pedal misapplication prevention, the WR-V is largely similar to the Elevate. It scored 82.22/85.8 (Rank A) in Preventive Safety Performance, 86.01/100 (Rank A; 57.73 Passenger Protection; 28.28 Pedestrian Protection) in Collision Safety Performance and 8/8 in Automatic Emergency Call System.
Honda Elevate: Safety Features & Highlights
The Honda Elevate sports Level 2 ADAS alongside other welcome additions. Dubbed Honda Sensing, key ADAS safety features include collision mitigation braking, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, leading car departure notification and automatic high beam. Other highlights extend to six airbags, 360-degree camera, 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, ambient lighting, remote smartphone control, hill start assist and 8-speaker surround sound system.
Honda Elevate: Specs, Fuel Efficiency & Dimensions
The 2026MY Honda Elevate, like every other Honda Car India product now, comes solely in petrol format. It is powered by a 1.5-litre iVTEC 4-cylinder NA petrol engine making 121ps @ 6,600rpm and 145Nm @ 4,300rpm. Transmission duties are carried out by either a 6-speed manual or a 7-step CVT. ARAI fuel efficiency figures hit 15.31km/l and 16.92km/l, respectively. It is quite rare to see an automatic variant promising better fuel efficiency than its manual alternative. However, real-world fuel economy can greatly vary based on driving characteristics and road conditions.
Honda discontinued its diesel lineup in early 2023 owing to the economic commitments required to meet Real Driving Emission (RDE) or BS6 Phase II. This was a rather unfortunate business decision since the brand’s 1.5-litre iDTEC diesel mill was praised by many. It was offered in the WR-V sub-4m crossover, first-gen Amaze sub-4m sedan and City C-segment sedan.
An iDTEC variant would have boosted Elevate sales by a good margin, especially since diesel powertrains remain the more desirable choice in larger vehicles. For reference, the Honda City 1.5-litre iDTEC 4-cylinder diesel churned out roughly 100ps @ 3,600rpm and 200Nm @ 1,750rpm while mated to a 6-speed manual. If driven gently, the powertrain promised close to 25km/l!
The Honda Elevate offers a 458-litre boot and a 5.2m turning radius. Unladen ground clearance, at 220mm, is the highest in the segment. Only hardcore 4x4 SUVs have a higher clearance.
Honda Elevate: Variants & Prices
The 2026MY Honda Elevate is available in six variants: SV (manual only), V, VX, ZX, ZX Black and ADV Edition (limited). Ex-showroom (Delhi) prices are as follows:
- SV (MT only): ₹11.60 lakh
- V: ₹12.06-13.22 lakh
- VX: ₹13.75-14.91 lakh
- ZX: ₹14.98-16.16 lakh
- ZX Black (painted in Crystal Black Pearl): ₹15.07-16.25 lakh
- ADV Edition: ₹15.39-16.58 lakh
There are eight standard colour choices: Lunar Silver Metallic, Obsidian Blue Pearl, Radiant Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Golden Brown Metallic, Meteoroid Grey Metallic, Platinum White Pearl with Crystal Black Pearl Roof and Radiant Red Metallic with Crystal Black Pearl Roof. The ADV Edition sports ‘ADV’ decals, black-out elements and orange accents over Lunar Silver Metallic and Meteoroid Grey Metallic, with the option for Crystal Black Pearl Roof.
Elevating Confidence
The Honda Elevate is a well-rounded product for the price. It offers good space, great comfort and enhanced safety features. The 5-star Japan NCAP rating is definitely a confidence booster, as the version tested is nearly identical to the one sold in India. Considering the close alignment of Bharat NCAP with Indian driving conditions, the Honda Elevate could potentially hit a 5-star safety rating in all categories. However, true automotive safety goes beyond NCAP rating. In the journey forward, it is crucial to have safety equipment such as Level 2 ADAS, which the Honda Elevate already has.
FAQs
1. Does the Honda Elevate have a diesel variant?
No, the Honda Elevate comes only with a 1.5-litre iVTEC NA petrol engine.
2. Is the Honda Elevate AWD?
No, the Honda Elevate is a front-wheel-drive compact crossover with a class-leading ground clearance of 220mm.
3. What is the Global NCAP rating of the Honda Elevate?
The Honda Elevate has not been tested in Global NCAP, but its Japanese-spec sibling, WR-V, has secured 5 stars in Japan NCAP.
4. What is the starting price of the Honda Elevate?
Ex-showroom (Delhi) prices of the Honda Elevate start at ₹11.60 lakh for the SV manual trim.
5. How many cars does Honda sell in India?
As of 2026, Honda Car India sells only six products: 2nd Gen Amaze, All New Amaze, Elevate, City and City e:HEV.