Honda Elevate 1.5 Elegance (2025) Review

The compact SUV battlefield in South Africa is more crowded than a Checkers parking lot on payday, but Honda reckons its popular Elevate still has what it takes to rise above the fray. We spent another week with the top-spec Elegance model in 2025 to see if it still deserves a place on your shopping list.

Fast Facts

Pros

• Spacious Interior

• Large Boot

• Comprehensive Safety
  

• Well-equipped
  

Cons

•  Powertrain prioritises reliability and efficiency over acceleration.

• Smaller Infotainment Screen

• Real-world Fuel Consumption is higher than claimed figures
  

Styling

The Honda Elevate won't be featured on any automotive magazine covers, but it has an honest, no-nonsense appearance. Think of it as the automotive equivalent of a slim-fit, long-sleeved cotton shirt from Old Khaki with a bit of stretch: not flashy, but always appropriate, super comfortable, and surprisingly versatile. The Elevate isn't trying to fool anyone into thinking it's a Range Rover, but it looks ready for most things our roads may bring. Handy roof rails add to its outdoor-loving appearance while attractive 17-inch alloys raise its upmarket ambience.

Related: Top 10 car features loved by women

It's looks may be boy-next-door, but living with the Elevate is effortless.

Interior

Open the driver's door and you're immediately reminded why Honda has such a loyal following. Everything is exactly where common sense suggests it should be, with switches and controls that feel like they'll still be working when the next generation takes over driving duties.

The Elegance model pampers you with leather seats and a sunroof (you open it manually) that lets in some welcome winter sun.

Related: 6 Extras to fit on your Elevate

Ergonomics rule the roost in Honda products, and we love the sound system.

The dashboard layout follows a refreshingly straightforward design in an age of overly complicated interfaces. The front gets two USB-A ports, while rear passengers get a 12V outlet where a portable USB hub can be plugged in to satisfy the family's electronic addiction during road trips.

Below the air-conditioning controls, you'll find a sizeable shelf with a surprisingly effective smartphone charging pad. This pad will power up your phone when needed. During our test drive in 2024, it didn't work, so I was happy that this one was fully functional.

The straightforward touchscreen system has designated buttons on the right for easy access to the most critical functionalities. It comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the impressive sound system has 6 speakers. It may not have the sizeable screen of the Omoda C5 X-Series or Mitsubishi Outlander, but the job gets done.

Related: Should you buy a used Honda Elevate?

The elegant dashboard has a practical layout.

Space and Comfort

The interior space feels like Honda's engineers pulled a Mary Poppins trick, somehow creating more room than the exterior dimensions suggest possible.

The rear seat accommodates three full-sized adults without requiring advanced yoga skills (and offers 3 x three-point seatbelts), while the front provides legroom galore. Storage solutions abound, from sensibly sized cup holders to door pockets deep enough for light shopping from your favourite farm stall. There's an armrest binnacle up front, and the rear seat has an armrest with more cup holders. Rear passengers have their air vents.

High-quality, easy-to-clean leather is best for family cars, as seen in the Elegance model. (Please note that 2025 models have a central 3-point seatbelt.)

That 458-litre boot easily accommodates family camping gear, weekly grocery hauls, or spontaneous wine farm purchases. Fold the rear seats, and you've got enough space to transport a bicycle without removing the front wheel. It's one of the biggest boots in the segment! The low loading lip makes it ideal for parents who need to stow heavy baby buggies.

Lifting heavy objects into the boot is child's play!

The Drive

Honda's trusty 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine delivers like a reliable employee: It might not be the most exciting performer, but it shows up consistently and gets the job done effectively.

The CVT gearbox makes that characteristic humming noise under full acceleration, but Honda's sound engineers clearly made the cabin a quiet place to spend time in, resulting in less of a CVT drone than you'd find in the HR-V. Road noise is minimal, and you can converse at highway speed without using sign language.

The suspension setup strikes a good balance between comfort and control, and is compliant enough to absorb the depth of your average pothole without jarring your spine. With its 200mm of ground clearance, the Elevate is built in India, where generous suspension travel is required. It's an easy drive, designed to simplify your life, and doesn't bamboozle you with user-unfriendly tech.

Related: Is the Honda Elevate good for families?

The full suite of LED lights ensure you're always visible to other traffic.

Performance

The Elevate's powertrain prioritises reliability and efficiency over outright excitement, like choosing a dependable accountant over a flashy investment advisor. The 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine produces 89kW and 145Nm of torque, adequate figures that provide linear, predictable responses.

Acceleration is steady rather than thrilling, and the car pulls cleanly from low revs with enough mid-range flexibility for what the average person encounters on their daily drive.

Everything in the Elevate is exactly where you need it to be.

Safety

Honda approaches safety with the same methodical thoroughness it applies to reliability. The electronic safety nets work seamlessly in the background and will only intervene should things go awry—and they probably won't. The multi-view rearview camera also offers you 'eyes' wherever you need them.

Six airbags in the Elegance model provide comprehensive protection (dual front, front side, and side curtain airbags create a protective cocoon around occupants). Honda's ACE body structure technology distributes crash energy effectively.

The Elevate's 5-star rating from Japan NCAP should also put your mind at ease, especially since it scored 90% overall in the tests. Three years of AA roadside assistance adds extra security. 

Honda Elevate first drive review (2024)

The Elevate has aced all of its crash tests!

Fuel Consumption

The Elevate's efficiency credentials are decent, though real-world figures tell a slightly different story than the brochure claims. Honda reckons the Elegance CVT will sip just 6.1 L/100km. Still, our week of varied driving (city commuting, highway cruising, and suburban school runs) returned a more realistic 7.0 L/100km, which is achievable for most people if you stick to the speed limit and don't drive like a madman. However, it can easily rise to 7.4 - 7.8 if you find yourself stuck in traffic often. 

The 40-litre tank provides sufficient range for most families' weekly adventures. You're looking at around R850 for a full tank that gives you roughly 570 km of range, working out to plus/minus R150 for every 100km of driving (based on 7L/100 km).

Related: How often should you service your Honda Elevate?

If your right foot behaves, but you often encounter traffic, you can expect this kind of fuel economy.

Price

At R430 800 for the Elegance model, the Elevate is not cheap but offers great value. When you factor in Honda's legendary reliability and strong resale values, the initial purchase price starts to look like a good investment in the long run.

Honda's 5-year/200 000km warranty plus 4-year/60 000km service plan provides peace of mind that extends well beyond the honeymoon period. Service intervals every 15 000km are reasonable and manageable for most driving patterns.

(Wondering how it fares against competitors? Read our shootout article where it goes against the Mitsubishi Outlander, Omoda X-Series and VW T-Cross.)

We also pit it against the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Toyota Urban Cruiser here.

It's not cheap, but it's also a Honda, and it's well-specified.

The Verdict

The Honda Elevate succeeds by focusing on what matters to South African families rather than chasing the latest automotive fashion trends. It's spacious without being unwieldy, efficient without boring, and reliable without being basic. In a segment of vehicles trying to be everything to everyone, the Elevate is very good at the things that matter most. 

This is automotive common sense wrapped in an attractive, practical package, and will quietly and competently serve as your family's trusted transport for years to come.

The Honda Elevate still delivers if you want comfort, practicality, reliability, and great value.