2026 Volkswagen Taigun Facelift Vs Honda Elevate: So Much Difference!
The Volkswagen Taigun facelift and the Honda Elevate are two very different compact SUVs that cater to different lifestyles
Interested in buying the Volkswagen Taigun facelift? Here’s our Ultimate Buying Guide!
The Volkswagen Taigun might have received a facelift, but it continues to be a driver-focused car that also happens to be comfortable and accommodating enough for a family of four. On the other hand, the Honda Elevate sits in a different tangent where it prioritises space, comfort and practicality over performance and driving feel in its evidently family-oriented package.
In this report, we compare the two SUVs in detail and find out which one might suit your needs better on-paper.
Volkswagen Taigun Vs Honda Elevate: Dimensions
| Model |
2026 Volkswagen Taigun Facelift |
Honda Elevate |
Difference |
| Length |
4,221 mm |
4312 mm |
(-91 mm) |
| Width |
1,760 mm |
1790 mm |
(-30 mm) |
| Height |
1,612 mm |
1650 mm |
(-38 mm) |
| Wheelbase |
2,651 mm |
2650 mm |
+1 mm |
| Boot space |
385-litres |
458-litres |
(-73 litres) |
- The Volkswagen Taigun is amongst the smaller cars in its segment and the numbers clearly show the difference compared to the Honda Elevate.
-
The Honda Elevate is longer, taller, and wider compared to the Volkswagen Taigun, with the maximum difference being in the length of the two cars.
-
Despite the length difference, the Volkswagen Taigun has a longer wheelbase, albeit by just 1 mm.
-
The Honda Elevate has one of the bigger boots in the segment at 458-litres, which is 73-litres bigger than the Volkswagen Taigun.
-
While these are on-paper numbers, in real-life, the Honda Elevate will offer you more space in the second row, and will also be able to accommodate three people with more ease.
Colour options
| 2026 Volkswagen Taigun Facelift |
Honda Elevate |
| Wild Cherry Red* |
Golden Brown Metallic |
| Deep Black |
Radiant Red Metallic* |
| Steel Grey* (new) |
Obsidian Blue Pearl |
| Lava Blue |
Platinum White Pearl* |
| Candy White* |
Crystal Black Pearl |
| Avocado Pearl* (new) |
Lunar Silver Metallic* |
| Reflex Silver* |
Meteoroid Grey Metallic* |
| Carbon Steel |
|
| Carbon Steel Matte |
The Volkswagen Taigun offers more monotone exterior colour options in comparison to the Honda Elevate. While the Taigun in its GT Plus guise offers you a sporty feel with its blacked out elements and red inserts, the Elevate is also available with an ADV edition which brings orange inserts and body decals which stands out from the standard vehicle.
Moreover, the Elevate is also available in a Signature Black and Black edition and as the name suggests, it brings black styling elements around the front, rear, and alloy wheels. A treatment like this is missing in the Taigun.
Volkswagen Taigun Vs Honda Elevate: Features
| Feature |
2026 Volkswagen Taigun Facelift |
Honda Elevate |
| LED Headlamps |
✅ |
✅ |
| Auto Headlamps |
✅ |
✅ |
| LED DRLs |
✅ |
✅ |
| LED front foglamps |
✅ |
✅ |
| Roof Rails |
✅ |
✅ |
| LED Taillamps |
✅ (connected) |
✅ |
| Alloy wheels |
17-inch |
17-inch |
| Powered front seats |
✅(6-way) |
❌ |
| Height-adjustable Driver Seat |
✅ |
✅ |
| Ventilated front seats |
✅ |
❌ |
| Infotainment |
10.1-inch touchscreen |
10.25-inch touchscreen |
| Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto |
✅ |
✅ |
| Instrument Cluster |
✅(10.25-inch) |
7-inch MID with analogue speedo |
| Wireless Phone Charger |
✅ |
✅ |
| Sound system |
6-speaker audio system with subwoofer |
8-speaker |
| Air purifier |
✅ |
❌ |
| Auto-dimming IRVM |
✅ |
✅ |
| Cruise Control |
✅ |
✅ |
| Paddle shifters |
✅ |
✅ |
| Automatic Climate Control |
✅ |
✅ |
| Keyless entry |
✅ |
✅ |
| Sunroof |
Panoramic |
Single-pane |
| Front and rear centre Armrest |
✅ |
✅ |
| Split-folding rear seats |
✅ |
✅ |
| Connected Car Tech |
✅ |
✅ |
| Airbags |
6 |
6 |
| Parking sensors |
✅(Front and rear) |
✅ Rear |
| Parking Camera |
Rear |
360-degree (optional) |
| ESC (electronic stability control) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Rain Sensing Wipers |
✅ |
❌ |
| All-wheel disc brakes |
✅(1.5-litre only) |
❌ |
| Rear wiper and washer with defogger |
✅ |
✅ |
| Hill hold assist |
✅ |
✅ |
| TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) |
✅ Warning only |
✅(via Honda Connect app) |
| ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) |
❌ |
✅ (level-2) |
- Both the Volkswagen Taigun and Honda Elevate aren’t the most feature-loaded cars in their respective segments, but when compared against each other, the Taigun comes out on top with a few additional feel-good features like powered and ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, and a bigger digital driver’s display.
-
The Honda Elevate gets a bigger infotainment system and more speakers (8 compared to Taigun’s 6).
-
In the safety kit too, the Taigun offers all-wheel disc brakes, front parking sensors and rain sensing wipers over the Honda Elevate, but crucially, the Elevate goes one big step up with level-2 autonomous driving assistance system (ADAS) over the Taigun.
-
Ultimately, both SUVs are very evenly matched with only a few convenience features and safety tech separating the two.
Volkswagen Taigun Vs Honda Elevate: Powertrain Options
| 2026 Volkswagen Taigun Facelift |
Honda Elevate |
||
| Engine |
1-litre turbo-petrol |
1.5-litre turbo-petrol |
1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol |
| Cylinders |
3-cylinder |
4-cylinder |
4-cylinder |
| Output |
115 PS / 178 Nm |
150 PS / 250 Nm |
121 PS / 145 Nm |
| Transmission |
6-speed MT/8-speed AT* |
7-speed DCT^ |
6-speed MT/7-step CVT^^ |
| Fuel efficiency (Claimed) |
19.98 kmpl/ 19.54 kmpl |
18.85 kmpl |
15.31 kmpl/ 16.92 kmpl |
-
While the Volkswagen Taigun is a turbo-petrol only offering, the Honda Elevate gets a naturally-aspirated petrol engine only.
-
The 1-litre turbo-petrol of the Taigun and 1.5-litre NA petrol of the Elevate might be close in terms of on-paper outputs, but in real-world usage, the Taigun’s turbo-petrol will feel quicker.
-
The bigger 1.5-litre turbo-petrol in the Taigun offers much superior performance than the Honda Elevate, and suits someone who wants effortless performance everywhere.
-
Both cars get different transmission options. The Taigun features a torque converter automatic with the smaller and a dual-clutch automatic with the bigger engine, while the Honda Elevate gets a continuously variable transmission. The Taigun’s automatics offer a good balance of responsiveness and smoothness, while the Elevate’s CVT is all about smoothness.
| Buyer advice: The Honda Elevate is a car that is best enjoyed when driven in a relaxed manner. It doesn’t like to be pushed too hard, especially with the CVT automatic, and is a good option if the majority of your drives are bound to city usage. Both the Taigun’s engines offer good performance that is suitable for both the city and highway. Upgrade to the bigger 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine only if you foresee a lot of long-distance highway runs or you want strong performance that puts a smile on your face. |
Price Rivals
| Car |
2026 Volkswagen Taigun facelift |
Honda Elevate |
| Price (ex-showroom) |
Rs 11 lakh to Rs 19.3 lakh |
Rs 11.60 lakh to Rs 16.57 lakh |
The Volkswagen Taigun undercuts the Honda Elevate by Rs 60,000 for its entry-level variant. However, given that the Elevate doesn’t get a turbo-petrol engine with an expensive DCT transmission and also misses out on a few convenience features, its top-spec variant is nearly Rs 3 lakh more affordable.
Both the SUVs go up against rivals like the Kia Seltos, Tata Sierra, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq, Maruti Grand Vitara and Victoris, MG Astor and Honda Elevate.
Volkswagen Taigun Vs Honda Elevate: Which one should you buy?
Choosing between the Volkswagen Taigun and Honda Elevate is pretty simple as they cater to two very separate needs and lifestyles.
The Honda Elevate is a safe and sensible option that clearly focuses on practicality, space and comfort over fancy features and powerful powertrain options. If your priorities lie in ferrying your entire family with three people at the back, and you don’t care about performance, but rather smoothness and refinement, then the Honda Elevate won’t give you a reason to complain about. It isn’t the richest in terms of creature comforts, but there isn’t anything critical that you’ll miss on your daily drives either.
On the other hand, while the Taigun also does family duties fairly well, it is only spacious enough for four adults. It offers you more powerful engine options that feel exciting to drive, especially with the bigger engine, but this performance comes at the cost. The ride comfort feels superb on the highway, but won’t feel as plush and cushioned as the Honda Elevate over bad roads. So if you’re okay with sacrificing on the space and comfort aspect for a few more features and driving feel at higher speeds, and don’t mind paying a premium for them, then the Volkswagen Taigun will be a good fit for you.
Other Options To Consider
- Hyundai Creta: Offers multiple variants and powertrain options to choose from, which makes it suitable for different budgets and use cases. Check out how the new Volkswagen Taigun compares with the Hyundai Creta here.
- Maruti Grand Vitara/Toyota Hyryder: Safe, reliable and all-round packages that offer superior fuel efficiency with their strong-hybrid powertrain along with a really comfortable ride quality. This is how the Taigun fares against the Grand Vitara. And if you want to know how the Taigun compares against the Hyryder, tap this link.
- Maruti Victoris: A more modern version of the Maruti Grand Vitara - same efficient and capable powertrain options, great ride comfort, but more features and technology that’s on par with the segment. Detailed on-paper comparison with the Taigun here.
- Tata Sierra: A car with one of the best features, space, and ride comfort packages in the entire segment. Multiple powertrain options and variants to choose from make it a good fit for different needs. Check how Sierra fares with Taigun here.
- Kia Seltos: Largest car in its class with a family-friendly package that includes a slew of creature comforts, advanced safety features, multiple powertrains and on-point ergonomics. You can read a detailed comparison of the Volkswagen Taigun and Kia Seltos here.
- MG Astor: One of the oldest cars in the segment available without any update and yet, it offers one of the most premium interior experiences in the entire segment. Only gets a single NA petrol engine option and also misses out on a few features compared to its rivals. We have compared the Taigun with the Astor here.
- Renault Duster: One of the best driver’s cars in the segment that also feels properly tough and comfortable as a ladder-frame SUV. Offers good space for four occupants and packs all the modern-day features of this segment making it one of the best options to consider in the segment. Check out how the Duster and Taigun compares here.
- Skoda Kushaq facelift: Taigun’s platform sibling offers you a fun driving experience, while seating four people in comfort. It doesn’t set any segment benchmarks in terms of features but you won’t miss anything either. Taigun vs Skoda Kushaq comparison here.
Read how the Volkswagen Taigun facelift has evolved over the outgoing model in this story.