2026 Honda Elevate Facelift Vs Skoda Kushaq: Which One Should You Buy And Why?

The Honda Elevate and the Skoda Kushaq have both received their first facelifts this year, with the Elevate being the newest one to be refreshed. Both cars are exclusively offered with a petrol engine. In today's comparison, we put the Honda Elevate against the Skoda Kushaq. While the Kushaq is one of the most fun-to-drive offerings in the segment, the Elevate is a strong competitor, given its reliability, space, and comfort around this price range.

With both cars sharing a similar price range and catering to buyers looking for a feature-loaded, comfortable, and practical mid-size SUV with a spacious cabin along with various powertrain options, they differ in terms of design, pricing, features, and overall value proposition. Let’s compare the Honda Elevate and the Skoda Kushaq to find out which one deserves a place in your garage:

Price

• The Honda Elevate is offered with a total of 12 variants, spread across a single petrol engine with both manual and automatic transmission options.

• The Skoda Kushaq, on the other hand, is also available with 12 variants, but you can choose from two different turbo petrol engines, of which the larger 1.5-litre engine is exclusively offered with an automatic transmission.

• The Skoda Kushaq starts at a lower Rs 10.69 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base petrol MT variant and goes up to Rs 19.19 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-spec petrol 1.5 DSG variant.

• The Honda Elevate starts at a higher Rs 11.80 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base petrol variant and goes up to Rs 18.50 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-spec petrol CVT variant.

Let’s find out what you get in each car for similar money:

Dimensions

• The Honda Elevate is the overall bigger of the two, being larger in almost every dimension, including length, width, and height. This also translates into a spacious cabin, with real-world user reports suggesting that the Elevate offers more knee room.

• The wheelbase of both cars is identical, with the Kushaq offering 1 mm more.

• The difference between the dimensions of the two SUVs is not small; the Elevate leaps in this domain by a respectable margin, especially in terms of length.

• The Elevate offers a larger 458-litre boot, which means you can carry big suitcases and more luggage with ease.

Colour Options

• The top-spec variant of the Honda Elevate gets a dual-tone roof treatment on all colours, which is also offered on the Skoda Kushaq.

• The Kushaq’s top-spec variant gets a Monte Carlo edition with sporty black styling elements and a dual-tone roof treatment.

• The Elevate also gets an additional Black Edition variant with an all-Black exterior colour and styling elements.

Features And Safety

• Both cars are very well equipped, offering a long list of convenience and safety features including a touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, premium speakers, electrically adjustable driver seats, ventilated front seats, sunroof, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, automatic headlights, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, leatherette upholstery, and 6 airbags.

• The cabin of both cars feels fairly premium with a dual-tone theme and leatherette upholstery.

• The Skoda Kushaq offers additional features like a panoramic sunroof, a fully digital instrument cluster, rear seat massage function, a cooled glove box, and TPMS.

• The Honda Elevate has its own set of pros, offering extra features like a Level-2 ADAS, a 360-degree camera, electronic parking brake with auto-hold, ventilated rear seats, and a better 8-speaker sound system.

• To sum up, both the Elevate and Kushaq have their own strengths and weaknesses. The Elevate offers more safety tech, while the Kushaq impresses with its performance. Ignoring a few high-tech features, a similar feature package can be found in both cars.

Powertrain Options

In terms of powertrain options, the Honda Elevate comes with a single 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine option, which is available with a choice of both a manual and a CVT automatic transmission. In comparison, the Skoda Kushaq gets two turbo petrol engine options. These include a 1-litre turbo petrol engine and a larger 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine. The 1-litre engine gets both manual and automatic options, while the 1.5-litre unit is offered exclusively with a 7-speed DSG. This helps the Kushaq give buyers the choice of the powertrain that fits them best.

Here’s a quick look at all the powertrain options in detail:

MT- manual transmission; CVT- continuously variable transmission (automatic); DCT- dual-clutch transmission (automatic)

• Honda offers the Elevate with a single engine option, but the Kushaq takes advantage here, with a choice of two engine options.

• The Skoda Kushaq appeals to enthusiastic drivers with the availability of turbo petrol engines, which is also one of its main advantages in this comparison.

• The 1.5-litre engine on the Kushaq uses the controversial DQ200 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox, which delivers great performance but has a high maintenance cost and a reliability risk in some cases.

• The Elevate’s CVT automatic gearbox, in comparison, is reliable and feels very smooth in daily city traffic, but it incorporates the infamous “rubberband effect” during hard acceleration.

• The Elevate’s naturally aspirated petrol engine produces slightly more power than the Kushaq’s smaller 1-litre engine.

• Considering the price range both cars belong to, the engine options on the Kushaq should be picked if you’re an enthusiastic driver. The Elevate is not far behind. The 1.5-litre engine on the Elevate has already been serving Indian customers for over two decades, has a reliable image, and is also opted for by enthusiasts because of its strong punch in the top-end RPM range.

CarDekho Says…

The Honda Elevate has a clear advantage over the Skoda Kushaq in terms of size, cabin space, and boot capacity. It is larger in almost every dimension and offers a 73-litre bigger boot, making it the more practical choice for families. However, the Kushaq counters with its European engineering and a more performance-focused powertrain lineup, making it a more engaging choice for driving enthusiasts. The Elevate, on the other hand, offers a reliable and proven naturally aspirated petrol engine with a CVT automatic gearbox.

The Kushaq also gets a panoramic sunroof, fully digital instrument cluster, rear seat massage function, cooled glovebox, and TPMS. The Elevate, however, offers a more comprehensive safety and convenience package with Level-2 ADAS, a 360-degree camera, electronic parking brake with auto-hold, ventilated rear seats, and a better 8-speaker sound system. While both SUVs offer a comparable feature package overall, their strengths lie in different areas.

With prices starting at Rs 10.69 lakh, the Kushaq is more affordable than the Elevate at the entry level, while its top-spec variants are more expensive. Both SUVs make a strong case for themselves, with the Elevate being the more spacious and practical choice, while the Kushaq stands out with its European driving dynamics, turbo-petrol performance, and youthful appeal. It has become a go-to choice for buyers who enjoy driving, while the Elevate is better suited to those prioritising long-term reliability, space, comfort, and safety. Ultimately, the choice depends on whether you prefer the Kushaq's performance-oriented character or the Elevate's practicality and comfort.

Which one of these two cars would you buy? Let us know in the comments!

Other Options To Consider

The Honda Elevate and Skoda Kushaq are both great products in their respective domains. While the Elevate has been in India since 2023 and already has a loyal customer base, the Kushaq has set high performance standards ever since its launch in 2021. But you can still have a look at some of the alternatives to these cars in the segment and what they bring to the table:

• Kia Seltos: A good alternative if you want a feature-loaded SUV with a premium cabin, a reliable brand image, and multiple engine and gearbox options to choose from.

• Renault Duster / Nissan Tekton: For their long list of features, along with a similar spot-on balance between ride, handling, and performance, combined with dominating appeal and strong road presence.

• Volkswagen Taigun: The Kushaq’s sibling, which offers similar driving dynamics, powertrain options, and features, but with more elegant styling and an engaging drive experience.

• Hyundai Creta: One of the top-selling mid-size SUVs in the country, offering a well-rounded package with a feature-loaded cabin, comfortable ride, and a wide choice of engine options.

• Tata Sierra: For Tata’s unmatched focus on features and safety, backed by an iconic nameplate, a retro-inspired design, and diverse powertrain options.

• Maruti Victoris: Best suited for buyers looking for hassle-free and reliable ownership with a distinctive design, affordable after-sales, strong fuel efficiency with hybrid tech, a feature-loaded and spacious cabin, and optional AWD.

• Maruti Grand Vitara / Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: Everything that the Victoris offers, but in a more boxy and traditional SUV silhouette.

• MG Astor: For buyers not so keen on performance and who need a value-for-money, feature-loaded SUV with a plush dashboard and spacious cabin, along with a comfortable ride.