Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) has unveiled its compact SUV – Honda Elevate – are teasing some its features and attributes for some time. Unveiled in India before anywhere else in the world, the Elevate will be produced in India and exported to other Honda markets in the world, underlining Honda’s operations at its plant in Rajasthan as an export hub for the Japanese automaker.
Developed on the grand concept of ‘Urban Freestyler’, the Elevate aims at customers with active lifestyles and a global mindset by blending cutting-edge aesthetics with functionality to create a visually stunning, incredibly versatile, comfortable and fun-to-drive SUV, according to company sources.
With bold and masculine exterior design with striking front face, sharp character lines and unique rear design, which signals at clever packaging, the Elevate at front employs Honda's signature grille, which is flanked by sleek LED headlights. The sides are emphasised by pronounced wheel arches with plastic cladding, which runs along the bottom of the vehicle and smart looking diamond cut 17-inch diameter alloy wheels. The rear has a distinctive tailgate design and LED taillights.
Developed by Honda R&D Asia Pacific centre in Thailand and the R&D team in India, which specifically worked on understanding potential target customers through extensive market surveys reflecting three main factors such as stylish exterior safety and comfort.
The modern interior with a two-tone colour scheme is laced with a stylish meter with premium feel welcome graphic animation. The 7-inch high-definition full colour TFT multi-information display shows information such as fuel consumption, trip meter, outside temperature, G-Meter and a clock. There is a provision to customise the operations, including the meter set up, keyless access, lighting set up, door, and Honda ‘Sensing’.
The 10.25-inch HD resolution screen at the top centre of the dashboard can be connected with various types of smart phones via wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Weblink, Bluetooth and USB. As an infotainment system interface, the screen is completed by a sub-screen, which provides access to some additional features such as the ASVM (Assistant Side View Monitor), ARVM (Assistant Rear View Monitor), Clock, Calendar, Compass, Customisable Picture, and shortcuts to commonly used Infotainment settings.
Measuring 4312 mm in length, 1790 mm in width and 1650 mm in height, the Elevate has a wheelbase of 2650 mm. As per the dimensions and the wheelbase the compact SUV is comparable to the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Maruti Grand Vitara. Spacious enough to seat five people, the vehicle offers a cargo space of 458-litre. Ground clearance is a good 220 mm.
Using higher tensile steel application ratio to realise a ‘smooth and connected’ structure, which is lightweight, offers enhanced collision safety performance, best body balance, better stability and handling, the Elevate is powered by a 121 PS 1.5-litre i-VTEC DOHC petrol engine with VTC. Producing a peak torque of 145 Nm, the compact SUV is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).
A front-wheel drive design, the Elevate features 6 airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, vehicle stability assist with agile handling assist, hill start assist, Honda lane watch camera, light crash performance, pedestrian protection, multi angle rear camera, emergency stop signal, Isofix compatible rear side seats with lower anchorages and top tether, and an immobiliser with anti-theft alarm.
Toshio Kuwahara, Head of Regional Unit (Asia & Oceania), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and President and CEO, Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd. said, “Today’s World Premiere of the all-new Elevate is a stamp of commitment of Honda’s plans and aspirations for the country. The exports from India to several regions across the globe are growing continuously every year. With high level of quality standards to deliver products that exceed expectations of both local and worldwide customers, India has become one of the most important export hubs for Honda. Moving forward to 2050, Honda strives to realise carbon neutrality and zero traffic collision fatalities involving our motorcycles and automobiles. To achieve this target, Honda aims to increase the sales ratio of Battery Electric Vehicles and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles sales to 100 percent globally by 2040, including India. For safety, we continue enhancing advanced technologies including the expansion of Honda ‘Sensing’ around the world and strengthening our safety education to reduce traffic accidents.”
Takuya Tsumura, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd. said, “With the unveiling of the All New Elevate, we embark on a new journey with Honda's strong product offering in the booming SUV segment in India. Honda enjoys strong leadership and popularity in sedan segments. There has been very high anticipation amongst Honda loyalists and overall market, who have been eagerly waiting for the new model. We are confident that the Elevate will further strengthen the bond with our esteemed customers and soon become our strong third pillar of business besides the City and Amaze. We have a robust product strategy to strengthen our premium play in the market and Elevate is first model among the 5 new SUVs that will be launched by Honda in India by 2030.” “Aligning with our global vision towards carbon neutrality by focusing on electrified powertrains, we will launch Honda’s first Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) based on this SUV within next 3 years in India,” he added.
Tata Motors To Gift Sierra SUVs To Women's World Cup Winning Team
- By MT Bureau
- November 05, 2025
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles has announced it will present the Indian Women’s Cricket Team with the first lot of the soon-to-be-launched Tata Sierra SUV following their victory at the ICC Women's World Cup. The Tata Sierra is slated to be launched on 25th November.
The company will gift the top-end model of the Sierra to each team member as part of its salute to the team’s journey and contribution to the country.
Shailesh Chandra, MD and CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “The Indian Women’s Cricket Team has made the entire nation proud with their extraordinary performance and remarkable win. Their journey stands as a true testament to determination and the power of belief, qualities that inspire every Indian. At Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, we are privileged to present these legends with another legend, The Tata Sierra. This is our salute to their spirit and the pride they have brought to the nation – Two legends, One spirit, Infinite inspiration.”
Maruti Suzuki India Crosses 30 Million Unit Sales Milestone
- By MT Bureau
- November 05, 2025
Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has attained a new milestone by crossing the 30-million-unit sales milestone in the domestic market.
The new benchmark was attained by the company over a course of 42 years, with the first 10 million unit sales taking 28 years and 2 months to achieve.
The 20 million unit sales took 7 years and 5 months, while the recent milestone took just 6 years and 4 months.
Interestingly, the entry-level hatchback Alto was the most preferred model in the country, with over 4.7 million units sold, followed by Wagon R with 3.4 million units and the sporty Swift with 3.2 million units.
The Brezza and Fronx SUVs also played an instrumental role in contributing to the sales milestone, being featured among the top 10 models sold in the country.
It was on 14th December 1983, Maruti Suzuki India delivered its first model, the iconic Maruti 800, to its first customer.
Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “When I look at the length and breadth of India and think that 3 crore customers have placed their trust in Maruti Suzuki to realise their dream of mobility, it fills me with humility and gratitude. Yet, with car penetration at approximately 33 vehicles per 1,000 people, we know our journey is far from over. We will continue to make every possible effort to bring the joy of mobility to as many people as we can, while also be an asset to both the economy and the environment at the same time.”
Sharad Agarwal Is Tesla India’s First Business Head
- By MT Bureau
- November 04, 2025
American electric vehicle maker Tesla has appointed Sharad Agarwal, former Chief Business Officer of Classic Legends, as its new business head, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The report further stated that Agarwal joined the EV maker a week ago and is tasked to drive sales for Tesla in India, which as per industry observers, has not performed as per the company’s expectations.
Agarwal, an automotive industry veteran, had begun his career with TVS Motor Co as Area Sales Manager in December 2002, before joining Mahindra First Choice Wheels as its Business Head for North and Eastern region in March 2007.
It was in January 2013, he moved to Audi India as the head of Sales, before taking over as the head of Lamborghini India in April 2016, where he spent almost 9 years, before joining Classic Legends.
During his tenure at Lamborghini, the Italian super luxury car maker saw its dealerships across India achieved a Return on Sales (RoS) of more than 10 percent, setting a new benchmark for the automotive business in the country. He also grew India’s ranking for the automaker as the third market globally in terms of PR visibility in 2021.
He also expanded Lamborghini India’s reach to over 60 cities, with sales volumes from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities contributing more than 25 percent of the total.
Tesla, which formally started deliveries in September 2025 with its first dealership in Mumbai and the second facility in Delhi, has till date delivered 114 vehicles, of the estimated 600-plus bookings.
File photo for representational purposes only.
Mahindra & Mahindra Reports INR 36 Billion Net Profit For Q2 FY2026
- By MT Bureau
- November 04, 2025
Mumbai-headquartered business conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its financial results for Q2 FY2026 with consolidated Revenue reaching INR 461 billion, marking a 22 percent YoY growth.
The consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at INR 36 billion, a 16 percent increase YoY. The company stated that, excluding specific one-time impacts, PAT growth was 28 percent YoY.
Mahindra’s Auto business reported sales of 262,000 vehicles, up 13 percent, which includes around 146,000 SUV sales. This translated to a revenue of INR 271 billion, up 25 percent YoY, while net profit came at INR 15 billion, up 8 percent YoY.
On the other hand, the farm sector reported its highest ever Q2 market share at 43 percent with sales of 123,000 units, up 32 percent YoY. The revenue came at INR 102 billion, up 25 percent, while consolidated net profit came at INR 11 billion, up 45 percent YoY.
Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “We are pleased with the strong execution and solid performance delivered across the group in Q2 FY2026. Auto and Farm sustained their leadership with consistent gains in market share and profitability. TechM is progressing well on its transformation journey. MMFSL achieved a 45 percent PAT growth and remains committed to quality growth and digital transformation. Our Growth Gems are steadily advancing towards their ambitious goals, reinforcing our long-term value creation potential.”
Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO (Auto and Farm Sector), Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Strong performance of our Auto and Farm businesses continues in Q2 FY2026 reinforcing our leadership position, with a gain of 390 bps YoY in SUV revenue share, and 100 bps YoY in LCV (< 3.5T) market share. In Tractors, we gained 50 bps YoY to reach 43 percent market share. Our Auto Standalone PBIT margin (excl. e-SUV Contract Mfg.) improved by 80 bps to 10.3 percent and core Tractor PBIT margins improved by 190 bps to 20.6 percent.”
Amarjyoti Barua, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra, “Our solid Q2 consolidated results reflects the strength of our diversified portfolio. We continue to deliver on our strategic priorities. We had strong cash generation in the first half, delivering over INR 100 billion of operating cash flow. We remain committed to sustainable growth and value creation.”
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