While Hero MotoCorp is the largest two-wheeler player in India, it’s a distant fourth in scooters, after Honda, TVS and Suzuki.
Its existing scooters (Pleasure+, Maestro Edge and Destini) have been able to give it just 7.6% market share in the 90-125cc category (April-Dec 2022). But scooter sales are rising, and to grab a bigger pie, Hero has launched the Xoom.
We rode it on roads of Gurgaon.
What kind of name is Xoom?
It’s actually pronounced as ‘zoom’. The Xoom has the same 110.9cc engine as the Pleasure+ and the Maestro Edge have—with power and torque figure also similar—but the way it handles is different, thanks to larger tyres and a slightly different seating position.
How is it different?
One, the design is a bit on the fancy side—the Xoom looks flashy and aggressive, with the headlight fitted on the front fairing (above the front tyre), somewhat like the Honda Dio has.
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But we have seen that more popular scooters like Honda Activa and TVS Jupiter have a simpler design, with headlight at the traditional place (on the handlebar), and not too many zigzag design lines on the body. Possibly a simpler design appears to a wider section of prospective scooter buyers, and products such as the Xoom and the Dio divide opinions.
But where the Xoom definitely stands out is its unique features. Some of these include:
Corner-bending lights: It’s a technology taken from the most modern cars and first time employed on a scooter. When you are about to take a right turn or a left, a bright light on the respective side will illuminate dark corners (at night). This technology, which works all the time and not necessarily at night, is called the HiCL (Hero intelligent Cornering Light), and was needed in the Xoom where the headlight anyway doesn’t turn with the handlebar (because it’s fixed on the fairing). It’s quite a usable feature, and adds to safer riding.
Biggest and widest rear tyre: The VX and ZX variants come with the biggest and widest rear tyre in the segment (100/80, 12 inches). While some of its competitors have a 12-inch front tyre, most have a narrower 10-inch tyre.
i3S technology: The patented i3S technology stands for the ‘idle stop-start system’. When you reach a traffic signal and the wheels come to a complete stop for five seconds, the i3S technology switches off the engine. As the light turns green and you pull the clutch lever, the engine automatically starts. This reduces the unnecessary fuel consumption and emissions associated with engine idling.
Lighting package: The Xoom looks cool at night, thanks to the H-shaped LED projector headlamp and LED tail lamp, and the cornering light.
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Convenience: The digital speedometer with Bluetooth connectivity provides call (caller ID) and SMS updates, and other alerts such as low fuel, fuel efficiency, phone battery level, etc, and the mobile charger is in the glove box.
How does it ride?
The rear wide 12-inch tyre makes a difference. The Xoom appears more confident than some other scooters when cornering, and both the tyres provide good enough grip on wet roads and gravel. In my rough calculation, the Xoom accelerated from 0-60 km/h in about 10 seconds, which is possibly slightly faster than other 110cc scooters.
While I couldn’t test it for fuel efficiency, the digital meter showed the scooter returning more than 50 km/litre. A fuel tank of 5.2 litres means it will have a riding range of about 250 km.
Is it the best Hero?
Every new product launched by a company is usually better than the previous ones. Where the Xoom stands out over other Hero scooters—actually all scooters—is that it appears slightly more value for money. The ZX variant, with its cornering lights, Bluetooth connectivity and front disk brakes, not only looks flashy but is also functional.
Specifications
Engine: 110.9 cc
Power: 6 kW (8.05 bhp)
Torque: 8.7 Nm
Front tyre: 90/90, 12 inches
Rear tyre: 100/80, 12 inches
Ground clearance: 155 mm
Seat height: 770 mm
Prices
(Ex-showroom)
Xoom LX: Rs 68,599
Xoom VX: Rs 71,799
Xoom ZX: Rs 76,699
Competitors
Honda Activa (Rs 74,536 to Rs 80,537)
Honda Dio (Rs 68,625 to Rs 72,626)
TVS Jupiter (Rs 69,990 to Rs 86,263)
TVS Zest 110 (Rs 73,036 to Rs 74,713)
