Honda Activa 110 vs TVS Scooty Zest 110: Is The Zest Zesty Enough?

The TVS Scooty Zest 110 is a scooter that a lot of buyers sleep on. Yes, it looks a particular way and has some polarising colourways on option, something that might steer some potential buyers away from it. But if you can look past those 2 things, the Zest 110 is a genuinely enjoyable and fun ride. And that made us think about how this fun little scooter would compare against India’s best-seller, the Honda Activa 110. 

We decided to put the TVS scooter against the Honda scooter, and here’s how that went: 

Price & Variants

• The Zest 110 has a clear advantage when it comes to pricing. The gap between both scooters’ base variants is nearly Rs 5,000 and that’s a substantial gap in this segment 

• This very gap widens substantially when we compare the 2 top variants, with the difference being almost Rs 14,000. That much money could very well pay for your fuel expenses for almost a year

• While the Activa 110 isn’t unreasonably expensive, it’s definitely gotten a bit more expensive in the near past. The Zest 110, on the other hand, is priced quite competitively. Hence, the TVS scooter is what wins this battle

Dimensions & Design 

• There’s not much of a difference when it comes to the two scooters’ dimensions. They’re both nimble, agile and feel light, while having low seat heights that make them very accessible of riders of all shapes and sizes 

• That said, among the two, the Zest 110 feels like the lighter scooter. Yes, there’s not a big difference on paper but the scooter just feels so small between your legs that it barely takes any effort to change lanes. It’s also the more fun scooter to cut through traffic 

• Both scooters’ designs are nothing new, for we’ve seen them over the years. But if we had to talk about which one stands out a bit more, it’s the Zest 110. The scooter’s the rarer one on our roads so of course it turns heads. But apart from that, it’s also on sale in some loud colours and if that’s your thing, the Zest will be something you’d like

Features & Safety

• None of the 2 scooters will really impress you with their features list, but they both tick the basic boxes, just enough to not make them feel very dated 

• Both scooters have a digital console and Bluetooth connectivity on the top variant. That supports the basic connected features like turn-by-turn navigation and a bit more, and we think that’s alright in this segment

• None of the 2 scooters are supposed to be very tech-heavy so we don’t really mind what they have on offer 

Engines

• The similarities between the 2 scooters continue with their engines too. With nearly identical capacities, the scooters have similar power and torque figures. And that translates into a similar riding experience as well 

• The peak torque is made at pretty low revs and that’s where both scooters feel the happiest. Anything under 50kmph, and the scooters feel at home. The Zest 110 will feel just a little bit more sprightly thanks to its lightweight feeling. The TVS scooter just feels a bit more energetic and eager, and that’s why pretty much all of us at BikeDekho love riding it

• Where the Activa 110 edges ahead is with its smoothness. While the Zest’s engine is a reasonably smooth one, the Honda engine is definitely the smoother unit

• If we talk about mileage, both the Activa 110 and the Zest 110 should return figures around the 50kmpl mark. If you’ve a slightly more liberal right hand, you might see the figure drop closer to about 40kmpl

Verdict

While both scooters have their pros and cons, if we had to pick one scooter as the better one for everyone in the family, it would be the Honda Activa 110. The Honda scooter is physically bigger and the bigger boot, floorboard and extra seat space does make it more practical, something that’s obviously extremely important in this segment. So if we’re talking about the better all-rounder, it’d definitely be the Activa. 

That said, if you’re buying a scooter for yourself or don’t mind giving up on a bit of practicality, do take a test ride of the Zest. It is one genuinely fun scooter and will make you laugh out loud inside your helmet each time you zip around the city on it and that’s a feeling that not many scooters can replicate.