Honda Activa 6G Launched In India

Honda’s most popular scooter gets a BS6-compliant heart

The mighty Honda Activa was one of the scooters that kickstarted the gearless scooter revolution in India back in the early 2000s, and it has now received its latest update today. In the two decades that it’s been around, its heart has grown from 100cc to 110cc, and this latest Activa 6G launched today now carries it into the next generation with BS6 compliance. The new scooter will start arriving at Honda dealerships by the end of January/early February in 6 colours and 2 variants - Standard and Deluxe. The former will set you back by Rs 63,912 while the latter costs Rs 65,412, making the 6G almost Rs 8,000 more expensive than the currently sold Activa 5G.

This is largely due to the engine updates - the Activa gets an all-new motor. Bore has reduced and stroke has increased to provide more oversquare architecture and as a result, stronger bottom and mid-range punch. Consequentially, the engine has grown marginally to 109.51cc and ralso eceived fuel-injection, which has  resulted in a claimed 10 per cent increase in fuel efficiency - something that Activa buyers will greatly appreciate. Unfortunately, engine output has gone down as a result of the stricter emission norms, with the Activa 6G producing 7.79PS and 8.79Nm. For reference, the current Activa 5G produces 7.97PS and 9Nm from its 109.19cc motor, while returning 58.1kmpl in the city and 55kmpl on the highway. On the upside, the Activa’s premiumness quotient gets a boost with a silent ACG starter on this BS6 update, and weight has gone down by 2kg too. An engine kill switch has also been added.

Also Read: Honda Activa 6G: 5 Things To Know

The other big change is to the front suspension, with the new Activa now getting telescopic front suspension for the first time. At the bottom end of this telescopic fork is a 12-inch pressed-steel front wheel, another first for the smaller Activa. Honda has also finally given the scooter an external fuel-filler and combination keyslot, which along with a slight increase in overall dimensions and a longer seat, should make this new scooter more convenient and comfortable than its predecessor. The rest of the vehicle remains largely unchanged, with all metal bodywork that looks nearly identical to that on the Activa 5G. A 10-inch rear wheel continues to roll on a preload adjustable monoshock, and underseat storage is unchanged at 18-litres. This is a little disappointing, since Honda could have and should have used the increased overall dimensions to accomodate a little extra storage space too. To take a closer look at the new Activa, you can check out our image gallery.

However, the semi-digital instrument cluster previously seen on the Deluxe variant has now been dropped to keep costs down. The only difference between the two variants on the 6G is the LED headlight offered on the Deluxe. There is no disc brake or alloy wheel option on offer. To know more about the differences between the two variants, head here.

The reason for the mildness of the changes is that the Activa is Honda's best-selling product in India and also the country's most popular scooter. Hence preventing Honda from making any drastic changes due to the fear of scaring buyers away. The conservative mindset of Indian buyers demands that best-selling products remain largely unchanged in terms of look and feel, imparting a feeling of familiarity and comfort.

*all prices ex-showroom Delhi