Honda launches new model scooter ‘Honda Cliq’ in India

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has launched the company’s least expensive scooter, the Honda Cliq.

It’s available in two variants – STD and Deluxe. Both variants have the same engine and basic design, but the Deluxe gets some added extra features. Honda says the new Cliq is targeted at the rural and semi-urban markets, but that shouldn’t stop anyone living in cities from buying it.

It’s an all-new scooter from Honda Motorcycles and Scooter India (HMSI). The design is completely new, with new plastic bodywork, like the Honda Navi, but gets a refreshing new front apron, with snazzy graphics and is available in four new colours.

The basic platform is borrowed from the Honda Activa. The body is plastic, just like the Navi, and at 102 kg, the Honda Cliq weighs 6 kg less than the Honda Activa, so it’s lighter, agile and more easier to handle. The Honda Cliq gets 10-inch steel wheels and suspension is shared with the Activa as well, but it gets rugged block pattern tyres designed to take on rough roads and the like.

HMSI says the new Honda Cliq is designed for rural and semi-urban markets. The target customer base is the quintessential commuter motorcycle user, and Honda wants to wean away some of those customers with an automatic scooter with a similar price range.

So, the Cliq is the least expensive Honda scooter, and priced very competitively, starting at ? 42,499 (ex-showroom Delhi). Primarily, Honda wants to grab a share of the market largely dominated by 100-110 cc motorcycles, offering an automatic scooter which promises to serve different requirements and also different members of the family. So, it can be used by the rural businessman or farmer, and also double up as a daily commute for college-going youth or take on shopping duties.

Honda says the Cliq offers average fuel consumption figures of around 60 kmpl. It gets a smaller 3.5-litre fuel tank than the Activa (5.3 litres), but is claimed to have a range of nearly 200 km on a tankful of fuel. In real world conditions, we’re not sure how fuel efficient the Cliq will be. Sure, it’s not as fuel efficient as some 100-110 cc commuter motorcycles, and the small fuel tank will mean more trips to the fuel station.