Honda Activa 4G Review

First Impressions

Today we will be reviewing the all new Honda Activa 4G automatic scooter. Honda 2 Wheelers has launched the next generation Activa in India and has catchily called it as Activa 4G , the successor of Activa 3G.   Honda Activa 4G comes at the right time when Government of India/ Supreme court has imposed a permanent ban on selling BS3 vehicles in India. Activa 4G complies with current regulations as it comes with AHO ( Automatic Headlamp On) feature and HET Engine which is BS-4 compliant along with few minor feature additions and tweaks. Let us have a deeper look at it in the below review.

Design and Features

We received the brand new Honda Activa 4G in Red color (Imperial Red)  from Dhruvdesh Honda dealership in Bangalore for the test drive.  While there are no significant design changes in Activa 4G when compared to Activa 3G, you can notice few minor design tweaks in the front of the scooter. Otherwise, Activa 4G is the exact replica of its predecessor except the prominent 4G sticker on top of Activa logo ( premium 3D emblem).

Activa 4G’s body is made of metal that is suitable for all weather conditions and is durable.  The other design highlights of Activa 4G includes a well integrated headlamp with side indicators which looks neat and modern. At the rear you can observe the tail lamps with a unique wide design – with just one look you can immediately notice that it is an Activa.

The instrument cluster  / dashboard in the front offers simplistic analog interface for speed. The instrument cluster also houses fuel gauge and indicator lamps.

Engine and Performance

Activa 4G is powered by 110cc fan-cooled, 4 stroke SI engine ( which is BS4 compliant). Thanks to its powerful 110cc engine which is powerful that churns out 8 bhp of maximum power and  delivers  9Nm of peak torque. During our test, we found the scooter is very powerful and smooth.  We managed to touch good speeds on empty highways and over-taking other vehicles was not a problem at all. Even with the low engine capacity of 110cc, the power kicks in when you need it.  Activa 4G gets a pretty refined engine which is mated to a V-Matic automatic transmission.

Honda’s patented HET Engine which is now BS-IV compliant helps the engine to perform optimally and is fuel efficient. If driven properly, Activa 4G provides a mileage of upto 45 to 50 Kmpl  on good road conditions.

Ride and Handling

We were truly impressed with the ride quality and handling offered by Activa 4G.  We made an observation during the test drive – most of the motorcycle riders on the street were struggling to hold the clutch and change the gears multiple times on a busy road buzzing with traffic, the Activa 4G simply rode through the congestion without giving any pain to its rider – as the scooter is gearless and is fully automatic. Trust us, you will enjoy the comfort afford by any gearless scooters in the market on difficult riding conditions like city traffic.  The ease-of-use and riding comfort offered by the scooters is the exact reason why Honda is able to sell over 2 lakhs to 3 lakh units of Activa every month.

While automatic scooters like Activa 4G offers a natural advantage by being gearless and removing the “stress of shifting-gears” , Activa 4G also performed well in the handling department.

Braking and Suspension

Activa 4G gets a CBS ( Combined Braking System) Equalizer that helps to reduce the braking distance. The brake when applied to the rear wheel also has an effect on the front wheel that is why the name “Combined Braking System“. While we were happy  with the braking system offered by Activa 4G, we were not very impressed with the suspension, we could feel the bumpy noise and shakes while negotiating a road hump or uneven surface.

Activa 4G has a under bone spring loaded hydraulic type suspension both in the front and rear.  Having a telescopic suspension system could have made a difference, unfortunately it is absent in Activa 4G and can be found only in higher models like Activa 125.

Comfort

The seats in Activa 4G is very wide and long and can accommodate a pillion rider very easily.  Along with good seats for the rider and pillion, the scooter also provides 18 litres of storage space that can be used to keep stuff like shopping bag, helmet and documents. Under the seat, you can find optional mobile charging socket which was absent in earlier Activa 3G model.

The scooter also offers an ample space in the front and has an additional hook in the front which you can use to plugin a carry bag – which is pretty handy.

The scooter remained stable even with a pillion rider in the back.  The pillion rider comfort is good  –  the grab rails and foot pegs in the scooter offers good comfort for the rider.

Dimensions

The all new Activa 4G measures 176mm in length, 710mm in width, 1149mm in height and the wheel base is 1238mm long.  The ground clearance offered by Activa 4G is 153mm which is pretty much suitable for Indian road conditions.  The seat height is 765mm which makes it easy for short riders. Honda Activa is light and weighs just 108 Kgs ( Kerb weight = includes fuel and oil).

The fuel tank capacity of Honda Activa 4G is 5.3 litres.

Colors and Price

Honda Activa 4G is offered in 7 different colors – out of them, 2 colors are new.

• Matte Selene Silver metallic (NEW)
• Matte Axis Grey Metallic (NEW)
• Imperial Red Metallic
• Trance Blue Metallic
• Black
• Pearl Amazing White
• Majestic Brown Metallic

Do check all colors of Honda Activa 4G

The all new Honda Activa 4G is priced at INR 53,465 INR ( Ex-showroom Bangalore). The On road price of Activa 4G in Bangalore is around INR 63,366. If you are getting necessary accessories the price may bump upto INR 71,000.

Verdict

What do we think about the new Activa 4G? Honda Activa 4G is a well-built, light weight, fuel-efficient and value-for-money scooter.  Honda Activa 4G continues to remain as the market leader in the scooter and 2 wheeler market in India. If you are looking for a reliable scooter in the range of INR 60,000 to INR 70,000 – Honda Activa 4G is what you should be looking at – as it bundles all the features and design in once piece.  As said earlier, there is no significant change in the design or tech specs of Honda Activa 4G, everything remains the same except the addition of mandatory Automatic headlamp On (AHO) feature, BS4 compliant engine and optional mobile charging socket. You also get to choose 2 new color variants.

What is your take on Honda Activa 4G? Let us know by commenting below.

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