The Activa scooter was launched by Honda in the year 2000. Ever since its inception in India, the Activa continues to be a very popular product. It’s been about 15 long years and yet, the Activa continues to dominate the scooter segment. Not only does it sell in big numbers, it has constantly been in public demand due to the versatility it has.Honda has been dispatching close to 1, 50, 000 units every month which just proves how much this bike sells even though there is no ‘Oomph’ factor as such.
By 2009 the Activa was upgraded and Honda decided to add a 3G tag to it standing for third generation. Honda continues to keep the same product with no actual upgrades. There are barely some unnoticeable changes for the rider and still the Activa retails at the same or probably higher prices, as compared to what it was first launched at.
Design Honda is calling it 3rd gen, but there is no reason to call it so; it’s still the plain, ordinary looking Activa. There’s nothing that stands out on the Activa 3G which can help you distinguish it from an older model on the streets.
Coming to the front end, there is absolutely nothing new here. The front apron is a ditto copy of the older one. It hoists the same air ducts which are in plastic. The handlebar is spot on copy with the same clear glass headlamp and turn indicators. The rear view mirrors also have the same design.
The side profile has an upswept crease with ducts to let air pass into the engine bay. This was way more prominent on the older model. It also gets an Activa 3G sticker on the side. The exhaust and the seat are also the same. Honda says they have taken the effort to redesign the panel but with one or two changes, you really don’t see the effort here.
The rear end has a tail lamp which is slightly revised with a bigger lens cover. It has clear indicators on either side. A thick grab rail for the pillion is present which is in silver color. The rear number plate and the mudguard are also the same. Apart from this, everything is identical. Basically calling this Activa an all new 3G model is more of a marketing strategy. Apart from the addition of two new color variants – Trance Metallic Blue and Metallic Red, there’s nothing really exciting about the scooter as its name suggests: Honda could have done a lot more to actually beat the competitors.
Engine Performance Powering the Activa is the same 110cc HET engine which produces 8 BHP of power and 8.83 NM of torque. This engine is matched to a CVT gearbox. Honda claims that this engine is smoother than the older one but we couldn’t make out any such difference.
The new Activa 3G can however deliver 60 kmpl and this is attributed to the HET ( Honda Eco Tech)
It’s a good and reliable engine and is ideally apt for a pure commute in our cities.