The new Honda Aviator and Dio scooters remain unchanged on the styling front, but a closer look reveals many differences.
Published on Apr 01, 2013 05:36:00 PM
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Honda first recreated, and now rules the Indian automatic scooter market in India, where its popular Activa model is today a household name. The big H also offers the Aviator and Dio scooters, all models which this Japanese giant brings up to date from time-to-time.
Honda has recently provided new engine technology for these Indian scooters, Honda Eco Technology (HET), aimed at improving fuel economy.
We’ve just tested the HET equipped Aviator and Dio, to see how different one is from the other.
Tie or tee
There’s no mistaking the Aviator and Dio. The Aviator has a sophisticated air, and shows off a rounded front apron, smooth lines, some tasteful splashes of chrome and 5-spoke alloy wheels. The Dio on the other hand has sharper, edgy styling, with wheels finished in black on this young, relatively yuppie scooter. Apt for a college going student, the Dio has a more sporty, colourful appearance.
The Aviator is the kind of scooter that can earn you a pat on your back from the boss, while the Dio is certain to get you famous with your mates. Styling wasn’t on Honda’s agenda for this round of scooter refreshes, and rightly so for none of them look overly jaded.
The Aviator and Dio still look with their times.
Cabin or class
The Aviator and Dio share the same engine, both playing distinct roles. For starters, the Aviator is used to enduring routine, well disciplined early morning starts most weekdays.
The Dio meanwhile enjoys a decidedly more exciting, action packed week. It more often gets off to a more relaxed start, with more casual time on its side.
Both Honda scooters are powered by a new HET engine, with basic specifications remaining unchanged from earlier. Their powerplants remain four-stroke, 109cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engines that generate maximum power of 8bhp at 7000rpm.
It’s the end of the week that gives the Aviator its well-deserved break. Not that the weekend gives the Aviator much time out, as it often rises to the occasion to run errands and odd jobs. The Dio meanwhile, often sees the weekend and holidays as a chance to escape, scampering out on joy rides.
The last word
Honda’s main focus with these scooter upgrades has been to squeeze out as many extra kilometres per litre. Fuel economy testing for both scooters show they haven’t however made any significant progress, delivering close to earlier efficiency. The Aviator returned a slightly improved 43kpl in the city and 48.5kpl on the highway, while the Dio also managed a slim improvement to give us 46.3kpl in the city and 48.4kpl on the highway.
Weekends conclude with both Honda scooters sitting in their respective parking spaces, looking forward to the coming week, to silently go about fulfilling their duties for you again
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