The Yamaha Aerox 155 was a shot in the dark from the tuning fork brand in the rather steadfast Indian scooter market. Four years on, the scooter has carved out its own niche and here are some reasons why.
1 Strong performance and good fuel efficiency
Delivers strong performance without sacrificing fuel economy
Powering the Aerox is an engine we have also seen in the popular Yamaha R15, albeit it has been retuned and is mated to a CVT here. Therefore, it's no surprise that the Aerox has peppy performance and if ridden with a bit of caution, can easily give you a real-world fuel economy figure in excess of 40-45kpl. Aiding its fuel efficiency is Yamaha’s brilliant start/stop system, which is quick to respond as well, making it a boon in stop-and-go Indian traffic.
2 Standout design
Sporty design with the spine section very rare in India
The angular bodywork, big 14-inch wheels wrapped in fat tyres, those mean-looking LED headlights and a pointy tail section all result in the Aerox having a design that’s sure to turn heads and stand out on the road.
3 Sharp, engaging handling
14-inch wheels and fat tyres result in enjoyable and surefooted road manners
The Aerox is one of very few scooters in India to come with 14-inch wheels and a spine section too. To those coming from a conventional scooter, it might seem like an alien experience at first but once you find your rhythm with it, the Aerox’s energetic yet planted handling characteristics will egg you on to keep building speed around corners - almost like a motorcycle.
However, as fun and stylish as the Aerox is, there are a few flies in this rather unusual ointment.
1 Stiff ride and reduced practicality
Rear suspension is too stiff for Indian roads
The Aerox’s twin shock absorbers have always been sprung stiffly and four years on since its launch, that problem continues. And that spine section mentioned earlier reduces practicality because you can’t hang a shopping bag or place your backpack on the floorboard because of it.
2 High asking price
Prices have crept up a fair bit since launch
The Yamaha Aerox is offered in two variants - standard (Rs 1.50 lakh) and Version S (Rs 1.53 lakh). Since its launch four years ago, prices have risen by more than Rs 20,000 and pushed the Aerox on the wrong side of the Rs 1.50 lakh mark. Considering there are 200cc sporty commuters that are more affordable than the Aerox, its high asking price could also be one of the reasons to not choose it.
Vishal Venugopal
Ved Janve
Stephen Raj Antony
