Hero Xoom 110 First Ride Review: Can it Outsell Honda Dio, TVS Ntorq and Others?

Demand for gearless scooters in the Indian market has zoomed up to the stratosphere. Experts have that it will continue to attain new heights. With this pie getting larger and warmer, manufacturers want to grab the biggest share of all. To do so, new recipes are being tried out. Hero MotoCorp did so with the Xoom, which is their latest entry in the Indian market. The 110 cc Hero Xoom scooter gets a sporty styling like some 125 cc offerings, but with a more affordable and acceptable powertrain package. But will it be able to grab the attention of buyers? Will it make them sign cheques? Or we should rather say - Should they consider giving their attention to the Hero Xoom, along with a cheque? Read this review to have your questions answered.

Hero Xoom Review: Youthful Design

Gone are the days, when scooters looked boring. In the year 2023, Hero Xoom takes the definition of looking good to new heights. A quick look reveals that it was sketched to be youthful. Sharp edges, creases, and peppy colour options make Hero Xoom look exciting. The Xoom features a sharp nose with a low-set LED headlamp cluster with projectors and an X-shaped DRL, making the scooter a lot more noticeable. Hero has very intelligently used dual-tone themes around the front apron and mudguard, which lets the face look imposing.

The side panels have enough sharpness to further boost cohesion with the overall design. The seat here is a single-piece unit, but it is nicely contoured. The tail section of the scooter is every bit appealing, and it is, undoubtedly, the best angle to look at the Hero Xoom. The use of X-shaped lighting elements in the tail lamps, integrated grab rails, motorcycle-like turn indicators, 12-inch alloys with a diamond-cut finish, and sporty exhaust muffler, accentuate the visual charm of the Xoom. We should say that Hero Xoom scores high marks for its visual appeal.

Fit-finish levels look neat too, with plastic quality being on the better side. Quite some intelligent design details ensure that Xoom doesn’t feel like a product that is out of proportion. The floorboard, however, is small. It does make up for that with its grippy texture. Of course, the brushed grey panel running across the floorboard breaks the visual drama and adds some contrast. Similarly, a body-coloured panel encompasses the instrument cluster. Notably, these minute details make the Xoom stand out from its rivals.

Hero Xoom Review: Feature List Isn’t Short Either

Connectivity is as crucial and essential as oxygen today. The Xoom doesn’t miss out on this aspect to stand tall against the competition. The Hero Xoom gets a backlit display for the instrument cluster, which is legible in all sorts of lighting conditions. It can be paired via Bluetooth to a smartphone to have SMS and call notifications on the screen. The screen gets a clock, fuel gauge, and speedometer, along with a real-time fuel efficiency calculator.

The feature list on the Hero Xoom further comprises a USB charging port, which sits in the storage panel on the floor board itself. The most interesting feature of all, however, is the addition of lean-sensing cornering lamps. If you happen to lean to the left, the cornering lamp of the left side will glow and similarly it works for the right-hand side. Quite a nifty add-on, it is. Thankfully, it works like a charm. There’s i3S as well, which quintessentially is the idle-start-stop system, but it is a little too intrusive.

Hero Xoom Review: Loves Traffic

The Xoom sits on a slightly-tweaked version of the Maestro’s platform, which also underpins the Pleasure. The design is all-new, and the suspension tuning is different here, in comparison to other Hero scooters. The power plant is a 110.9 cc, single-cylinder unit. It is capable of generating 8.05 bhp and 8.70 Nm as its peak output. Yes, it is borrowed from the Maestro, which is anything but not a bad move. The engine is known for its reliability and easy-on-pocket maintenance costs.

Talking of rideability, the engine is paired to a CVT unit, and it manages to work flawlessly in traffic and local commuting environments. The scooter can go up to speeds of over 80 kmph, but the 70-75 kmph band remains its sweet spot. The motor is tractable, but not very quick with a linear power delivery curve. Hero Xoom uses telescopic forks on the front and a monoshock on the rear. We felt the suspension to be tuned on a stiffer side. Thereby, elevating the sharpness in its handling. Yes, we could easily zoom out of the traffic with the scooter’s nimble nature. With larger 12-inch rims with 100-section rear tyres, the grip levels too remained in check throughout our ride in fast-flowing Gurgaon traffic.

Coming to brakes, the Bybre-sourced 190 mm front disc setup had enough to bring the scooter to stop in time. A progressive setup is what it felt like with drum brakes as standard on the tail. Ergonomics will certainly remain a strong point of this scooter, although it is compact and not intimidating in size. On the whole, the riding experience didn’t make us complain about anything other than the suspension setup, which can do with some softness in order to appeal to a larger demographic.

Hero Xoom Review: Should You Buy It?

Starting with the affordability quotient, the Hero Xoom manages to win here with its starting price of Rs 68,599, ex-showroom. The fully-loaded version costs Rs 76,699, ex-showroom. With a neat design that makes it stand out from the rest, a long and thoroughly-equipped feature list, and a potent powertrain, there’s hardly anything to raise eyebrows on the Hero Xoom. In fact, we loved how the Xoom offers a balance of affordability and accessibility with a smaller 110 cc motor, sitting underneath an appealing design, generally seen on larger 125 cc or 150 cc products.