New Hero Xoom: First Ride Review

The Visuals

The Hero Xoom is a product for young buyers and thus it gets a very modern design. At the front, the Xoom gets an apron-mounted projector headlight with an ‘H’ shaped LED DRL. A similar ‘H’ design has been used for the taillight as well. The dual-tone finish to the apron and 3D logos (on the ZX variant) enhance the premium look and feel of the package. Further, the rear panel-integrated pillion grab rails use the same design theme as the Xtreme 160R and give this scooter a clean look at the back.

Then, buyers opting for the ZX variant, get a more premium 3D ‘Xoom’ badge on the body. This variant also gets the first-in-segment cornering lights that are activated when the vehicle is banked into a corner. How efficient is this feature? More on that in the latter part of the review. Meanwhile, the stylish design is complemented by promising paint quality and a tactile switchgear that’s easy to operate, even with the riding gloves. Then, there are storage solutions that comprise two large, open glove boxes near the footboard and the under-seat storage with a boot light.

While the design is very ‘2023’, the under-seat fuel filler cap feels outdated, especially when products such as the Jupiter 125 now come with a front fuel filler cap. Further, a closed glove compartment at the front would have made storing phones, wallets, or similar items easier during those monsoon days. Excluding these minor inconveniences, the Hero Xoom comes across as a solid, well-developed product. Now, remember we spoke about the promising feature list?

The Package

The Xoom is available in three variants – LX, VX, and ZX. All variants get an LED headlight and taillight. Moreover, the VX and ZX variants get a fully-digital display that shows ride-related information along with a fuel economy indicator. The ZX version further benefits from XTEC Bluetooth technology and thus shows turn-by-turn navigation and incoming call alerts. There’s also a neatly tucked away USB charger to protect it from rain. But it’s so well hidden that one may almost miss it.

While we didn’t get to test the Bluetooth module on this scooter, we had a short glimpse of the headlight performance. The LED lights have a decent throw and spread. The cornering lights, however, don’t illuminate the road too far away and thus seem like a marketing gimmick than a useful feature. Now, these lights turn on when the vehicle is at a banking angle. What we would have liked, instead, is the activation of these lights when the handlebar is turned. This way, the lights would have illuminated the tight corners near the vehicle, thus making U-turns safer after dark.

What’s surprising, however, is the missing multifunction keyhole on this scooter. Unlike some of its rivals, this scooter uses a conventional under-seat storage opening mechanism and thus, you would have to remove the key from the ignition slot to access the storage space underneath the saddle and the fuel tank.

So, it has a few inconveniences. But it more than makes up for them in the performance department.

The Ride

Underneath the new design is a tried-and-tested 110cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that has been borrowed from the Maestro edge 110. This motor is tuned to produce 8bhp of maximum output at 7,250rpm and 8.7Nm of peak torque at 5,750rpm. Now, this makes the scooter feel peppy, and unless you are trying to go beyond 80kmph, it feels brisk in terms of acceleration.

It feels refined and well composed at city speeds, say, up to 70kmph, and continues to build momentum until 80kmph. Post that, however, the acceleration starts to fade away and at 72kg (body and full riding gear weight), I could achieve a top speed of 87kmph. The refinement levels are promising too, and apart from a mild buzz from the floorboard at around 50kmph, there weren’t any disturbing vibrations on this scooter.

The brakes work well too, and the disc/drum setup on the ZX variant feels progressive. We cannot comment on the braking performance on the lower variants since we didn’t test those versions of the scooter. Then, the suspension setup, which comprises telescopic front forks and a single rear spring, feels firm but not too stiff. It works well when you apply some force on the setup and adding a pillion to the mix improves the comfort levels.

It’s lightweight as well, making it almost effortless while filtering through traffic or parking it on the centre stand. Now, although the turning radius is short, the position of the handlebar can get disturbing for tall riders since it tends to nudge against the knee.

Should you buy it?

Let’s take a recap. The Xoom looks aesthetically pleasing and packs promising quality. This is further complemented by a peppy engine and additional features – the latter on the ZX variant. Then, there is the aggressive introductory price tag that makes it a tempting choice. But it isn’t perfect and issues that may look minor – under-seat fuel filler cap and lack of multifunction keyhole – may get tiring after a while. However, we have lived with these features on some of the other products and if you are planning to buy a 100-110cc scooter in India and willing to compromise on these shortcomings, the Hero Xoom should be a top contender in your list.

Photography by Kapil Angane