Suzuki Avenis 125 Review: Pros and Cons

Pros

Engine Performance

The Avenis 125 draws power from a 124cc air-cooled engine that produces 8.58bhp and 10Nm of peak torque. The motor is mated to a CVT unit. The engine doesn’t have the outright performance like the Ntorq 125, but it has enough poke for brisk acceleration. It is profoundly refined with near-zero vibrations even in higher revs.

The scooter gets up to speed quite quickly, and you can easily cruise at 80-90kmph without bother. The throttle response is fairly quick too, and quick overtakes don’t require any planning. Wring the throttle and you are good to go.

Plush Ride

Despite being a sporty scooter, the suspension setup on the Avenis 125 is tuned for comfort and offers a plush ride quality. The setup does a commendable job of soaking road undulations, and the way it rolls off sharp-edged potholes is admirable. However, one downside of a plush suspension setup is that the scooter doesn’t inspire enough confidence when taking long corners at high speeds, because the rear tends to move around as the speeds go past 70kmph.

Feature-Loaded

The Suzuki Avenis 125 not only offers good performance, but it’s also extremely well-loaded when it comes to features. The list includes features like an LED headlamp and tail lamp, a combined braking system, and a large digital display. Additionally, the top-spec Race Edition comes packed with Bluetooth connectivity, which provides access to a plethora of information like turn-by-turn navigation, battery percentage, call and message alerts, and more.

Furthermore, the scooter gets practical and utilitarian features like a large 21.8-litre under-seat storage, a dedicated phone pocket with a USB charging port, and a bottle holder. Then, there’s the side-stand engine cut-off feature, which shuts off the engine when the stand is engaged.

Mileage

Suzuki is synonymous with fuel efficiency, be it cars or bikes, and the Avenis 125 is no different. The scooter returned a fuel economy of 49.61kmpl in our test, which involves a mix of slow-moving bumper-to-bumper city traffic, and fairly open roads. Now, this figure may seem a bit low, but here’s the disclaimer. We tested the Avenis 125 during peak evening traffic, so the actual everyday fuel economy could be slightly higher. Nonetheless, the Avenis has a fuel tank capacity of 5.2 litres, so a full tank should be good for over 250km.

Cons

Lacks Originality

On its own, the Suzuki Avenis 125 is a good-looking scooter with sporty styling. But, bring the TVS Ntorq 125 into the picture, and you’d notice that the Avenis has an uncanny resemblance to it. Sure, the Avenis features a few distinctive styling elements like the arrow-shaped handlebar housing, but there’s no hiding from the fact that the design is highly ‘inspired’ by the Ntorq 125. Nonetheless, the race edition graphics are tastefully done and grab a lot of eyeballs.

Not a Sporty Scooter

Suzuki has positioned the Avenis 125 as a sporty scooter, and it sure looks the part, but the riding dynamics are anything but sporty. Although it does change directions with decent agility, there’s no sense of urgency while doing so. A slightly stiffer suspension setup, beefier tyres, and perhaps a 12-inch rear wheel would’ve worked wonders in the handling department and given a better sense of control to the rider.

Conclusion

Standalone, the Suzuki Avenis 125 is a fairly decent scooter that offers an extremely refined motor and good performance. It also comes loaded with features and is quite frugal. So, you can consider it if you are looking for a well-rounded scooter with excellent refinement levels and good practicality. However, if you want a sporty scooter with engaging handling, then you will have to look elsewhere.

That said, the Avenis 125 is priced at Rs 87,500 (ex-showroom, Delhi), and competes against the likes of the TVS Ntorq 125, Aprilia SR 125, and the Yamaha Ray ZR 125.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi