Suzuki Let's

The only time when one should spell ‘let’s’ with an apostrophe is when it means ‘let us’. Now let’s forget this rule for this review and let’s use the ‘let’s’ in more places and let’s take the Suzuki Let’s for a ride.

Suzuki currently doesn’t have any real presence in the 110cc scooter segment. The Let’s will be the first product to enter that segment thus making it quite an important model for the manufacturer.  The Let’s is more of a women- friendly scooter with its slim body style and light controls, definitely having a edge over its elder siblings, the Access 125 and the Swish 125. However, will it be able to face the tough competition from the newer rivals like Honda Activa-i and 2014 Hero Pleasure, besides regular rivals like Yamaha Ray Z, Hero Maestro and TVS Scooty Streak? 

The day Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra took the covers off the Suzuki Let’s amidst the frolic and chaos of Indian media, it was pretty clear that this new model is targeted at young women.

The first look didn’t bring much of excitement within me like Parineeti did, but the details and the bright colour of the scooter definitely have a different charm to it. The fit and finish is good and if you're a fan of glossy paint and vibrant colours, this will do the job for you. The Let’s is available in five colours- red, blue, black, white and silver. The red Let’s, the one we tested,  really make heads turn but was quite a bright colour to set it apart from the other boring colours seen around.

Enough about colours, let’s move on to the other aspects, which are rather positive. Consider the good quality plastics which is similar to what’s on offer by the rival brands at this price point. As long as I can remember, Suzuki has always offered its products with good quality materials and this hasn’t changed with the Let’s as well.

The Let’s is a compact and smartly designed scooter. Though the slim body shell makes it look like a smaller version of the Swish 125, the design of the scooter is surely better than the bland and boring look of the Access 125. The Let’s is fresh and modern enough to appeal to the target audience.

The Inazuma-like headlamps mounted on the handle-bar with sharp lines on the body, stylish clear-lens turn indicators, minimalistic panel with ‘Suzuki’ stickering on either side completes the front look. Suzuki has not added many decals which we still think is a good move which highlights the good paint quality. The ‘Let’s’ badging is seen on both sides with a small SEP(Suzuki Eco Performance) sticker on the right side of the bike. The taillight assembly with integrated clear-lens indicators, a big plastic rear fender and a stubby exhaust are seen at the back.

The overall fit and finish is way better than average. The good paint quality, absence of large panel gaps and the non-appearance of chrome except for the Suzuki emblem, make this vehicle stand out among its competition. 

The conventionally laid odometer is unexciting; however, the instrument console consisting of the fuel gauge and the speedometer is very clear and easy to read. The font is big and easy on the eye which is again good. Feel and positioning of switchgear is good although the handgrips feel a bit hard than standard. They feel a little uncomfortable due to the efforts the rider has to put into steering corrections.

The floorboard is slightly high and sloping towards the front like the Honda Aviator. This results in the rider’s legs crouching more, making it a little uncomfortable for those who are accustomed to a flat floorboard found on other scooters. The ground clearance of 160mm is the best in class and the saddle is comfortable for the rider. However, a pillion with slightly more than an average built will feel uncomfortable on long journeys. With less space available to keep adjusting, two up riding in such cases will be tiresome for both the rider as well as the pillion.  

The seat fabric is nice and grippy enough to hold the occupants under varied riding conditions. The width of the seat is perfect for an average rider providing adequate support in all the right places. The grab rail is chunky and placed suitably for the pillion to hold on to. The nearly circular footpegs aren’t as comfortable enough in comparison to what flat footpegs would offer.

The Suzuki Let’s boasts of practical features that include a lockable ignition, conveniently placed hook beneath the handle bar and an under-seat mobile charger offered as optional extra. While we were hoping to fit a full-size helmet, it disappointed us like all the other scooters in this segment. The under seat storage is just about average like other 110cc scooters. 

In the past Suzuki had scooters only belonging to the 125cc segment. The Let’s is powered by a, single cylinder 110cc engine. This air-cooled, four-stroke unit produces 8.7bhp of power and 9Nm of torque – figures that are on par with the other models in the 110cc segment.

We know Honda introduced HET (Honda Eco Technology) which helps in increasing the fuel economy of the two-wheeler. Suzuki has also equipped the Let’s engine with a similar technology naming it SEP(Suzuki Eco Performance). The company hasn’t explained how the technology exactly works but they say it assists in achieving good fuel efficiency without compromising on power or performance.

The Let’s has an ARAI claimed fuel efficiency of 63kmpl. During our test the scooter returned 46kmpl under varied riding conditions. This included heavy traffic commutes as well as long rides on the highway with a pillion. This figure is satisfactory as the other scooters from this segment also offer a similar figure in these conditions. 

During the test, the engine performed as good as other 110cc scooters.  I was expecting the scooter to be sluggish but the scooter surprised me. Throttle response is better because the gearbox responds quickly. The Let’s cruises well till speeds of up to 60-65kmph, after which it loses steam. The engine refinement is impressive and a solo rider never feels the lack of power for an 110cc scooter. But when riding with a pillion the acceleration is seriously hampered. 

Yes the Let’s put a gentle smile on my face when I rode it for the first time. As I rode it for a few more kilometres, the gentle smile turned into a wide smile, the same way, when I saw Parineeti at the Suzuki Let’s unveiling. 

And having said that, it doesn’t mean I went all bonkers for either of them. But it’s true that as my affinity towards Parineeti amplified right from her first film, my liking for the Let’s saw a linear increase which seemed to boost further with more kilometers that I clocked on the odometer.

The slim body style and light-weight enabled me to manoeuvre the Let’s in heavy traffic and unpaved roads. The steering is light and the turning radius is very small which definitely gives this scooter an edge over the likes of Honda Activa 110 and the TVS Jupiter.

However, my likability for the Let’s decreased as I seated a pillion weighing more than an average adult. The ride changes completely! With a pillion, it feels a little wallowy over undulated roads. When riding solo at higher speeds, the scooter is fairly planted but not as planted as some of its rivals like the Yamaha Ray. In comparison to the Activa-i, the ride is slightly on the stiffer side mostly because of the low kerb weight. The scooter doesn’t bounce around but the light weight chassis means the scooter has a quick rebound which could make the rider feel unsettled.

Braking power is on par with the competition in the 110cc segment namely the Activa and the Ray. The bite and progression is good but the feel at the handlebar is not as impressive as the levers move way too much within the fingers. 

Due to its impressive performance and an affordable price tag of Rs 47,009(Ex-showroom), the Let’s should appeal more to the buyers looking for the latest scooter in the market. So is the Suzuki Let’s a good buy and worth the money one pays for it? Affirmative! The Let’s has everything that any other scooter from this segment has to offer, right from good looks to a peppy ride, decent fuel economy and a competitive price tag.

It would be interesting to watch how the Suzuki Let’s does amidst the battle of the big players in the 110cc segment of scooters in India. This includes scooters like the Hero Maestro, Yamaha Ray-Z, TVS Jupiter and especially the Honda Activa-i which has the highest penetration in the Indian market in terms of sales. We don’t expect the scooter to turn the tables for the manufacturer, but going by its 125cc siblings –the Access and the Swish, the Let’s could prove to be a successful 110cc model for Suzuki India.