Everyone is buying the Honda Activa automatic scooter: Here’s why

The Honda Activa is the most popular scooter currently on sale in India. The Activa was first launched in India in 2001 and has since gone on to totally dominate the scooter market in India. In February at the Auto Expo 2018, Honda announced the Activa 5G, the latest scooter to bear the iconic name. Despite being nothing more than a minor facelift, the Activa 5G has captured the hearts and wallets of the scooter riding community in India, which can be seen in the sales numbers. In July 2018, Honda sold 286,380 units of the Activa in India, which translates to roughly 1.1 Activas sold every 10 seconds. So what are the reasons for the Activa’s big success story in India? Let’s find out.

Wide Appeal

The Activa appeals to many types of two-wheeler buyers. Its appeal stretches from teenagers on their way to college or the professionals riding to work to even the stay-at-home moms heading to the shops, the Activa has something that appeals to all of them. Thanks to its fuss-free nature, the Activa can be used as a daily driver allowing anyone buying it to get from point A to point B easily, which at the end of the day is what people want.

High Convenience

One of the biggest reasons that ensures that the Activa sales remain crazily high is the high convenience it offers. Despite using metal panels, the Activa does not weigh much, which allows almost anyone to ride it easily. Also, it offers sufficient storage space and hooks to allow you to store whatever it is that you want. The biggest factor though is the CVT automatic gearbox, which means that riders do not have to shift through the gears, which makes traffic jams easier to endure.

Affordability & Ease of Ownership

The Honda Activa may not be the cheapest scooter on the market today, but its features ensure that it offers a high value-for-money in the eyes of those looking to purchase one. At a starting price of Rs 52,000, the Activa 5G is priced at around the same mark as many entry-level motorcycles. Combine the price with the features offered (automatic transmission, more storage space) and you can see why people opt for the more practical Activa. Add in the fact that the Activa is easy to maintain and can be worked on by even road-side mechanics and you see why this scooter sells like crazy.

Adequate Performance

Make no mistake, the Activa isn’t a two-wheeler that will win you races down a drag strip. However, the Activa with its automatic gearbox and small engine (either 110 or 125) offers enough performance for use inside the city. The Honda scooter can easily zip through traffic with its engine and suspension set-up. For people who have to deal with traffic jams on small streets every day, the Activa just seems like the perfect vehicle.

Decent Mileage

Another factor in the Activa’s favour is its fuel-efficient engine which can return up to 50 km/l if you’re gentle with the throttle. This combined with its ability to zip through crowded streets and backroads make the Activa an easy choice for buyers looking to purchase a new scooter.

High Reliability

Honda’s vehicles are known for their high reliability and the Activa is no different. We’ve seen Activas with over 1 lakh kilometres on the odometer, which still run without any issue whatsoever. Thanks to this trouble-free nature of the Activa, it comes as no surprise that the Activa is highly popular among the Indian public.

Top Resale Value

Thanks to its reliability, a fuel efficient yet sufficiently powerful engine, and the low cost of running, it comes as no surprise that the Activa enjoys a high-resale value in the second-hand market, which allows owners to recoup quite a lot of their initial investment on the Activa.