Mileage Reviews – Page 2 – Bike and Car Mileage Reviews

Yamaha SZ R

There is not much of a difference between the Yamaha SZ R that we will be discussing today and the SZ-X that we had discussed a while back; except for a few variations in the looks and accessories. Anyway, we will discuss the SZ R independently to see what customers have got to say about it.

In terms of specs, the SZ-R is very much like the SZ-X. It comes with a 153cc air-cooled 4 stroke engine delivering a max power of around 12.1 PS at 7500 RPM. This effectively gets you a max torque of 12.8 Nm at 4500 RPM. Unlike the SZ X that has drum brakes on both the front and the rear wheels, the SZ R has a disc on the front and a drum on the rear. The bike measures 2050 x 730 x 1100 mm and weighs 134 kg. Equipped with a wheelbase of 1320mm, ground clearance of 165mm and seat height of 802mm, the other specs are mostly the same. The SZ-R can hold 14 liters of fuel at any point. You can purchase the motorcycle at a price of Rs. 57,500 ex-showroom Delhi.

Manufacturer’s Mileage Claim

Given that there is not much to choose between the SZX and the SZR, the manufacturer’s claim has stayed unchanged. As a matter of fact, Yamaha has one standard fuel economy claim for all their SZ variants – 62.4 kmpl. Do note that this is under test conditions and the real world FE would definitely be lower than this. Only a few other bikes like the Pulsar, Xtreme and Achiever have a higher mileage at the 150cc level.

User Reviews & Test Ride Reports

On Indiagarage, a customer reports that his SZR gives an unsatisfactory 43 kmpl on city roads. However there are more than a couple of other users who think the SZR is probably the best in class and they note a much higher FE of between 50-55 kmpl on city roads.

MaxAbout in their review say the SZR is “virtually identical to its younger sibling SZ-X” without any element of surprise when it comes to engine that they say lacks power. In terms of mileage, the SZR is reported to offer 55-60 kmpl on city roads and 65 kmpl on the highways. I feel the author has been too generous in this case. Anyway, let’s go through what the others have to say before jumping in on a conclusion.

In a customer review report back from 2011, BikeAdvice writer Naren calls the bike Sporty and ‘one of the hottest chicks’ in the Indian bike market. The review, which is overall very positive, does not specify the mileage. However, the readers reporting their FE claim it to be somewhere in the 45-49 kmpl mark.

On Motorbeam once again, the reviewer points out that the power delivered by the bike may not be up to the mark. However, there is a lot of thrust at low rev which is good in the city traffic conditions. On the mileage front, the reviewer notes 55+ kmpl overall which is extremely good which makes me rethink what I said about MaxAbout’s review.

Anyway, the final word needs to come from the customers themselves. On MouthShut, there are over 133 reviews for the SZR. The reviewers have together rated the bike 3/5 in fuel consumption which is not really a good figure. However, reading through the latest reviews, it seems like customers are happy with the mileage offered. The reported figure has hovered between 40-52 kmpl which is a pretty wide, yet good number to go with.

The summary of reports from various sources is tabulated below. Overall, the SZR looks like a decent bike to go with. Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source	City (kmpl)	Highways (kmpl)
Official	–	62.4
IndiaGarage	43-55	—
MaxAbout	55-60	65
BikeAdvice	45-49	—
MotorBeam	55	—
MouthShut	40-52	—

Mahindra Pantero

Mahindra has always been known for its sturdy commercial vehicles and SUVs. Of late though, they have been getting aggressive on the two wheeler front. One of their latest launches in the Pantero. Derived from “Panther”, the Pantero is an entry-level motorcycle that is designed for agility and efficiency. Equipped with a 106.7cc 4 stroke MCI-5 engine, this bike can deliver a maximum power of 8.5 PS at 7500 RPM that translates to a torque of 8.5 Nm at 5500 RPM. The closest I can think of is Yamaha Crux which is an 106cc motorcycle too. However in terms of power, the Crux only delivered around 7.6PS which puts the Pantero in a better position. Speaking of other specs, the Pantero measures 2000mm x 1265mm x 735mm, weighs 120kg and offers a decent ground clearance of 165mm. With a 13.7 liter capacity fuel tank, you can be assured that you wouldn’t be running out of petrol anytime soon. The Pantero is available at a starting price of Rs. 39,650 ex-showroom Delhi.

Fuel Economy Claim From Mahindra

Mileage is a huge concern for bikes in the entry level sub-110cc bikes. The Pantero is no different and as I said earlier, Mahindra claims efficiency to be a huge selling factor for its motorcycle. According to ARAI certified tests publicized by the company, the Pantero can deliver 79.4 kmpl under standard testing conditions. While the real world conditions are likely to pull this figure down to more practical levels, the official claim puts the Pantero in the middle of the pie – if you read our note on the top 100cc bikes in India, you will notice that the official claim on most 100cc bikes range from 70kmpl to 91kmpl.

Customer Feedback & Test Ride Reports

Now let us take a look at what some of the third party test rides and customer reports have got to say. Let us begin with what the folks at MaxAbout have got to say. In their review, the website commends the powerful engine that can potentially beat a lot of competitors. However, as a rider, you may not feel the power possibly due to the low throttle response. The website also notes that the instrument console is pretty futuristic. The city mileage reported on the website is 60 kmpl while the corresponding number on highways is close to 79 kmpl.

ZigWheels in their report do not have too many things to say about the bike although they note that the Pantero is priced very competitively for the commuter segment. They report a fuel economy of 68.25 kmpl. The review has not specified if this was tested on city road conditions or on the highways.

On city roads, you should ideally be expecting a lot less FE. According to the report on TopGear, the Pantero is not too good on the city roads in terms of fuel consumption. Their test ride revealed a figure of 48.9 kmpl which is well below the manufacturer claim of 79.4 kmpl. However, the writer does note that performance-wise, the Pantero is pretty refined with great suspension and very little vibration at high speeds on the highway.

The report on ProdEase does not comprehensively cover the performance of the Pantero. However, on the mileage front, the website notes that the motorcycle should be able to deliver between 65-70 kmpl although I am not sure if this was independently tested by the reviewer.

Most commuter segment bikes on MouthShut receive a 4/5 rating for fuel consumption. However, Pantero seems to be a rare exception. Users have rated it 3/5 which is not a good sign. There are just 8 reviews though and not too many mileage reports. One user reports 49 kmpl on city roads and 57 kmpl on the highways, which is similar to what TopGear has posted but which is again not anywhere close to what the manufacturers claim.

Source	City (kmpl)	Highways (kmpl)
Official	–	79.4
MaxAbout	60	79
ZigWheels	68.25	—
TopGear	48.9	—
ProdEase	65-70	—
MouthShut	49	57

So there you have it. The mileage is not exceptional on the Pantero. I really do not know if there is any one aspect that should make you pick the Pantero over its competitors. In any case, if there is a reason, go for it. It’s not too bad either.

Mahindra Duro DZ

We discussed the budget scooter from Mahindra, the Kine last week. If you are willing to open more of your wallet, there is another option available from the shop floors of Mahindra. The Duro DZ is a much powerful scooter compared to the 72cc Kine. It comes with a 124.6cc engine that delivers a max power of 11PS at 7000 RPM that on curves provides 9Nm at 5500 RPM of max torque. In terms of specifications, the Duro DZ measures 1814mm in length, 770mm in width and 1275mm in height. Other specs include a wheelbase of 1270mm, a ground clearance of 155mm and a curb weight of 114kg. The Duro DZ has a fuel tank capacity of 6.5 liters and a underseat storage of close to 20 liters. For a 125cc scooter, the Duro DZ is pretty affordable at an ex-showroom price of Rs. 44,688.

Manufacturer Claim

The Duro DZ website advertises three things on their homepage – a powerful 125cc DI engine, an advanced telescopic suspension and a “great mileage”. According to Mahindra, the Duro DZ can ride 56.25 kilometers for 1 liter of petrol under standard test conditions. Of course, on city road conditions with its share of pot holes and traffic, the mileage is expected to be much lower.

Test Ride & Customer Feedback

Comparing the Duro DZ with Honda Activa, ZigWheels writes that the Duro returns slightly lower fuel economy compared to the Activa. While their tests returned 45 kmpl on the Activa, the test on Duro DZ returned 42 kmpl. This is still a far cry from the official claim of 56.25 kmpl.

MaxAbout in their review note that the overall quality of the finish looks pretty sub-standard compared to the industry and could hence appear cheap. They also note that the palm grips are weirdly shaped giving an overall negative riding experience. With respect to the mileage, MaxAbout reports a number similar to ZigWheels – 42 kmpl.

MotorBeam compares the Duro DZ with the Suzuki Access 125 and there is some good news. According to the website, the Duro DZ has an excellent gearbox, a refined engine and a decent storage box. It also performs better in terms of FE. While Access delivers 47 kmpl in the real world, Duro DZ delivers 48 kmpl. That’s a pretty marginal win, but still the bottom line is that the scooter from Mahindra is better in this comparison.

Let us take a look at what folks at xBHP have got to say. One of the user who purchased the scooter writes in that one of the best things about the scooter is the power. The Duro DZ can deliver significant power even with a pillion rider. In addition to this, the reviewer also says that the telescopic suspension is as advertised and takes you smoothly over potholes. As on the mileage front, the review reports 48 kmpl on the city roads in the first few days after purchase.

On IndiaGarage, the reviews have been mixed. While one reviewer says his decision to buy the bike was ‘unfortunate’ for delivering just 35kmpl, others have commended the scooter for its solid performance as well as mileage of between 45-50 kmpl. Considering that the number of good reviews outnumber the sole bad review, I think I will go with 45-50 as the average number.

Finally, let us take a look at Mouthshut. There are just 8 reviews for the scooter on the reviews website and these reviewers have given an overall rating of 4/5 for fuel efficiency. Except for one user who reports 27 kmpl, every other user is extremely enthusiastic in their report. The average reported number is between 45-55 kmpl which is extremely good for a scooter of this power range.

Here is a snapshot of all the reviews we have looked into so far. Personally, I feel the Duro DZ seems to be a great scooter from both the mileage and power point of view. So if you are looking for a purchasing decision, I would suggest you go for it.

Source	City (kmpl)	Highways (kmpl)
Official	–	56.25
ZigWheels	42	—
MaxAbout	42	—
MotorBeam	48	—
xBHP	48	—
IndiaGarage	45-50	—
MouthShut	45-55	—

Mahindra Kine

If you are looking for a budget scooter, one of the models you must be looking at is the Mahindra Kine. This scooter is not too popular considering that Mahindra hardly advertises this model of theirs – something that they launched in 2010 post the acquisition of Kinetic motors. The Mahindra Kine is a pretty low-spec’d scooter targeted at the budget conscious. It comes with a 71.5cc single cylinder 2 stroke engine that can render a maximum power of close to 3.8PS at 5500 RPM. On turns, this translates to 5Nm maximum torque at 4500 RPM. The scooter is not very big and measures 1765mm x 635mm x 1060mm with an overall wheelbase of 1225mm. The seat is placed at a convenient 760mm. Other specs include an 82kg kerb weight, 4 liter fuel tank, 120mm ground clearance and a maximum speed of 60 kmph. The Mahindra Kine is priced at Rs. 34160 ex-showroom at Delhi.

Manufacturer Mileage Claim

Given that the scooter is targeted at the teenagers/price-conscious, mileage is of paramount importance. Mahindra doesn’t disappoint at least from the official claims. According to them, the Kine is capable of delivering around 63.25 kmpl economy under standard test conditions. As I have noted many times earlier, these conditions are very highway-like and so the FE you will see on city roads is likely to be far lower.

Test Drive & Customer Feedback

Let us start with the note from BikeDekho. They note from their test run that the scooter offers an average mileage of around 55kmpl which is not bad at all. However, one user claims to be noticing only around 31kmpl on their Kine. But given the small sample size, I wouldn’t give much thought into this just yet.

According to ProdEase, the Kine is built for big cities and short distance travel. Although the scooter is ideally suited for the female customers, the website says the performance is not up to the mark. They report a mileage of between 50-55 kmpl which is pretty okay.

Quite a few other websites have reported a fuel efficiency in the 55kmpl range. This includes the likes of BikeSpace and IndiaAuto. To have a better understanding of what the real world customers are saying, let us take a look at Olx (MouthShut does not seem to have many reviews about this bike). Most sellers have claimed an economy of between 40-50 kmpl which is still okay. I would however take reports from classifieds websites with a grain of salt considering the posters there are trying to sell their scooter and would hence be painting a pretty positive picture. On that note, reports on Quikr too state a fuel economy of between 40-50 kmpl.

So there you go. For one, there are not too many real customer reports for the Kine. And those that do are either reported with vested interests (as on classifieds sites) or appear to be from company claims. So there is not much to read into from the various mileage reports. I would seriously suggest you to take a real world test ride and take a decision only post that. Here is a snapshot of what various websites here have reported.

Source	City (kmpl)	Highways (kmpl)
Official	–	63.25
BikeDekho	55	—
ProdEase	50-55	—
BikeSpace	55	—
IndiaAuto	55	—
Quikr	40-50	—
Olx	40-50	—

TVS Metro 100cc

The TVS Metro is an entry-level motorcycle that is available for the international market. The bike was launched around 2009 and comes with a 99.7cc 4-stroke engine that is capable of delivering a max power of around 7.5 PS at 7500RPM and a max torque of 7.5 Nm at 5000 RPM. The bike is available in a number of countries outside the home country including Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Speaking of specifications, the Metro comes with a standard wheelbase of 1250mm and a kerb weight of 108 kg which is light enough to optimize the consumption of fuel. The fuel tank itself is capable of holding 16 liters including a 2.5 liter reserve. The TVS Metro is available at an on-road price of approximately Rs. 45,000.

TVS Metro Manufacturere Claim On Mileage

As an entry level bike with a 100cc engine, the TVS Metro is made for the fuel-conscious customer. However I have not been able to get an official claim from the manufacturer. But from what I have researched, the mileage that is claimed on the bike is around 75 kmpl under standard testing conditions. As I say always, this fuel efficiency is derived from superior driving conditions which is different from your city roads. So what you actually get on road may be different.

TVS Metro Customer Feedback & Test Ride Reports

There are a few Bangladeshi customers who have reviewed the mileage of the metro on MotorcycleValley. According to them, the Metro is expected to deliver anywhere between 50-70 kmpl although there are some who report noticing over 75kmpl – I am assuming this is on the highways.

On Bikroy, another bikers blog in Bangladesh, the reported number is slightly lower. The reviewer says the fuel consumption on his Metro is somewhere around 65 kmpl which is still pretty good. This report is also supported by a classified ad on the site ClickBD where the customer selling his Metro reports 60-65 kmpl on his bike. But do note that sellers are often known to claim an FE better than what they get; so take this report with a pinch of salt.

Here is a short summary of what I have discussed above. I have not been able to get too many other reviews about TVS Metro. If you own a Metro and would like to share information about its mileage, do tell us in the comments below.

Source	City Mileage (kmpl)	Highways (kmpl)
Official	–	75
MotorcycleValley	50-70	75-80
Bikroy	65	—
ClickBD	60-65	—

Yamaha FZ-S Vs. Yamaha FZ-16

The Yamaha FZ-16 was introduced way back in 2008 and has been around for a good 5-6 years now. The FZ-S model on the other hand was introduced less than a year back. This 150cc model is an improvisation upon the older FZ-16 model in that it comes with minor changes like an aerodynamic windshield, a longer pillion seat which is also relatively wider, a chain protector and a wider rear fender. You should know that none of these improvements would impact the mileage of the bike by a great deal since the engine has been kept practically unchanged. In any case, let us first compare the specifications of the two bikes.

Tech Specs Comparison

Both the bikes come with a 153cc displacement engine that offers a max power of around 14PS at 7500RPM that translates to 13.6 Nm torque at 6000 RPM. Everything – right from the seat height to the wheelbase and the kerb weight are the same on both the bikes. It goes without saying that both the FZ-S and the FZ-16 are bikes with the exact same interiors and just minor changes on the exterior. Let me just put down the major specifications side-by-side for your reference.

Specification	Yamaha FZ16	Yamaha FZS
Displacement	153cc	153cc
Max Power	14PS @ 7000	14PS @ 7000
Max Torque	13.6Nm @ 6500	13.6Nm @ 6500
Dimensions	1973mm x 770mm x 1045mm	1973 mm × 770 mm × 1090 mm
Wheelbase	1334mm	1334mm
Kerb Weight	135kg	135kg
Fuel Tank	12L	12L
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 69500	Rs. 71500

So there you go – except for a few millimeters difference in the height of the bike, there is not much change as far as the specs go. The Yamaha FZS is also priced slightly higher at Rs. 71500 (ex-showroom Delhi).

Mileage Comparison

The manufacturer’s claim on fuel efficiency is done via ARAI certified tests that are conducted in standard test conditions. These are usually much different from the riding conditions you experience within the city. Therefore you need to take these numbers with a pinch of salt since the numbers that you will be seeing could be much lower. In any case, according to Yamaha, both the FZS and the FZ16 are expected to deliver 50.81 kmpl under standard test conditions. For a better understanding of how the bikes would perform on city roads, let us take a look at what the various test rides and customer reviews have got to say.

BikeAdvice has official reports as well as usage reviews to put forth their claim. In their review of the FZ16, they report a figure of 40 kmpl on city roads that goes as high as 54 kmpl on highways. The corresponding FE for the newer Yamaha FZ-S is between 35-40. The latter figure has been derived from reports from a couple of real customers, one of whom though commends the bike saying the FZ-S feels like a 180cc bike although it belongs to the 150cc category.

The reports on MouthShut have been pretty positive for both the bikes. According to these reviewers, the FZ-16 can be expected to deliver anywhere between 38-47 kmpl on city roads. This is an extremely good figure considering that this is very close to the official manufacturer claim. The FZ-S does a notch better on MouthShut. Aggregating the reports from various customers, the FZ-S is expected to deliver somewhere between 38-53 kmpl. I doubt all this testing was done on city roads though.

Various other reviewers report the mileage on Yamaha FZ-16 to hover around 40. According to MotorBeam, you should count yourself lucky if you get 40 kmpl on the bike. BikeDekho says the figure on city roads should be around 35 kmpl while on the highways, this can go up to 46 kmpl.

Things are not looking very different for the FZ-S either. Users on xBHP note that the average fuel consumption should be in the range of 35-40 kmpl on city roads. On IndiaMart, customers have reported around 38 kmpl on city roads and 48 kmpl on highways. While MaxAbout is in love with the bike exteriors and the silent engine, the reported fuel consumption is not very different from other reviewers. They report 35-40 kmpl inside the city and 45 kmpl on highways.

Here is a summary of mileage reports from various sources. If you are someone who would love a more judicious use of fuel, neither of these bikes are for you. Check out our report on the best 150cc bikes – there are over half a dozen bikes that offer over 50 kmpl. Maybe you could take a pick from there.

Source, Yamaha FZ16, Yamaha FZS
Manufacturer, 50.81, 50.81
BikeAdvice, 40, 35-40
BikeDekho, 35, —
IndiaMart, –, 38
MaxAbout, –, 35-40
MotorBeam, <40, -- MouthShut, 38-47, 38-53 xBHP, --, 35-40 [/table]

Hyundai Santro Xing

It has been over 15 years since Hyundai made its entry into India. That also means it’s close to a decade since the Santro Xing has been out here in the market. Called the Hyundai Atos in many parts of the world, the Santro Xing was launched in India in 2003 and is being produced at the Hyundai factory down south in Chennai. Let us first look into the specifications of this car.

The Santro Xing is a hatchback powered by a 1086cc 4 cylinder engine. This is a little smaller than the engines offered on cars like Maruti Swift, Ritz and Brio. Consequently, the max power delivered here is also lower than the average 87PS delivered on those cars. The Santro Xing can give a max power of around 63PS at 5500 RPM. This translates to a max torque of 9.8 Nm at 3000 RPM. The car runs on petrol or LPG and has a fuel tank capacity of 35 liters. Speaking of dimensions, the Santro Xing measures 3565 x 1525 x 1590 with an overall wheelbase of 2380mm. The Santro Xing is available at a starting price of Rs. 3.03 lakhs (Ex-showroom, Delhi).

Manufacturer Claim On Fuel

Given that the Santro Xing is not as powerful as the other cars we have reviewed previously, the mileage offered on the Xing should technically be higher than those above. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. According to ARAI certified test results released by Hyundai, the Santro Xing is expected to give 17.92 kmpl under standard conditions. Again, these are much better driving conditions compared to your regular city roads and so what you actually see on road could be lower than this. Let’s see if it is indeed the case from the test drive reports and user reviews below.

Test Drive and Customer Feedback

Gaadi.com in their review report say the mileage delivered is higher than what is claimed on the ARAI certified tests. The petrol version of the car was seen to be giving close to 23.7 kmpl on highways and on city roads, the delivered mileage is reported to be around 17kmpl. The overall reported mileage is thus close to 18.7 kmpl which is pretty healthy. The numbers reported are for the non-AC variant though which means with AC on, the mileage delivered could be lesser.

In a forum thread comparing the Xing with cars from other segments like Wagon R and Suzuki Swift, CarWale notes that the mileage on Santro Xing may be very comparable with the more powerful cars when AC is on. The poster claims the mileage on Hyundai Santro Xing to be in the range of 11-13 kmpl on city roads which is not exceptional by any means for a 1100cc car.

If you live in a city which has bumper-to-bumper traffic in peak hours (well, who doesn’t?), Santro Xing doesn’t look very promising. A team-BHP user who has reviewed the car after 500 kilometers of travel reports seeing just 10 kmpl – under heavy traffic conditions in Mumbai. However, let this not deter you. There are other members there who report a mileage as high as 18-19 kmpl as well. Depending on your variant (AC/non-AC) and the driving traffic conditions, the mileage could vary, but I am not sure if there is any car that can offer great mileage when there is bumper to bumper traffic.

ZigWheels has a number of positive reviews on the Santro Xing. However, not everyone has reported their mileage. One user who has done is extremely happy with the outcome reporting around 18 kmpl on city roads and 23 kmpl on highways. According to Drive Inside, the 164mm ground clearance on the Santro Xing makes it an ideal car for Indian road conditions. The FE is not bad either. They report an overall figure of 15 kmpl which is not bad at all.

CarDekho has a number of useful mileage review reports. Most users who have reported their mileage there claim to be seeing pretty decent numbers. For city road conditions, the reported figure (with AC on) is anywhere between 14-16 kmpl. For highways, the reported number is higher at between 18-20 kmpl. These are very good numbers.

Finally, let’s take a look at what MouthShut users have got to say. There are 329 reviews for the Xing with the customers giving the car an overall rating of 4/5 for fuel consumption. Looking into the reviews made over the past couple of years, the city road fuel economy is around 12 kmpl on city roads and 15-19 kmpl on highways. Not great but not too bad either.

Source	City FE (kmpl)	Highways FE (kmpl)
Official	–	17.92
Gaadi	17	23.7
Carwale	11-13	—
Team BHP	10	18-19
ZigWheels	18	23
Drive Inside	15	—
CarDekho	14-16	18-20
MouthShut	12	15-19

So there you go. Would I recommend the Santro Xing for mileage? I am not very sure – the reported numbers are all over the place. If budget is a constraint, then I would pick this over the more powerful cars. But if I do not want to spend more on the likes of Swift, then Santro Xing could be my choice. What about you?

Hyundai Eon

The Eon is one of the better looking cars in the entry level segment; a segment dominated by the likes of Maruti 800 and Alto. Hyundai launched the petrol variant of the car in October 2011 and later introduced an LPG variant in early 2012. Although the Eon features among the best selling entry level cars in the country, it still has not produced the kind of impact one may have imagined – primarily because the buyers in this segment are relatively more concerned about the resale value of a car and Eon being a new launch still hasn’t got the kind of resale value that an Alto has. Things seem to be gradually improving though.

This is a car with an 814cc 3-cylinder engine that can crank up a power of up to 56 PS at 5500RPM. The resulting torque is as high as 74.5 Nm at 4000 RPM. For a comparison, Alto only delivers around 48 PS of power and 69 Nm of torque. The Eon measures 3495 x 1550 x 1500 with a wheelbase of around 2380mm. The Eon has a kerb weight of around 725kg which is slightly higher than the Alto (690kg). The Eon comes at a starting price of Rs. 2,79,883 (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the D-Lite model.

Manufacturer Mileage Claim

Like all entry level cars, the fuel efficiency is one of the strong talking points of the Eon. According to Hyundai, the Eon should be able to deliver 21.1 kmpl FE. This is the number extracted from the ARAI tests which are under standard driving conditions. The actual mileage on ground will be different in the presence of traffic and bad roads.

Test Drive & Customer Feedback

On CarTrade, there are a few user reviews of the car. The overall mileage as noted by the website is around 17.3 kmpl on city roads and 21.1 kmpl on highways. The independent reviews seems to agree with this too. Most users have reported the FE on their car to be between 12-19 kmpl on city roads and 21-22 kmpl on highways.

On CarDekho, the reviewer points out that the Eon engine is basically that of the Santro reduced by 1 cylinder. The Alternator Management System present in the top variant tends to reduce the fuel consumption a bit and thus improves your mileage. Eon customers chipping in with their feedback on the review note the mileage they have been noticing to be around 15-16 kmpl within city limits and 20-21 kmpl on highways.

While this looks rosy, a number of customers reporting in on CarWale have a different story to tell. The customers report a mileage of around 11-13 kmpl on city roads which is extremely low by any standards. However, there are also other customers who claim to be noticing 15.7-17 kmpl on city road and 25+ kmpl on highways. I honestly do not know what to make of it – it could be that a few customers have some fuel related issues with their Eon which may or may not be fixed.

There are a handful of user reviews on AutoJunction for the D-Lite variant of Eon. Aggregating the numbers provided by the various reviewers, the mileage delivered by Eon seems to be between 12-14 kmpl on city roads and around 20 kmpl on highways (or smaller towns where you can drive at a comfortable 50-60 kmpl at all times).

Finally, let’s look at what users on MouthShut have got to say. There are 18 reviews for the Eon and these reviewers have together given the car a 4/5 rating for fuel consumption. There are quite a few 2 sentence reviews complaining about the car being very cramped and small. On the mileage front, 16-18 kmpl is what users seem to noticing on city roads. On highways, the reported number is closer to the advertised figure of 20-21 kmpl.

So there you have it. The Eon is not without its bunch of unhappy customers. I do not know what to make of some reviews complainign about the really low mileage. So I do not want to advise one way or the other. Do test drive a car and take a decision independently.

Source	City (kmpl)	Highways (kmpl)
Official	–	21.1
CarTrade	17.3	21.1
CarDekho	15-16	20-21
CarWale	11-17	25+
AutoJunction	12-14	20
MouthShut	16-18	20-21

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800

Maruti Suzuki announced the new Alto 800 in October of last year. The older model that has been in the market for more than a decade has already established itself as India’s best selling car. With the new launch, Maruti has in fact made the Alto much more affordable with a price drop; in an obvious attempt to stave off competition from the Tata Nano and the other new range of low priced cars.

The new Alto 800 comes in two fuel variants – Petrol and CNG. Both models come fitted with a 796cc 3-cylinder and 32-valve engine that can crank up a total power of close to 48PS at 6000 RPM. On curves, the car can drive up a torque of 69Nm at 3500 RPM. If you are looking for a low-priced car with better engine performance, Alto should score over the Nano. As we had discussed this earlier, the Nano, with a 624cc engine can only deliver around 38PS of power and 51Nm of torque.

Before we delve into the mileage aspects of the new Alto, let us take a look at the other important specs on this car. The Alto has a seating capacity of 5 and has a 35 liter fuel tank. The car measures 3395 x 1490 x 1475 (all millimeters, obviously) with a wheelbase of 2360mm. At 160mm, the ground clearance is decent for an Indian city drive. The standard variant weighs just around 695 kg which has a positive impact on the mileage. The starting price of the Alto 800 – the non-Metallic Standard Petrol variant is around Rs. 2.42 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Official Mileage Claim

Maruti Suzuki claims that their new Alto has the best fuel efficiency in its class. According to drives conducted under standard test conditions, the petrol variant of the new Alto 800 is claimed to deliver 22.74 kmpl. The CNG has a much better claim at 30.46 kmpl. That’s definitely pretty considering that even Tata claims only about 28 kmpl on the Nano.

Test Drive & Customer Reviews

MaxAbout reviewed the new Alto 800 a couple of months back on their website where they say they have liked the interior of the car “for the first time in 12 years”. Except for the fact that the rear seat appears to lack some back support, the interiors look more stylish and modern on an overall. Their test drive of the petrol variant delivered them about 18 kmpl FE on city roads and 20-21 kmpl on the highways.

ZigWheels did a review of the Alto pitting it against the Hyundai Eon. They found the Alto to be performing better in terms of fuel consumption – a 12.2 kmpl on city compared to the Eon’s 11 kmpl. However, this is a far cry away from the 18kmpl that MaxAbout claimed in their test drive report.

Carzy in their review feel that the new Alto 800 has a trendy and a more upmarket feel about it. They note that the newly launched Alto has got enough on it to competitively tackle the threat from the Hyundai Eon. They report a city mileage of 18.5 kmpl – I am not sure if this is reported from an independent test though.

Hindustan Times has a wonderful review of the new Alto 800. They report that the new variant is lighter and is equipped with a much more fuel efficient engine that delivered them around 13.3 kmpl on city roads. On highways, this number apparently went up to 17.8 kmpl. Personally, I feel that this is just an okay figure for a car that strives to offer the “best in class mileage”.

There are around 8 reviews for the Alto 800 on MouthShut. These reviewers have together rated the car a whopping 5/5 for fuel efficiency. I don’t remember seeing such a rating for any bike or car earlier. There are things people are unhappy about. One user reports seeing a mileage of 10kmpl on city roads which I think may be an individual issue. The other users have reported between 18-20 kmpl on city roads with one user reporting 25.43 kmpl on the highways.

Overall, I think this is a great car as far as mileage is concerned. Yes, you may be compromising on a lot of features that may come with cars that cost a lakh or so more. But at this price, the Alto 800 is surely a huge value for money. If you are budget constrained and looking to buy a car in this time of rocketing fuel prices, Alto is the car to go for.

Source	City (Petrol-kmpl)	Highways (Petrol-kmpl)
Official	–	22.74
MaxAbout	18	20-21
ZigWheels	12.2	—
Carzy	18.5	—
Hindustan Times	13.3	17.8
MouthShut	18-20	25.43

Honda Aviator Vs. Honda Activa

The Aviator has been in the market for a relatively shorter period of time as compared to the Activa. While Honda Motorcycles launched the Activa way back in 2000, the Aviator has been here only since 2009. Both scooters belong to the 109cc segment with similar tech specifications and framework with one major difference being that the Aviator comes with a lot of add-ons like disc brakes that do not exist on the Activa. In this article, we will first take you through the specifications of both the scooters and then compare the mileages as delivered by the two models. This will help us arrive at a better judgement of which of the two is a better scooter.

Tech Specs Comparison

As noted earlier, both the scooters have a similar engine configuration. They both come with a 109cc engine that can deliver a max power of 8.1PS and a max torque of around 8.7 Nm. The Aviator is slightly bigger though. While the Activa measures 1761 x 710 x 1147, the Aviator on the other hand measures 1802 x 697 x 1162. The Activa is wider although the Aviator has a larger wheelbase providing a much higher stability while driving. The Aviator is also geared for longer drives with a fuel tank capacity of 6 liters whereas the Activa can only hold 5.3 liters. Here is a side by side comparison of the major tech specs of both the scooters. The ex-showroom price of the Standard variant of Aviator is slightly higher than Activa although there is also a Deluxe variant that is priced much higher.

Specification	Honda Activa	Honda Aviator
Engine Disp.	109cc	109cc
Max Power	8.1 PS @ 7500	8.1 PS @ 7000
Max Torque	8.74 Nm @ 5500	8.77 Nm @ 5500
Dimension	1761 x 710 x 1147	1802 x 697 x 1162
Wheelbase	1238mm	1256mm
Ground Clearance	153mm	145mm
Fuel tank capacity	5.3L	6L
Underseat storage	18L	20L
Kerb weight	111kg	102.3kg
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 47204	Rs. 48229

Mileage Comparison

Although both the Activa and Aviator have similar engine components, there are so many things different spec-wise on the two scooters that make it a given that these two models simply cannot offer the same mileage. However, Honda probably does not want to cannibalize the sale of one over the other due to the fuel economy component. The company claims the latest model of both the scooters to offer around 66.7 kmpl under standard test conditions. Again, this is not a mileage you could be seeing on your office ride because the tests are conducted under extremely favourable conditions that you may not be able to simulate on a city road.

In order to arrive a better judgement, let us now look at what third party reviews and test rides tell us with respect to the mileage. Let us start with MouthShut; the popular user reviews site. There are plenty of reviews for both the scooters. While the average claim made by customers lies in the range of 45-55kmpl for the Activa, the corresponding figure for Aviator is just between 30-46 kmpl. The numbers for Aviator do not get much support from other sources either. Except for a review from ScootyPrice that claims around 45-48 kmpl on the Aviator, the mileage reported on other reviews we noted from sites like BikeAdvice and ConsumerComplaints are in the range of 30-40 kmpl only.

In comparison, the Activa has pretty rave reviews from a number of sources. A couple of reviewers on IndiaGarage have reported a 35kmpl FE. That apart, reviews on most sources have been positive. BikeSpace reports 54kmpl while IndiaMart reports 55 kmpl. Most of the other sources including MyIndiaGuide, BharathAutos, ZigWheels, MaxAbout and Olx report a number between 40-53 kmpl which is much better than what the Aviator offers.

The specific number from the various sources are tabulated below. But I guess the bottomline is clear – the Aviator seems built more efficiently for a female audience as compared to the Activa. But that is just a minor improvement that does not warrant a drop in mileage as it seems to be from the various reviews. My suggestion would be to go with the Activa – it’s priced cheap, makes your commuter cheaper and has a great resale value too. What do you think?

Source	Honda Activa (kmpl)	Honda Aviator (kmpl)
Official	66.7	66.7
BharathAutos	53.5	—
BikeAdvice	–	30-40
BikeSpace	54	—
ConsumerComplaints	–	33-35
IndiaGarage	35	—
IndiaMart	55	—
MaxAbout	40	—
MouthShut	45-55	30-46
MyIndiaGuide	52.2	—
Olx	40-50	—
ScootyPrice	–	45-48
ZigWheels	46.8	—