Hero MotoCorp yesterday launched two new scooters in India namely the Maestro Edge and Duet.
namely the Maestro Edge and Duet. While the prices for the Maestro Edge were revealed (starting at Rs. 49,500/- Ex-showroom, Delhi), it was announced that the Duet would be launched at a later stage after deliveries for the Maestro Edge began somewhere mid-October. The Maestro Edge has entered into a very fierce segment which comprise of rivals like the Honda Activaand the TVS Jupiter. While the Honda Activa has set the sales charts on fire in the recent past, the TVS Jupiterhas been quite a strong seller for the company. We take a look at how the new Hero Maestro Edge compares with its two biggest rivals through a detailed specs comparison.
Design:
The Hero Maestro Edge definitely has the ‘edge’ over its rivals as the design feels fresh and sporty at the same time. It gets nice touches like LED taillights, 12-inch alloys and a neat looking digital instrument cluster. The TVS Jupiter on the other hand gets an all black theme to the exteriors with the alloys and engine housing painted in black. The Honda Activa is offered in three variants namely the Activa-i, Activa 3G and Activa 125. Sadly, all the three variants are somewhat overshadowed here by the Maestro Edge and Jupiter as it tends to feel a bit dated. Also, every second scooter buyer in India opts for the Activa which makes it a very common sight on our roads and turns the arrow in favour of the other two bikes here.
The Jupiter gets an all black theme on the exterior with the alloys and engine housing painted in black
Engine:
All scooters here come with 110cc motors with the new Hero Maestro Edge which develops the most power at 8.3PS while the Activa-i and Activa 3G produce most torque at 8.83Nm. The TVS’s 110cc motor churns out 8.2PS of power and 8Nm of torque which is somewhere middle of the road. All come mated to only an automatic gearbox which makes them easy to ride in the city. While the Activa-i and the Activa 3G get 110cc engines developing 8PS of max power, the Activa 125 can be had with a 125cc motor with a slightly higher power output.
The Honda Activa looks the most dated of the lot and misses out on many convenience features its rivals offer
Features:
Hero Maestro Edge seems to offer the most features here with convenience features like a USB 3.0 charging point under the seat, an external fuel tank opener, 12-inch alloys, remote fuel lid and seat opening, digital instrument cluster and the list goes on. The TVS Jupiter is also quite close to the Maestro Edge where features are concerned and gets an LED taillight, mobile charger under the seat and retractable bag hooks. The Honda Activa again feels out of place here as it can boast of a very few of the above mentioned features and gets a analog instrument cluster which looks completely outdated.
The Hero Maestro offers the most bang for your buck and has enough in its arsenal to dethrone rivals
Verdict:
The Honda Activais the oldest of the lot and it shows. It gets the least amount of features and misses out on quite a lot of frills which have become kind of a norm on scooters these days. The TVS Jupiter is quite the opposite with loads of features to which one can relate to from this segment. But the ace of the pack has to be the new Hero Maestro Edge which offers even more features at a considerably lower price than both the Activa and the Jupiter. Although hold on to that thought, we will confirm this through a thorough road test review coming up very soon. Stay tuned to Indian Cars Bikes.