Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is well-known to think out of the box and the Honda Navi is a shining example in this regard. Described as a 'segment disrupter', the Navi did exactly that! Is HMSI trying to emulate the Honda Navi success story with the newly launched Honda Cliq? Maybe. The rather unique-looking scooter from HMSI has the underpinnings of the Honda Activa and is squarely aimed at the rural two-wheeler market in India, which consists of a rather huge target audience. We've also compared the Cliq to its older siblings, the Honda Activa 4G and the Dio scooters.
(Honda Cliq)The company's study says that the penetration of automatic scooters in rural India is a mere 17 per cent as compared to 51 per cent in the urban and 32 per cent in the semi-urban two-wheeler market. This simply means that there is immense scope for manufacturers to tap into the rural and semi-urban market. And this study, precisely, formed the basis of the all-new Honda Cliq.
With the Navi and now the Cliq, HMSI has two 'segment disrupting' products in the same space. But do they offer the same things! Lets have a look.
| Technical Specifications | Honda Cliq | Honda Navi |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 109.2 cc | 109.2 cc |
| Max Power | 8 bhp at 7,000 rpm | 7.83 bhp at 7,000 rpm |
| Max Torque | 8.94 Nm at 5,500 rpm | 8.96 Nm at 5,500 rpm |
| Transmission | CVT | CVT |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 3.5 litres | 3.8 litres |
| Kerb Weight | 102 kg | 101 kg |
| Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) | Rs. 42,499 | Rs. 41,500 |
As is clear from the table above, the engine on the Cliq and the Navi have the same output in terms of power and torque. The weight is also similar with the Cliq being just a kilo heavier than the Navi. Both the scooters use a CVT and have similar fuel tank capacity as well. The pricing is also different by just Rs. 1,000 with the Cliq being the expensive model of the two. So where are these different?
(Honda Navi)Firstly, the styling! If the Navi is unique, then Honda has outdone itself with the newly launched Cliq. While the looks of the scooter still divides opinions but is something that no other scooter looks like currently. The Navi with its bare-bones look is way different from the almost kitsch-looking Cliq, and we mean that in a positive way. Secondly, the target audience! Not to say that the Navi won't work with rural populace, but the Cliq is meant to target the said customers. In order to prove so, the Cliq gets chunky block tread pattern tyres and a carrier at the rear to tie up luggage and goods. It is meant to be a work-horse. And regular features such as a flat floorboard, under-seat stowage and a mobile-phone charger make it more practical than the Navi.
(Honda Cliq)In the words of Minoru Kato, president and CEO, HMSI, the scooter segment in India is seeing solid growth and with varied customer needs, it is time for sub-segmentation to cater to all sorts of personal mobility needs and low cost of ownership as well. Hence, the Honda Cliq is what the company thinks the need of the hour is.
Here's all you need to know about the Honda Cliq and our first ride experience as well.
