The 110cc derivative of the Honda Activa – or the original Activa, if I may – has been one of the most popular automatic scooters ever since its launch in the Indian market. This is largely due to the fact that the Activa has proved itself to be a dead reliable product with no major issues whatsoever over these years.
However, in the current age scenario, riders are more inclined towards 125cc scooters. Therefore, Honda has made sure it has two automatic scooters in the space. For one, the Honda Activa 125 – which is not a carbon copy of the 110cc scooter and is a completely different scooter altogether – is aimed at a slightly mature audience than its other sibling, the Grazia 125, which takes a completely different and appeals to a younger audience. Let me tell you why.
Having been discontinued for a little while, Honda has just re-introduced the Grazia 125 in the Indian market, which is now upgraded with a BS-VI compliant engine and lots of features. For one, it is now available in two variants – Standard and Deluxe – with the Standard variant now priced at Rs. 73,336, which makes it around Rs. 11,000 dearer than the BS-IV model it replaces.
But what does it bring to the table apart from a cleaner and greener BS-VI compliant engine? First, Honda has tweaked the design of the Grazia, giving it an edgier stance. Therefore, it now looks sharper and more aggressive than the model it replaces. Other than that, on the exterior front, the Grazia 125 now gets sleeker LED unit and an LED DRL at the front cowl – just like its smaller sibling, the Dio.
Apart from all that, the Grazia 125 also gets an updated twin-pod digital instrument cluster. Where the earlier model only displayed basic information like live speed, trip meter, and odometer, the new instrument cluster takes the whole proposition a step further as it now also displays range, real-time efficiency and average efficiency along with the aforementioned. Honda also says that the updated Grazia gets 16mm added ground clearance – which is always a boon considering our roads – and more underseat storage.
So, that’s all about the youth-oriented Grazia 125. The Honda Activa 125, on the other hand, was not just the first scooter from the maker to go under the knife to get BS-VI approval, it was India’s first scooter to do so. Therefore, it was introduced way back in 2019.
Therefore, it is a bit more affordable than the Grazia 125, and, as a result, should be considered if budget is a concern.
Like the Grazia, the Activa 125, too, gets a full-LED headlamp with LED DRLs, alloy wheels with the option of a disc brake, and so on. Where the Grazia gets a full-digital unit for instrumentation, the Activa 125 gets a semi-digital unit. And, lastly, its design is very similar to the BS-IV model, which is not a bad thing considering its elegant styling only makes it look timeless.
At the heart of the matter, both scooters come powered by a 124cc single-cylinder mill, which is good for 8.1bhp and 10.3Nm of torque. Both scooters come mated to a CVT automatic transmission and feature Honda’s silent start system, idle start-stop system and an integrated engine start/kill switch. To conclude, both the scooters are mechanically identical to one another.
Therefore, to conclude this comparison, it all boils down to personal preference. If you prefer the snazzy design and expansive feature list of the Grazia, then it’s the one to pick. But, if you believe a little elegancy won’t hurt in your garage, then pick the Activa 125 and save some bucks while at it. Either way, both are excellent scooters and you wouldn’t be wrong to pick any one of them. To read more comparisons like these, be sure to visit us at autoX.