Honda PCX150

Overview

There is something about the maxi scooter design that makes them look so attractive. They carry an air of the future and an immense presence about them that makes them stand out of the crowd. The Honda PCX150 conveys that same aesthetic with Honda’s trademark refinement in a more compact format. PCX150 heralded the segment in Asia and is still very much in the lead with it. Honda has consistently upgraded the scoter through the years and kept it ahead of the curve. The most recent of these upgrades was seen in early 2018. For a price of Php 133,900, it is quite a bit more expensive than its closest rival the Yamaha NMAX. Does it have the goodies to justify that price gap? Let’s find out.

Design

The biggest draw for the scooter has always been its body. Honda has worked its magic in making the best use of this body style with flowing lines that complement it. Compared to the previous model, this employs many more curves in its design. Hence, giving it a more well put together look from front to back. These curves are very well accentuated by the two metallic finish color options. The redesign gives its front end new indicators right beneath the big windshield that really pulls the whole look together. The LED headlights and slim position lights make it stand out in the crowd. The rear tail light cluster has remained the same but become bigger in size. A massive improvement on the earlier design. Honda has given the scooter a luxurious feel with chrome tipped handle bar ends. Behind the windshield is the large digital display, that uses an inverted LCD display for better readability. On the left there is a lockable storage compartment big enough for a water bottle that also has a power outlet for charging devices. The fuel filler cap and the underseat storage area can be opened from one-touch buttons on the handlebar.

That underseat storage is now bigger by one litre bringing it up to 28 litres. It can easily store a full face helmet. This increase in storage area has not come at the cost of an increase in the scooter’s size. The bike’s compact dimensions of 1923 mm (L) x 745 mm (W) x 1,107 mm (H) mm have remained unchanged along with the wheelbase of 1313 mm.  Ground clearance is decent at 137 mm. This is an urban commuter after all. The scooter is kept above the ground by lighter 14-inch 8 spoke cast alloys. The tires have also grown in size with a 100/80 tyre in the front and a 120/70 tyre in the rear.

Ride & Handling

The PCX150 now uses a full steel duplex cradle frame. The scooter is now lighter at just 131 kg. The reduced weight and the rigidity of the frame lead to better urban maneuvering. The front suspension has remained unchanged from the 31 mm telescopic front forks. The rear suspension has moved more rearwards and is now a tri rate unit that works better on all kinds of road surfaces. The new body work has helped in creating more space for your feet. This improves the adjustability and therefore comfort. The seat height has also gone up by 4 mm to 764 mm but should not pose any problems.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The engine is a 149 cc liquid cooled and fuel injected unit with DOHC producing 10.8 kW at 8500 rpm and 13.6 Nm of torque at 6500 rpm. The engine has lost a few cubic centimetres. However, the intakes, exhaust, radiator, fan, crankcase and drive pulley have gone through an extensive revision. These along with friction reducing improvements in the engine and transmission keep the mileage at a remarkable 51.3 kmpl.

Braking & Safety

The front wheel is provided with a single 220 mm disc brake along with ABS. But the rear only gets a mechanical drum brake, which is probably the biggest hiccup in this very comprehensively packaged scooter.

Verdict

The new PCX150 is a huge improvement on the previous model in every conceivable way. It looks better, feels more premium and rides more efficiently. It is still quite expensive, but with the improvements, probably not too expensive.