Hero Splendor Plus XTec Review: In 7 Images

Yes, big grand touring machines like the BMW K 1600 GTL are designed to travel a million miles, but humble commuters like the Hero Splendor Plus are designed to serve a million miles. The Hero Splendor Plus Xtec carries that legacy forward while staying ahead with time. See, while acceleration or braking figures may not be the new Hero Splendor Plus XTec’s career highlights, here are five numbers that capture the Splendor’s success more eloquently.

2.24 Lakh (Sales numbers)

Hero MotoCorp recorded a sale of 2.24 lakh Splendors in the month of March 2022. And, that’s not a one-off either. This simple commuter keeps raking in the numbers for Hero and accounts for nearly 50 percent of its sales. In fact, its closest rival is the Honda Activa 6G, another two-wheeler in service of the masses.

95 (Fuel Efficiency)

Imagine riding 900km with just one tankful of fuel. That’s like riding from Pune to Goa and back! Hard to believe right? The new Splendor Plus Xtec managed to return 95.8kmpl on our highway fuel efficiency test, and in the city, it returned 83kmpl. Its 97.2cc sloper engine pumps out a meger 8.02PS and 8.05Nm. While those numbers may not impress on paper, it’s peppy with enough low-end grunt to make your daily commutes a little less mundane. 

5 (New Features)

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The biggest highlight on the new Hero Splendor Plus Xtec has to be its new segment-first features. It gets a digital instrument console with a real-time mileage indicator and Bluetooth connectivity, which  prompts calls and SMS alerts.

For additional practicality, there’s USB charging and i3S idle stop-start system that’s meant to improve mileage under urban riding conditions. Also available are a side-stand engine cut-off sensor and a bank angle sensor that kills the engine in case of a fall.

28 (Years of service) 

While the overall design of the Splendor remains unchanged for the last (almost) three decades, Hero has given it alloy wheels, new liveries, paint schemes, and now even an LED DRL (exclusive to the XTec). 

72,900 (Asking Price)

Rs 72,900(ex-showroom Delhi) is how much Hero is asking for the new Splendor Plus Xtec, making it the most expensive Splendor Plus you can buy today.

Verdict

This hero of the masses has served flawlessly, delivering on those fronts where it matters the most for the commuter rider, frugality. Despite seeing three decades of rising fuel prices, changing emission norms, technology updates, it’s just as hardy and frugal to use as ever before. Its fill-it-forget-it assurity, coupled with the new features, gives it a fresh breath of air. That said, the current crop of 110cc commuters are cheaper, and more importantly, feature a front disc brake. That’s something you cannot buy even as an optional extra on the new Hero Splendor Plus Xtec.