Should You Get India’s Favourite Scooter Or Its Youthful Sibling?

The Honda Activa is a household name. It was first launched over a decade ago and has been India’s favourite scooter ever since. Such is its popularity that the name Activa is synonymous with the term scooter. Its plain jane design might please the family man, but it turned out to be too simple for the just-turned-16-year-old to ride to college. Enter the Dio. Even though it hasn’t been a runaway success like the Activa, the Dio is still one of the most popular scooters in India.

Over time, both scooters have been updated to meet the changing vehicular legislation of our country. Yet, their focus has not changed. Just how different is the Activa 6G from its funky sibling, the Dio BS6?

The Activa 6G sticks to its family scooter roots when it comes to the design. It looks fairly similar to the larger Activa 125 BS6, thanks to the longer rear section and seat. There are fewer cuts and edges on the metal body of the Activa with pleasing monochrome paint schemes.

In contrast, a lot is happening when it comes to the styling of the Dio BS6. Honda has not dramatically changed its looks but subtle tweaks make it look more like the Grazia 125. There are loads of edgy panels with sharp cuts and faux air-intake scoops. While we do like certain dual-tone schemes that Honda offers on the Dio BS6 -- which pair nicely with the faux carbon fibre-finished panels -- some options are a bit too much for our taste.

The major difference between the two scooters is now with the digital info cluster that you find on the deluxe variant of the Dio BS6. The Activa 5G used to have a small digital inset accompanying the analogue speedometer. You do not find that on the Activa 6G as Honda opted against it to save on costs.

Underneath the skin, the two scooters are identical. The same underbone chassis is hooked onto a new 109.51cc single-cylinder fuel-injected motor, which produces 7.76PS and 8.79Nm. Both scooters have finally received a major suspension update with the front end now running a conventional telescopic unit instead of the old cantilever system. At the rear, the same three-step preload adjustable monoshock is used. Both scooters now run on a 12-/10-inch front/rear wheel setup. There are neither alloy rims nor a front disc brake option here. Yes, the scooters run a 130mm drum brake unit at both ends.

Even though both scooters have an identical wheelbase and the same 5.3-litre fuel tank, there is a slight difference in weight. Thanks to the plastic body on the Dio BS6, it weighs 105kg, 2kg less than the Activa 6G. Honda claims the Activa 6G has the best ground clearance in the segment, at 171mm. While we do not know if it is the best, it is 11mm more than what you get on the Dio.

Ultimately, it boils down to the price of the scooters. Both scooters are available in standard and deluxe trims, with the latter featuring an LED headlight. The standard version of the Activa 6G costs Rs 63,912, while you end up paying Rs 65,412 for the deluxe. The corresponding variants of the Dio BS6 cost Rs 59,990 and Rs 63,340. Considering all the goodies you get on the deluxe version of the Dio BS6, we think it offers the best value for money out of all four options.