Yamaha Aerox 155 review: The best scooter in India

I’m going to begin this review with my verdict, which although unusual is absolutely justified in this case. The new Yamaha Aerox 155 is the best scooter in India, and you should buy it. You can set out for a Yamaha showroom right about now, chequebook in hand. End of story, and thanks for reading.

I’m joking, of course – but only about the end of story part. The Aerox 155 really is that good; I’m tempted to buy one myself even though I don’t need a scooter, and I can tell you with confidence that I only put my money where my mouth is.

Big ups to Yamaha for bringing the Aerox here and throwing a wolf among the sheep; the scooter market deserved a proper firecracker, and it has one now. Hopefully others will follow suit.

A different scooter

Here’s why the Aerox is significant. The scooter market was (and still is, primarily) all about small engines that are designed for utility and fuel efficiency. Scooters like the TVS Ntorq 125 and the Aprilia 125 do offer some sportiness, and Aprilia does have a 160cc model as well, but none of these offer a liquid-cooled, 4-valve motor making 15 bhp.

Yes, you are correct in presuming that the engine is from Yamaha’s sporty R15 motorcycle (albeit slightly down on power), and it even carries over the VVA (variable valve actuation) tech from it.

What all this means is that the Aerox is a true-blue performance scooter. Wring open the throttle and it takes off like a scalded cat, accelerating strongly and cleanly all the way to a top speed of around 118 kph; on a scooter, rest assured that that’s more than enough.

No other scooter will be able to keep up with it (unless you bring a BMW C400 to the fight), and in fact it’ll scare some motorcycles as well. In the city, all of those 15 horses (and the healthy 13.9 Nm of torque) mean that you’ll be able to effortlessly zip around in traffic and leave everyone else standing when the light turns green.

Its start-stop system is also hyper-efficient. Almost as soon as you come to a stop, the engine cuts out, and it sparks back to life instantly when you twist the throttle; this will help fuel-efficiency no end.

If you’re on a highway, the engine’s sheer gusto will help you hold 100+ kph cruising speeds without breaking a sweat, which is rare on a scooter. No matter where it’s at in the rev range, the motor is smooth and unstressed, with exceptional throttle response everywhere. You can happily do a Mumbai-Goa run on the Aerox, I kid you not.

Powerful engine

This engine is powerful, but that doesn’t mean it’s thirsty; 50+ kpl in city riding should be easily achievable, and if you hold a steady 80 kph on highway runs, the efficiency figure will certainly go up, making up for its relatively small 5.5-litre fuel tank.. The only bone I have to pick with the engine is that it’s not loud enough – something this peppy needed to have a soundtrack to match the go.

If you’re used to riding scooters smaller and less powerful than this, you’ll know that all of them feel light under you and the steering effort required is minimal; these aren’t criticisms, I’m just stating facts.

The Aerox is a world away from these characteristics, though – and that’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned. It feels more like a motorcycle to ride, which is a best-of-both-worlds situation, and you need to put in more effort to steer it into corners. It’s also rock-steady in a straight line and through corners, part of which is down to the big wheels and tyres. Despite the heavier steering, the Aerox’s agility at slow speeds isn’t compromised.

The ride quality on offer is a little stiff, admittedly, because of the twin shock absorbers at the rear (rather than a monoshock) and the firm-feeling front forks, but the experience is never harsh or bone-jarring. Yamaha will sell you gas-charged KYB shock absorbers as optional extras, but those are a pretty steep Rs 17,024.

In my opinion, the ride quality is an acceptable trade-off, but what is definitely unacceptable is the 130mm drum brake at the rear; it’s wooden and feels virtually dead, and the sooner a disc brake option is offered, the better. The 230mm front disc hauls the Aerox in, but again, the feel from the lever is dull.

Good looks

In terms of design, it’s safe to say that the Aerox is the most striking scooter on sale at the moment. It looks very sporty, has a sculpted body and a stance that means business, with the sleek lights, big wheels, fat tyres and chunky exhaust adding to this impression.

Unlike other scooters on sale now, the floorboard isn’t flat, which means you can’t carry anything on it, affecting its practicality a bit; instead the rider places their feet forwards and to the side, in a ‘step-through’ fashion. There’s not that much space for your feet, either, and those with large limbs may feel a little uncomfortable.

The fit and finish aren’t of the greatest order either – the switchgear feels a bit flimsy, there are uneven panel gaps on the body and the floor mats are uneven, among other blemishes. On the plus side, there is a considerable amount of storage space under the seat - 24.5 litres, to be precise.

In terms of features, the list is adequate but not top of the line. The LED lights are strong and illuminate the road well, you get a digital instrument panel with Bluetooth connectivity (but no on-screen maps or music controls), VVA display, fuel gauge, tachometer and so on.

You can also use your phone as a secondary dashboard (not that I can figure out why you’d do so). You also get an external fuel flap (so no need to get off the scooter while refuelling), a USB charger, single-channel ABS and a side-stand cut-off mechanism.

At Rs 1.29 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), the Aerox 155 is a bargain, in my opinion. It’s loads of fun, looks sexy, is as enjoyable to ride as a proper motorcycle and is more practical too, with all that under-seat storage.

It has its niggles, but those are completely outnumbered by its giggles, to make a very bad joke. Don’t take my word for it – go and test ride one, and if you don’t come away grinning widely, well, you have ice water in your veins.