The 110cc scooter market is rather crowded and with some pretty good ones available too. So a new 110cc scooter has to be a bit special to make its mark. Hero has the Maestro Edge 110 and the Pleasure+ in the segment already. So, is another 110cc scooter the way to go? If it has something distinct and targeted at a particular demographic… why not? We got a taste of what the new Hero Xoom has to offer and here are our thoughts.

The most distinct feature of the Hero Xoom is how it looks. It sets itself apart by being very angular. The design is aggressive and quite attractive too. An LED headlamp with an H-shaped LED DRL, H-shaped tail lamp, cuts and creases all over, integrated indicators in the handlebar cowl and peppy colours ensure that the Hero Xoom looks like it is targeted at youth- the demographic Hero MotoCorp is looking to entice. 

In terms of design then, kudos to the design team for pulling off something that looks pretty darn good without being obnoxious or too full of itself. And during our time with it out on the roads of Delhi-NCR, we could tell that it attracts a fair bit of attention. We also liked the colour options available; Sports Red, Polestar Blue, Black Matter, Abrax Orange, and Pearl-Silver White. Full marks then in terms of design. 

Design is one thing but that alone is not enough to get people to flock for the zingy little number that the Hero Xoom is. We probably gave it away but we were more than satisfied with the performance of Hero Xoom. With 8.15 bhp of power and 8.70 Nm of torque, it is not a powerhouse but with the weight that the engine has to push around, the Hero Xoom offers crisp performance. 

Hero MotoCorp states that the 110cc engine has been specifically tuned for the Hero Xoom and it feels that way. We liked the linear performance and the perky acceleration it offers. Refinement though could have been a bit better. It is vibey initially but things get better as you gather some speed. This also makes some of the panels rattle a tad bit but more than later. 

It also gets Hero MotoCorp’s i3S start-stop system. We like it as a feature but the implementation could be a bit better as the system seems a little slow. It takes a bit to shut the engine off when you come to a halt. Then to start it back up again, you have to hold the brake and then use the throttle, which sort of beats the purpose of a quick start-stop system. Regardless, it is a nifty feature to have. 

Onwards to handling, the Hero Xoom is a good scooter in this department as well. It is predictable in terms of how it goes around corners and it deals with bumps and potholes quite well too. The 12-inch wheels on both ends and a new frame help it in this regard. Overall, it seems like a good balance between a plush ride with enough in store for some spirited riding. We got the top-spec ZX variant that has a disc-drum setup and the brakes felt more than enough for a scooter of this size. We’d say that the drum-drum setup on the other variants may work just fine as well. 

The ergonomics are quite comfortable too. There is a fair bit of space so we feel that taller riders won’t have much trouble either. But for most, there is a fair bit of space and the seat too is well-padded and quite spacious. Storage space is one of the more important aspects when designing a utilitarian scooter and the Hero Xoom is well-endowed. You get just a tad more than 19 litres of storage space under the seat, two fairly deep pockets in the front and a hook for the grocery bags to latch on to as you set out to rule the streets. 

One of the most interesting aspects of the Hero Xoom is how well-equipped it is. LED lighting all around may seem like a usual deal but it is still missing on some other offerings in the segment. More than that, there is a segment-first feature, which has been a headline feature in the Hero Xoom launch- cornering lights. 

Granted that it is not the high-end headlight-integrated system that most minds went to, it works. Using a gyroscope and an accelerometer, the Hero Xoom lights up a small LED lamp in the fairing following the direction you are turning in. It works but to what extent and the real-world usability of this feature is something that a longer test would determine. Additionally, there’s a fully-digital instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity, a rather novel feature in the segment. 

Up to this point, the Hero Xoom seems like a pretty impressive scooter. But nothing is perfect and along with these many hits, there are some misses here. There is a USB charging port but the placement is a little awkward. The key slot is not multi-function and more than that, there is no external fuel filler. The last one is a rather important miss. 

Then there’s the build quality; there is nothing wrong per se but there are some issues here and there. The quality of materials used could have been better, especially with the switchgear and the mirrors. Then, the rattling. The units we rode were review samples so it could be down to that but we felt that the initial gruffness of the engine combined with some not-so-well-fitted panels made for some noise that is ungainly for the scooter this good. 

The Hero Xoom is a well-rounded package and the design and features are the highlights. Despite that, there are some rather clumsy misses that, if addressed, could have made the Hero Xoom a segment-best offering. Regardless of those, for the price, the Hero Xoom seems like a pretty good package and if you’re out looking for a 110cc scooter that stands out in the crowd, this one is more than worthy of your consideration.