The Hero Xoom 160 is unlike anything else currently sold in India. Styled like an adventure scooter and borrowing elements from European maxi-scooters, it aims to offer more space, comfort and touring ability than a conventional scooter. After spending extended time with it in Mumbai, it’s clear that Hero has got some aspects very right, but a few key areas stop it from being as convincing as its styling suggests.
The Xoom 160 makes a strong first impression. From its prominent front beak and block-pattern tyres to the sharp twin-LED headlamp, everything about the scooter projects an adventure-inspired image. It also has genuine road presence and feels noticeably larger than a conventional scooter, one that makes passersby give it a second glance.
The front beak with twin headlights look striking
Hero has made good use of that size. There is a practical front storage cubby for everyday items, while the underseat compartment offers 22 litres of storage and can accommodate certain full-face helmets. Taller riders will also appreciate the generous knee room, which makes the riding position feel much less restrictive than the Aerox 155.
One area where the Xoom 160 already feels dated is its instrumentation and switchgear. Despite being Hero’s flagship scooter, the switchgear lacks the premium feel and even other newer Hero products such as the Xoom 125 have nicer switchgear.
The LCD display offers Bluetooth connectivity and all the expected information, but it is small and not particularly easy to read on the move. The scooter does get keyless operation and a remote seat-release function, both of which add a degree of convenience and premium feel.
The overall feature distribution is somewhat puzzling as it has been with most Hero’s. Another example of this is how the smaller Xoom 125 receives segment-first, sequential LED indicators, while the more expensive Xoom 160 makes do with conventional bulb indicators.
The key fob looks and feels premium, unlike the switch cubes.
The 156cc liquid-cooled, four-valve engine is one of this scooter’s highlights. It is smooth, refined and delivers its performance in a very linear manner.
Unlike the Yamaha Aerox 155, the Xoom 160 doesn’t feel particularly sporty or aggressive. Instead, it focuses on refinement and ease of use. In our performance tests, the Aerox reaches 80kph quicker, but the gap disappears by the time both scooters reach 100kph. Considering the Xoom’s substantial weight disadvantage, that is an impressive result. An excessively long accelerator twist action does impact the engine’s effortlessness, though.
The engine also remains smooth at higher speeds and feels well suited to long-distance riding. Talking about long-distance riding, Hero will also sell you a top-box.
At 142kg, the Xoom 160 is around 16kg heavier than the Aerox 155, and that weight is impossible to ignore in the city. Filtering through traffic, changing direction and negotiating corners all require more effort than on a conventional scooter.
Switchgear looks a generation older
Although, the weight does bring in some benefits. The scooter feels planted and stable at speed, and once leaned into a corner, it holds its line confidently. However, it never feels particularly eager or agile and is more comfortable cruising than being ridden aggressively. The block-pattern tyres offer adequate dry-weather grip, although wet-weather confidence could be better.
The riding position is comfortable and accommodating. The 787mm seat height is approachable, while the floorboard on either side of the underspine allows riders to either sit conventionally or stretch their legs forward in typical maxi-scooter fashion.
However, the suspension does not live up to the promise of the styling. Ride quality is noticeably firmer than expected, particularly on broken roads and this was something the lighter riders in our office felt more acutely. While the seat cushioning is excellent and helps improve long-distance comfort, it cannot completely mask the stiff suspension setup. A more absorbent suspension tune and rear preload adjustability would have significantly improved the overall experience.
The Xoom’s 7-litre fuel tank – the largest on any Indian-made scooter – enhances its touring credentials. Highway comfort is also good, with the engine feeling relaxed and vibrations remaining well controlled at cruising speeds.
In our instrumented fuel-efficiency tests, the Xoom 160 returned 38.7kpl overall, with figures of 39.6kpl on the highway and 37.9kpl in the city. These are respectable numbers, although not class-leading.
Interestingly, the scooter’s fuel-efficiency display consistently showed figures that were nearly 10kpl lower than what we achieved during testing.
Braking performance is reassuring and despite its weight, the Xoom sheds speed well. The 240mm front disc provides decent stopping power without feeling overly aggressive, while the ABS calibration remains unobtrusive.
The Hero Xoom 160 is an interesting scooter because it attempts something genuinely different. It combines maxi-scooter proportions with adventure-inspired styling and delivers practicality and refinement
However, the execution does not fully match the promise suggested by the design. The firm suspension, dated switchgear and missing features prevent it from becoming the complete package it could have been.
Even so, there is a lot to like here. The Xoom 160 is refined, spacious and priced at Rs 1.40 lakh, it is unlike anything else in the segment. Hero may not have extracted the full potential from the concept, but it has shown that there is room in India for a more convincing maxi-scooter in the future.
