Record bookings for Honda Navi priced under INR 40,000

For a two-wheeler which is priced under INR 40k, this number is less than expected.

New Honda Navi moto-scooter was launched in India back at the 2016 Auto Expo earlier this month. Immediately after the launch, Honda Navi was available for booking online via their mobile app. Now, Honda 2 Wheelers India have revealed that in the fifteen days since Navi was launched, the company has received 500 bookings.

Priced from INR 39,500, most of these bookings have come from metros. Surprisingly, Honda 2 Wheelers is calling this number as ‘encouraging response’. But in a country where Honda sells about 2 lakh Activa scooters in a month, getting 500 bookings in fifteen days is anything but an encouraging response.

Honda Navi is a two wheeler which is neither a scooter nor a motorcycle. We think of it as a modern-day Luna, which has been developed and design keeping in mind the needs of modern day buyer. It is affordable, it has storage space, low ride height, lightweight (lighter than Activa by 7 kgs), easy to manoeuvre in traffic jams, styling is in place, and so on.

Powered by an 110 cc engine, which generates 8 PS power and 9 Nm torque. Mated to a CVT gearbox, Honda Navi has a kerb weight of 101 kg, fuel tank capacity of 3.8 liters, and ground clearance of 156 mm.

Honda claims that the Navi is a 100% Make in India product which is also fun to ride. Only time will tell whether the buyers in the segment approve this new kid off the block, or continue with the existing mundane offerings.

This article first appeared on rushlane.com