TVS Jupiter

It’s been nearly 11 years since the TVS Jupiter 110 first hit the market. Since then, the scooter has witnessed a bunch of special editions and new paint schemes, but TVS made no substantial changes to the Jupiter 110 until August this year till the launch of the new and revamped Jupiter. Although it no longer wears the 110 badge, it still is the Jupiter 110.

Perhaps TVS adhered to the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' philosophy, considering the Jupiter's impressive sales figures and its status as one of India's highest-selling scooters. While the previous model's performance was satisfactory, its build felt slightly dated. But now, the Jupiter seems to have hit the gym, emerging leaner, meaner, and sharper. But there is more to this transformation of the Jupiter 110 than what meets the eye. And that is what we will talk about today.

The design is one of the key updates that the TVS Jupiter has received in its latest avatar. It strikes a balance between its family-oriented approach and a futuristic, courtesy of seamless LED DRLs at the front and an LED tail light. Plus, the overall panel placements around it too are flush and cohesive.

It feels even better knowing that the aesthetic changes also bring functional benefits. TVS has leveraged its learnings from the Jupiter 125 and incorporated it into the new Jupiter. So, the scooter now comes with its fuel tank at the bottom thereby freeing up underseat space. This cavernous 33-liter compartment is highly practical, although its depth is insufficient to accommodate a premium full-face helmet. But if you use one of the half faces or the local ones then maybe you can stuff two of those. But overall, the Jupiter’s boot comes in quite handy, to say the least.

The fuel filler cap is now on the front left side. But the inconvenience here is the narrow neck of the fuel tank, which makes refueling slightly clumsy causing spills every time you try to tank it up properly. TVS has also kept the quality levels up to the mark and satisfactory.

When it comes to a family scooter or a small-size scooter in general, comfort is paramount. Especially in densely populated cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, or Kolkata, having a spacious two-wheeler that allows ease of movement is invaluable. And the Jupiter does that very well since it gets a massive seat. Even the floorboard has decent space for you to keep your feet up along with a little luggage.

You sit fairly upright yet relaxed on the Jupiter, although we feel the rider seat could benefit from a slightly denser cushioning. As it stands, the soft seat can become uncomfortable during prolonged rides. But this is not a deal breaker.

TVS has not only refreshed the Jupiter’s cosmetics but also tweaked the mechanicals. The scooter now gets a 113cc motor, replacing the 110cc unit. It makes 8bhp and 9.2Nm but thanks to iGo assist feature, you get a momentary bump and it makes 9.8bhp. However, the difference is barely noticeable. That said, this is one of the smoothest engines I have experienced in a scooter of this segment. Even when sitting with the throttle pinned at its top speed - around 90kmph, the Jupiter has negligible vibrations. It is laudable how well-packed and muted the motor feels without losing on the character.

It accelerates in a mellow manner but isn’t slow by any standards. There is a sweet and sophisticated punch for you to overtake vehicles if needed. While the overall performance is linear and the speeds are picked up gradually, the acceleration feels flat at the top end. The auto-start/stop function comes in handy during traffic light stops and is quite easy to get accustomed to. Once the engine shuts after about 5 seconds of idling, all you have to do is hold one of the brakes and blip the throttle.

In terms of handling, the Jupiter’s lightweight nature compliments its handling to a great extent. With a decently wide handlebar, you get adequate leverage to steer the Jupiter around. Moreover, it also feels well-balanced thanks to the 12-inch wheels.  These not only offer better stability than the 10-inch units that we see on some other 110cc scooters but also make the ride comfortable by absorbing the bumps which are further dampened by the plush springs. I rode the Jupiter for about 400kms with an almost equal split of the city and the highway. However, we found the handle wobbling when it was let go off at around 40kmph but the same was fixed after tightening the cone-set.

Throughout the test, the Jupiter witnessed some butter-smooth roads and some pothole riddles one where its springs were truly put to the test. And the Jupiter has pretty much passed with flying colours. The monoshock absorbs the bumps while the wheels help maintain its composure. As I mentioned earlier, it is the seat that robs of comfort by a small margin.

We would also like to report that the Jupiter’s basics are sorted and ticked the box. Right from being able to push it in a tight parking space to get the scooter on and off the centre stand, this scooter is as easy as it comes.

Along with LED illumination, the TVS Jupiter comes decked out with features. We tested the top-end trim - SmartXonnect Disc. It boasts a fully digital console with smartphone connectivity, integrated turn signals with auto cancellation and hazard light, a USB charging port, and the iGo assist as well. It has pretty much become standard for most of the TVS products to be loaded with tech. The only part that can be bettered is the console layout. The instrument console has a large bezel but the actual screen uses a limited space and the rest is wasted.

We spent a lot of time riding the TVS Jupiter in the city and around the highway and during the BikeWale fuel efficiency test, it returned 53.84kmpl. The number is on the higher side and you would get 275kmpl range. The range could vary slightly as per your riding conditions and overall style.

Having spent a good week riding the Jupiter across Mumbai, it is fair to say that TVS has a winner in its hands. The new model packs a smooth and refined motor, and ample features, is easy to handle and live with, offers immense practicality with all the storage space it gets, rides well and is comfortable for the most part. Even the build quality is good on the new TVS Jupiter.

For those who don’t need the smartphone connectivity options, you may save a couple of thousand rupees and get the lower-spec model which does the job well enough but comes sans the front disc. Moreover, it is 2024 and the TVS Jupiter is one of the most promising prospects. I would even recommend you opt for it over the Honda Activa since the Jupiter feels more modern and in tandem with today’s day and age

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi