Honda 2Wheelers India began its scooters innings in India with the Activa in 2001. The company further fortified its position in the market with the Dio in 2002, marketing it as a ‘moto-scooter’ which was targeted at a younger audience. The Japanese two-wheeler maker introduced several interesting changes to the Honda Dio in May 2018, including features like an LED headlamp and digital instrumentation. However, the scooter finally gets the latest fad (okay not so latest, after all, Honda did join the bandwagon late). Read on for the BS6 Honda Dio vs BS4 Honda Dio below.
The Dio holds special prominence for Honda. The scooter not just amasses 30,000 to 40,000 units a month for the company (however, it did fall to around 20,000 units in December 2019), but is also a major revenue generator on the exports front.
Also Read: New Honda Dio Offer Can Save You Up to INR 3500
Honda exports the Dio to 11 South Asian & Latin American nations including the likes of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mexico, and Colombia. In fact, the Dio has been India’s most exported scooter for several years now. In early 2019, it had a 44% share in scooter exports. Since then, exports volumes have fallen sharply, but that’s a tale for another day.
Lets’ find out how the new Dio is different from the old Dio in this comparison between the BS-VI Honda Dio vs. BS-IV Honda Dio.
BS-VI Honda Dio vs. BS-IV Honda Dio: Design
Staying true to its family values, Honda has stuck to its tried and tested design philosophy of the Dio which it had introduced during the scooter’s BS-IV transformation in March 2017.
The new, BS-VI Dio carries over the old model's dual-tone colour theme. However, the company has made the overall design sportier. The front apron gets a new mid-mounted DC LED headlamp, while the handle mounted daytime running light takes a new shape. This will prevent the light from dimming at slow engine speeds, making late-night riding safer. Also, the front apron has a cleaner design and the pseudo-air-vents have been raised near the headlamp.
Honda has introduced a nifty pocket near the key slot which will allow riders to easily store coins, pens (since students are the target audience), keys, and other knick-knacks. The profile includes a much cleaner look with a thicker seat area for the pillion. Besides that, the new exhaust canister has an edgier design.
| Specifications | BS-VI Honda Dio | BS-IV Honda Dio |
| LxWxH (in mm) | 1,808 x 723 x 1,150 | 1,781 x 710 x 1,133 |
| Wheelbase | 1,260 mm | 1,238 mm |
| Ground clearance | 160 mm | 158 mm |
| Seat height | 650 mm | 765 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 107 kg | 104 kg |
| Fuel tank capacity | 5.3 litre | 5.3 litre |
The automatic scooter is now bigger, taller, and wider than the outgoing version, yet the new Dio has managed to have a seat height of just 650 mm. That’s a reduction of 115 mm in the Honda Dio seat height. The BS-VI Honda Dio has a ground clearance of 160 mm. Engineers at Honda have also increased the Dio’s wheelbase by 22 mm to 1,260 mm for a more stable ride.
Also Read: Honda Cars India Registers a Growth of 27.7% Last Month
With the move to BS-VI two-wheeler makers have also had to deal with extra weight due to the increased weight of a larger catalytic convertor. While the SP 125 actually saw a lighter kerb weight, the same has not been the case for Honda’s scooters. In this case, the Honda Dio weight in kg has increased by 3 kg to 107. However, that is unlikely going to be felt during everyday riding.
Continuing with the design offence, Honda has also introduced a new split grab rail in the BS-VI Dio. Also, unlike the Activa 6G, which ditched its semi-digital display for a completely analogue unit, the new Dio remains all-digital. However, the display in the new Dio has a white backlight and bears a crisper look than the smaller blue backlit unit in the outgoing version. Also, the three-step eco speed indicator has been retained.
Thanks to the introduction of fuel injection and on-board diagnostics as a part of the regulatory norms, the scooter now displays the distance to empty, real-time fuel consumption, and average fuel consumption.
However, the standard trim of the Honda Dio will be retailed with a halogen bulb, analogue display and will also miss out on golden alloy wheels.
BS-VI Honda Dio vs. BS-IV Honda Dio: Engine
The BS-VI Honda Dio is powered by the same 109.51 cc air-cooled HET mill. This time around it uses fuel injection to supply fuel and air mixture to the inlet valve instead of the age-old carburettor. The Honda Dio in BS-VI tune boasts eSP (Enhanced Smart Power), which Honda claims not only increases mileage but also reduces friction.
| Specifications | BS-VI Honda Dio | BS-IV Honda Dio |
| Engine displacement | 109.51 cc | 109.19 cc |
| Max power | 7.76 PS | 7.92 PS |
| Peak torque | 9 Nm | 8.91 Nm |
| Compression ratio | 10.0:0.2 | 9.5:1 |
Interestingly, though, while Honda has gone gaga about the increased mileage for the rest of the BS-VI lineup, it has been quiet about the rise in BS-VI Honda Dio. We, however, expect it to be in the same as that of the Activa 6G which underwent an increase in mileage by 10%.
The engine in BS-VI tune produces 7.76 PS of power and 9 Nm of torque. Just like the engine of the Activa 6G, the new Dio’s engine has an increased compression of 10.0:0.2 (up from 9.5:1). The BS-IV Dio’s engine output figures stood at 7.92 PS of power and 8.91 PS of torque.
Also read: Honda Activa 6G vs. Honda Activa 5G - Old vs. New
BS-VI Honda Dio vs. BS-IV Honda Dio: Cycle parts
Honda claims that the new BS-VI Honda Dio has a new telescopic fork suspension. The rear too gets a three-way adjustable suspension, a feature first introduced in the Activa 125, followed by Activa 6G. Brakes continue to remain 130 mm drum at both ends. However, we would have loved to see a front disc brake at least in the drum brake variant.
Also Read: BS-VI Honda two-wheeler cumulative sales cross 1,00,000 units
However, continuing with the trend, like the Activa 6G, the BS-VI Honda Dio gets a larger 12-inch front wheel. Sadly, though, even the Dio is offered only with steel wheels.
BS-VI Honda Dio vs. BS-IV Honda Dio: Features
The BS-VI Dio comes with an external fuel lid which can be controlled with a 5-in-1 seat opening switch. This adds convenience to the rider as he or she will no longer have to get off the scooter and open the boot for refuelling.
In the past, Honda has been critiqued several times, by customers and pundits alike, for not offering an engine kill switch in its domestic motorcycle portfolio. While that still holds true for several of its present-day motorcycles, the same cannot be said about its automatic scooter range. The Honda Dio is now fitted with an engine start and stop switch. Besides that, the scooter gets retractable pillion footrests and side stand engine cut off. The latter simply switches off the engine when the side stand is engaged.
The Japanese two-wheeler maker also offers the new Dio with a silent start system (ACG starter).
BS-VI Honda Dio vs. BS-IV Honda Dio: Colours
Also Read: Ather 450X VS Suzuki Access 125- Acceleration Test
The BS-VI Honda Dio will be retailed in three shades in the deluxe variants, including a new Matte Sangria Red Metallic. The other two options include Matte Axis Grey Metallic and Dazzle Yellow Metallic. Its outgoing BS-IV version in deluxe variant was offered in Pearl Igneous Black and Matte Marshal Green Metallic.
In comparison, the Sports Yellow shade has been dropped from the range. The standard variant of BS-VI Honda Dio will be offered in Matte Axis Grey Metallic, Candy Jazzy Blue, Sports Red, and Vibrant Orange.
BS-VI Honda Dio vs. BS-IV Honda Dio: Price
The standard variant of the BS-VI Honda Dio is priced at INR 59,990 (ex-showroom, Delhi), which marks a hike of INR 5,749. In comparison, the BS-VI deluxe variant is priced at INR 63,340 (ex-showroom, Delhi), which INR 7,099 higher than the BS-IV deluxe variant's price.
That completes our comparison between the BS-VI Honda Dio vs. BS-IV Honda Dio. Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for more such featured stories.
