TVS Jupiter review

The TVS Jupiter is something we have been looking forward to test out and review. The Jupiter surely was good in the short bursts we had on it during the test rides, but how was it when you spent time with it remained a definite curiosity. Curiosity because, finally TVS had a scooter that surely looked the part to take on the market leader the Activa. And the best part is that it has some cool tricks up its sleeve to seemingly nudge ahead. So how does the TVS Jupiter perform under our review scrutiny? Read on.

Engine and Performance

Our biggest complaint so far of the scooter segment was the fact that almost all the scooters were starting to look and sound the same. Thumb the starter on the TVS Jupiter and you cannot help but feel that the sound and feel are familiar, but then the similarity ends there. TVS has worked some magic with its CVT engine. We honestly were surprised. A peppy engine welcomed us that definitely was a big relief from the notorious CVT lag that we are used to. What that means is, the moment you twist the throttle, the engine on the Jupiter responds instantly. What that does is, it makes it a joy to ride the TVS Jupiter around in the city and even in traffic. Add a pillion on board and this instantaneous nature of the engine remained. Let’s be realistic here, it is a 110 cc engine and the acceleration is not going to glue your eye balls to the back of your eye socket. But the TVS Jupiter surely is no slouch. Without the lag bogging you down even with a pillion, you can really be sure that, when you need it the most you have plenty of low end pull to go around with. The max speed we achieved was 85 kmph and the mileage that the TVS Jupiter returned was a constant 53 kmpl.

Look and Feel and Build Quality

Like we said earlier, it is very difficult to really make a scooter that really stands out. The price factor and limited experimental flexibility available surely shows in all the scooters. But that said, the TVS Jupiter surely has carved out a nice chunky piece of the scooter segment pie for itself in the short time it has been available in the market. The clear lens indicator, the curved, sculpted beaky front, the 12 inch tyres with alloy wheels and the clean design, make sure that the TVS Jupiter stands out in a crowd. It has this serious and formal look to it making it the right choice for a daily ‘ride it to work’ kind of scooter. Colour options on the Jupiter are four in number and those include white, black, grey and red and also a recently announced limited edition. The build quality is pretty good all over and the body is a mix of metal and fibre. The front area is made of fibre while the main body area below the seat is made out of metal. Fibre quality is pretty good and can take a beating. We know this because we did have an incident in traffic, the details of it we will explain in the handling and braking section. But even with the bump we had, things did not disintegrate and fall apart. But yes, we do recommend putting on metal protectors that come as an accessory.

Handling and Braking

The brand TVS has always been known for its great handling machines and the TVS Jupiter shares the very same DNA. The Jupiter is a breeze to ride, be it thick traffic or negotiating some bad roads, the Jupiter almost never loses its composure. The 12 inch tyres really help in quick change in direction and offer a more stable ride. Even with some energetic riding the scooter was a whole lot of fun. Coming to the braking, that’s where maybe things could have been a bit better. The front drum brake can hold its ground in almost all situations but it definitely could use some more bite, which basically in short explains the incident that happened. The good news though is that we hear that the disc option for the Jupiter would be coming along soon enough. We just love the front suspensions, the telescopic forks soak up bumps so very well and these combined with the tubeless tyres make for a comfortable and tension free ride.

Key features & VFM

Lets start with the most important key feature. While TVS will want you to believe the external fuel filling cap is a great feature, which by the way it definitely is. We feel that the simple pass switch integrated into the headlight switch is a very nice touch and the icing on the cake. And while we are at the topic of headlights, these probably are the best in the segment. The ECO/Power light indicator is just something keeps blinking and alternating depending on how you are riding, just a reminder to ride sane. Coming to other features. The low fuel indicator works as a good reminder to tank up. Weight wise, It’s easy to pop up the scooter on the centre stand. The under seat storage can hold most of the full faced helmets. And on the VFM side of things, regular maintenance is at par with everything else out there.

Final Verdict

To be really honest you really cannot go very wrong with any scooter out there in the market today. What we really want to see is some perks, features and a well gelled product. And probably that’s where the TVS Jupiter stands out. TVS has really put in some time making sure that the Jupiter has a premium feel to it and it comes at a competitive price too. A disc brake would do wonders on this scooter and we shall eagerly wait for that. But even then, we must say that the TVS Jupiter really impressed us and it definitely was our vehicle of choice and had the team fighting for the keys while it was at the IAMABIKER garage.

Specifications Sheet

ENGINE

CHASSIS

Test Riders

Sudeep Avin NijishPavan