TVS Jupiter 125 Review — Bigger, More Powerful & Effortless | Bringing Added Convenience To The Segment

It is no surprise then, that TVS chose to expand the Jupiter brand and launch its first-ever 125cc commuter scooter. Demand for newer and more premium 125cc scooters has increased at a rapid pace over the last few years and hence TVS has launched the new Jupiter 125.

Is it just a Jupiter with a bigger engine, or is there more to it? How deep do the differentiating factors go? TVS it seems decided to go all-out in the development of the Jupiter 125. The scooter is all-new and is based on a new chassis as well. We rode the scooter at TVS' Hosur plant ahead of its launch. Is it any good? Read on to find out.

Engine Specifications

Let's get straight to the heart of the matter — the new 125cc engine. It is an air-cooled 124.8cc single-cylinder engine. It does seem like the displacement and the overall layout of the engine remain identical to that of the TVS Ntorq. However, TVS insists this engine is brand new and there are a few differences to prove that.

The Ntorq uses a 3-valve setup while the new Jupiter 125 gets 2 valves. In this scooter, the engine puts out a maximum power output of 8.1bhp at 6,000rpm, which is 1.1bhp lesser than the Ntorq. At 10.5Nm, the peak torque, however, remains identical. It gets ETFI and Intelli-Go auto start/stop technology. This also means that the starter motor has been replaced by an ISG.

There are several internal changes that make this engine very modern and sophisticated. This includes the lightweight crankshaft, silent cam chain, low inertia crankshaft assembly, etc. it is one of the smoothest engines in the scooter segment in India and offers excellent efficiency as well.

Chassis, Brakes & Suspension

The new TVS Jupiter 125 is based on a new chassis that is said to be lighter. This leads to better handling and better ride quality as well. Braking is taken care of by a 220mm disc up front and a 130mm drum at the rear. You also get a combi-brake system to increase braking prowess. Suspension duties are handled by a monoshock at the rear and a telescopic fork up front.

All this put together, should make the TVS Jupiter 125 much better than the Jupiter 110 and other scooters in the 125 and 110cc segments. But, does it? We had to ride the scooter at TVS' test track located at its Hosur manufacturing plant to find out.

Riding Impressions

The first thing you will realise when you get onto the saddle of the TVS Jupiter 125 is just how comfortable it is. TVS has really worked on the ergonomics to keep the rider comfy. The riding posture is upright and the extra space on the floorboard only enhances this comfortable feel. TVS claims the seat is the longest in the segment and the extra space is certainly appreciated.

Thumb the starter button and you will realise just how premium it feels. It starts up quietly and the engine too idles quietly. Twist the throttle and the Jupiter accelerates pretty quickly. The power and torque figures come in pretty early and that certainly helps.

We didn't ride it in the real world, but we did some slow riding near the TVS test track and it does seem well balanced at low speeds. It certainly feels like this scooter will excel in everyday practicality and usability.

How does it handle? Well, the scooter certainly felt planted on the super long right-hander at TVS' test track. It also felt flickable and it is easy to change direction. Maneuverability in tight spaces shouldn't be a problem. The suspension however is definitely set more towards comfort than handling, which is exactly what its target audience wants.

In terms of performance, it is decent. Acceleration is brisk and the speedometer needle climbs pretty quickly. 75km/h comes up pretty quickly and then it slows down. We did manage to push the scooter to 90km/h and that was the max velocity. However, this was achieved in a tucked-in position. When seated upright, the maximum speed we could achieve was about 83km/h.

Features

The TVS Jupiter 125 gets a lengthy list of new features and this includes the fuel filler being positioned at the front. This feature is one that will certainly make life much easier at the fuel station. Also, the fuel tank has been placed under the floorboard. This in turn has opened up more space under the seat and the 33-litre underseat storage can swallow two full-face, medium-sized helmets.

You also get an all-in-one lock, USB port for mobile phone charging, and a small 2-litre glovebox up front. This makes the usage experience more convenient. The headlamp is an LED unit and seems very powerful. However, we will be able to give out more information on this only once we've tested it at night, so stay tuned for our road test review for more details.

The instrumentation on the TVS Jupiter 125 is handled by a digital-analogue cluster. To the left of the screen is the speedometer while the right side is dominated by the LCD screen with a blue backlight. The LCD displays a lot of information including the odometer, trip meters, average fuel efficiency, instant fuel efficiency, distance to empty, etc. It also gets several tell-tale lights.

A bigger screen certainly would have been better, given that this scooter will be competing in the premium 125cc segment. However, TVS has confirmed that the brand will be launching a new variant of the scooter in the coming months with connected technology and this could come with fully-digital instrumentation.

Design & Styling

In terms of the design and style, there are quite a few changes when compared to the Jupiter 110. The 125 certainly looks more modern and youthful while still being premium. The silhouette, however, remains identical to the Jupiter 110.

There are several chrome elements on the scooter and this is claimed to give it the added premium feel over the Jupiter 110. The dashboard and half of the front apron is finished in the same colour as the body, again giving out premium vibes much like some of its Italian rivals.

The dual-tone alloy wheels with angled spokes look super cool and so does the redesigned rear end. The reflector placed on the grab rail makes the scooter look more stylish.

Outro

The 125cc scooter segment is seeing a steady increase in demand and hence it does make sense for TVS to launch yet another 125cc scooter. While the Ntorq 125 tends to performance-oriented buyers, the Jupiter 125 will cater to family-oriented buyers looking for a premium 125cc commuter scooter.

Kudos to TVS for going all out and giving us an all-new scooter instead of plonking an already-existing 125cc engine into the old Jupiter. Stay tuned for the full road test review for more details on how the new TVS Jupiter 125 performs in real-world scenarios.