2018 Yamaha Fascino to be launched in March: Scooter will go up against new Honda Activa 5G

The scooter segment in India is bracing for some of the most keenly-contested battles of all time. This comes as two-wheeler makers Honda and Yamaha are poised to lock horns in the market with their new offerings — the Activa 5G and an updated Fascino.

Both the models, which are now the mainstays of the companies, will get refreshed versions in the coming days. While the launch of the Activa 5G has been almost confirmed for March, a report in BikeWale suggests that the new 2018 avatar of the Yamaha Fascino is also getting ready to hit the market this month.

Yamaha had showcased the new 2018 version of the Fascino at the Auto Expo 2018 in February. The new scooter gets an updated front fascia with new insignia and black panel. The rear section of the new Fascino also gets updated with a larger grab rail. The 2018 Fascino now also gets a dual-tone seat cover and new exterior color options.

Powering the Fascino is the same 113cc air-cooled four-stroke SOHC two-valve mill that is tuned to churn out 6bhp of power at 7,500rpm and a peak torque of 8.1Nm at 5,000rpm, mated to V-Belt Automatic transmission. The engine of the scooter is now BS-IV compliant.

The fifth-generation Activa, on the other hand, is also getting just cosmetic updates with a change in its badging to Activa 5G from 4G. Honda has updated the model with full-LED headlamps and a positioning lamp, and has also given chrome touches to the front apron.

The Activa 5G will continue to draw power a 109cc air-cooled four-stroke engine that can churn out 8bhp at 7,500rpm and 8.83Nm of torque at 5,500rpm. It comes mated to a CVT box.

With the new features and updates, Yamaha Fascino and the new Honda Activa 5G are likely to see a slight increase in their pricing from the current models. The bookings are also likely to open soon.

Image: GaadiWaadi