Suzuki Let’s Review: Acquired Polish

Let’s start this review by getting something off my chest first. Something pretty inconsequential actually, but one that has been bugging me a lot since the last few days. Let’s isn’t the most apt name for a product, no matter which way you look at it. It is even more ridiculous with that apostrophe in between, and I don’t say that just because it makes typing its name slower every time it pops up in this review.

I mean, let’s what? Let’s go riding, let’s go shopping, or let’s have some fun? Let’s what, exactly?

Ok, fine, rant over; let’s have a proper review, shall we?

The Suzuki Let’s is the first all-new scooter from Suzuki Motorcycles India in a long time. Wait a second, what about the Swish 125, you ask? Good question, but the Swish was little more than the Suzuki Access 125 in a snazzier body, and that was launched way back in 2007, so there.

Design and Features

Let’s take a look at the design first. The Suzuki Let’s is one of the, if not the, most appealing scooters we’ve ever laid eyes on in India, and that’s saying something. Yes, styling is a subjective thing, but you just can’t help admiring the Let’s lean and mean bodywork, and stark absence of garish stickers. It doesn’t scream at you from the rooftops, but rather invites you closer in a reassuring manner, like an old crush that has grown into a gorgeous woman since the last time you saw her way back in college.

With its swoopy lines and bits of matte black plastic panels, the Let’s looks understated and sporty at the same time. The drooping headlight is a bit of a letdown, but it is more than compensated for by those large clear-lens turn indicators with the aforementioned black inserts. The rear view mirrors are black too, same as the ones on the new Suzuki Gixxer 155, but body-matching colours would have made it look even more appealing.

The lean styling extends all the way to the rear, finishing in a reverse cut back end with more clear-lens turn indicators that we find extremely attractive. The exhaust can and shroud are done up in deep black, but have a different design than the one on the Swish 125.

The Let’s comes with a single key hole that can be used for all your scooter-y functions. Twist it right and the seat clunks open, giving you access to the fuel cap as well as the underseat storage. It comes with a front hook for hanging shopping bags or your helmet, should you desire. Just don’t leave your stuff there, because that hook isn’t lockable.

Unlike some other manufacturers, the Let’s comes standard with some features that should be, well, standard, in the first place. Things like pillion footrests, side stand, and even the rear number plate. If that’s not enough, Suzuki will also sell you an optional luggage box to mount upfront, for little extra cost.

Let’s move on to the not-so-appealing bits now. Luggage capacity, specially underseat, is one of the main attractions of riding a scooter everyday, and the Let’s’ underseat storage is just woefully inadequate. It will fit a half-face helmet comfortably, but anything larger than that will have to find space on your body or elsewhere. More and more manufacturers are including mobile chargers into their two-wheelers, and that would have really helped the Let’s’ case here.

The instrument console is also basic, with just an analogue speedo and fuel level meter besides the tell-tale lights.

Switchgear quality is good, but the Let’s comes with an annoying turn indicator switch mechanism that you have to keep pressed for the signals to work. Let it go after thumbing it to either side once, as you’d normally do, and the indicators blinks once and stops. This isn’t such a big deal once you get used to it, but it definitely will be confusing for those who are graduating from other scooters or motorcycles.

Performance and Efficiency 

Let’s state the obvious first. The Let’s comes with Suzuki India’s first 112cc engine in a scooter. So, naturally, you’d expect it to make a wee bit less power and torque than the still available Access and Swish’s 125cc mill. But it isn’t entirely so.

Suzuki’s engineers have managed to eke out a wee bit extra power from the engine, and the Let’s now produces 8.8PS, compared to the 8.7PS of its bigger-engined predecessors. It accomplishes this at 7500rpm, 500 more than the Swish and Access 125. But still, there’s no substitute to cubic inches and the Access and Swish makes 0.8Nm more than the Let’s’ 9Nm of peak torque at 6500rpm. So, yes, the Let’s is a higher-revver than its siblings.

Let’s put that into real world terms. Whereas the Swish has a meaty midrange grunt, the Let’s labors a bit getting upto speed. Once past the 55-60 kmph mark, though, it comes into its element and picks up speed with gusto. It is also surprisingly fast, inching close to the 90kmph top speed of its bigger engined siblings.

Be it scooters or motorcycles, cars or motorboats, Suzuki’s engines have always been renowned for their refinement and smoothness. It is the same case here. Even with the power and torque being produced at higher rpms, the Let’s is one of the most refined scooters we have ever tested.

Continuously variable transmission (CVT), the technology that almost all non-geared scooters use, isn’t as efficient as its geared counterparts. The Let’s comes with Suzuki’s Eco Performance (SEP) technology that, coupled to the lightweight plastic body panels, give the scooter a real world fuel efficiency figure of 46 kmpl. Interestingly, Suzuki claims 63 kmpl for the Let’s in their marketing pages, which is quite a bit higher than most scooters claim in its class. 70 percent of our fuel efficiency test was done on smooth highways, with the remaining 30 percent done on the typical congested main roads of Pune.

Ride and Handling

Let’s get one thing straight; scooters never had, never will, be as good handlers as motorcycles, even the least sporty ones. But, to give it credit where it deserves, the Let’s comes quite close. Its 98 kilokerb weight – 12 kg less than the Swish – and telescopic front suspension endow it with respectable cornering abilities. It is still not as flickable as the Mahindra Rodeo, the most apex-loving scooter I personally tested, but it turns into corners with poise and reassurance.

The Let’s rides on 90/100-10 tyres at both front and rear, same as the Swish. But, in conjunction with the 15mm lower seat, the whole package now sits a full 20mm lower than its siblings. That makes it easier for shorter guys and the fairer sex to put their feet down at traffic lights. Ride quality is quite supple and the Let’s ploughs through small potholes without a bother. There’s ample feedback from the front but not as much from the conventional rear swingarm.

Braking duties are handled by 120mm drums at both ends, and there is no option of a front disc brake. The provided brakes are adequate for their job, with the front specially providing good retardation. The rear, however, has a tendency to lock up if used alone. That might be a compliment on its sharp bite, or the less grippy tyres, but either way, it is something that Let’s owners should be careful about on less than stellar road surfaces.

Detailed image gallery of the Suzuki Let’s with captions

Verdict

Let’s wrap this up, shall we? Okay fine, let’s not use that forced mannerism anymore.

The Let’s is Suzuki India’s entry into the 110cc segment, and as such, it has an uphill battle in front of it. Extremely worthy scooters from the competition have already entrenched themselves firmly into consumers’ collective consciousness and the Let’s older siblings haven’t exactly paved its way with gold before it appeared.

But still, the Let’s is a beautiful and capable scooter that can do battle with the best of them. Sure, the performance and handling could be better, but that wasn’t exactly what it set out to redefine. It is meant to ferry teenagers on their first driving license to college and back, and look cool while doing so. And it does that supremely well.

The Let’s is available in five colours: Metallic Sonic Silver, Metallic Triton Blue (the one you see in this review), Pearl Mirage White, Glass Sparkle Black, and Pearl Mira Red. On-road, Pune, it will set you back by INR 50,689, which is almost the same as the Honda Activa i, and approximately INR 3,000 less than the Activa and the bigger Swish 125. Considering that the Let’s offers almost similar levels of performance, but with better fuel efficiency and looks to boot, it is a definite bargain.

The lack of underseat storage apart, we really can’t find any fault with the Let’s. Well, maybe except for that name. But let’s forget that, because, let’s face it, the Let’s is a very enticing offering from Suzuki.

Photography: Vaibhav Aher

Image Gallery