Hero Destini 125 Vx vs Suzuki Access 125 SE: Spec Comparison

How does Hero’s first ever 125cc scooter stack up against its prime rival on paper? We find out

The Suzuki Access has been a dominant product in the 125cc scooter segment until now. Despite growing competition in this space, the Access held its own, thanks to its family-oriented positioning and occasional updates to keep it fresh. But, with the introduction of Hero’s 125cc family scooter, the Destini 125, the Access 125 finally has a direct competition in terms of price and positioning. We pit them against each other on paper to find out which one comes out on top. To keep the comparison fair, we have compared the top variants of the two scooters.

Design and Features -

Both, the Hero Destini and Suzuki Access cater to a family-oriented scooter segment unlike some of their sporty competitors. While the Destini takes a simple and mature approach with flowing lines and curves, the Access goes with retro styling cues. To add to the premium feel of the scooter, the Destini 125 gets chrome accents, body coloured mirrors, a dual-textured seat and alloy wheels. The Access, on the other hand, features chrome rearview mirrors and accents on the body panels, a red coloured seat and five-spoke alloys.

Both manufacturers offer a number of features on their respective scooters to keep them competitive in this segment. Hero’s new scooter, the Destini 125 gets a conventional halogen bulb up front with AHO, a digital-analogue instrument console with the essential readouts along with a a service due reminder, side stand indicator, pass switch and an external fuel-filler cap which can be opened via the 4-in-1 key slot. Additionally, the Vx variant comes with a mobile charging port and an underseat boot light too.

Likewise, the Access 125 uses conventional bulbs at the front and rear, a semi-digital instrument console with service-due indicator, trip/odometer and fuel gauge. The Access 125 also gets a mobile charging socket (not available on the base variant), but misses out on modern convenience features like a 4-in-1 key slot and an external fuel-filler cap.

Engine –

In terms of performance figures, both the scooters are identical. And, based on our first ride impressions of the Destini 125 and road test review for the Access 125, we can say that both the scooters are quick to get off the line and have a strong mid-range. This is absolutely crucial for quick overtakes in city traffic. While for the Destini 125 the meat of the power lies in the mid-range, the Access feels a lot more sprightly at the top-end of the rev band, with not much stress on the engine. In city speeds, the Destini's motor feels refined, but as you go higher up it feels a bit rough, whereas the Access feels extremely smooth throughout its powerband.

The Suzuki Access also comes equipped with SEP (Suzuki Eco Performance) which reduces engine heat and increases fuel efficiency. Hero offers the Destini with i3S (idle-stop-start-system) technology as standard (a segment-first). This feature senses if the scooter is at a standstill for more than 5 seconds and cuts off the engine automatically to save fuel. To get the scooter going again, simply pull either of the brake levers and twist the throttle. Hero claims that this neat feature improves fuel efficiency by around 10 per cent. While these are company claims, we would reserve our judgement for a thorough road-test.

Underpinnings -

While both scooters have a similar suspension setup, the Destini’s front end feels a bit on the stiffer side compared to the Access. This allows the scooter to go around fast corners and weave through traffic with ease despite weighing in at 111.5kg (kerb weight). Conversely, the slightly softer rear suspension setup tends to wallow around a wee bit over sharp bumps. Overall though, the scooter feels planted and reliable despite running on 10-inch wheels at both ends.

The Access 125’s suspension setup soaks in bumps and undulations with ease and offers a lot more plush ride. Weighing in at just 103kg (kerb weight), the Access is quick to tip into corners and agile enough to zip through city traffic. The lower weight can be attributed to the use of fibre body panels at the rear as compared to the full metal body of the Hero Destini 125.

The Destini features a tall handlebar and a low floorboard which translates to one of the best riding postures we’ve seen in the segment. And, it’s safe to say that Hero has managed to nail the ergonomics on this one, with the seat being comfortable for both, rider and pillion. The Access has similar ergonomics, however, its floorboard is slightly higher set compared to the Destini which is a bit problematic for taller riders as their knees touch the handlebars while taking sharp U-turns.

That said, there is one downside to the Destini 125, and that’s the storage space. It not only misses on the cubby hole in the front apron, but the underseat storage also looks a bit on the smaller side; 16-17 litres if we were to guess, which is a lot smaller compared to its competition. Nevertheless, it should be big enough to store a standard hal