Nimble and Competent

The TVS Jupiter made a resounding advent when it was launched a decade ago. For 2024, it gets some noteworthy changes and now this scooter takes the fight to the Honda Activa

- Charan Karthik

THE MID-LEVEL SCOOTER segment has always been one that was (and continues to be) hotly contested. The TVS Jupiter took a big bite out of that pie back in 2013 when it was launched. After what felt like 100 special editions, it finally gets an extensive and prominent revamp. TVS invited us to their factory in Hosur to experience it first-hand.

After a lot of hush-hush and zipped lips, the time arrived when the satin covers were finally pulled back and the scooter was revealed. At first glance, it was evident that TVS had bid adieu to the soft grocery-getter look. The front has a Cybertronianlike fascia with a thick black panel that has a single strip of LED daytime running lights (DRL) with integrated blinkers. The top variant gets intricatelooking LED headlights. Touché. At the rear, cues have been taken from the iQube, the tail-lights are similar, and the blinkers are integrated. The scooter we rode was in the Dawn Matte Blue colour, a beautiful shade under the sunlight.

Beneath all the bodywork, a big change has taken place in the form of a new 113-cc, air-cooled, singlecylinder engine that makes 8.0 hp at 6,500 rpm and 9.2 Nm of torque at 5,000 rpm. The Jupiter also has an integrated starter generator (ISG), called the "iGO Assist" by TVS, that has been included to supply the engine with greater torque when required. With the iGO Assist, the motor makes 9.8 Nm of torque.