2026 Hero Xoom 160 Review: Maxi-mum Potential!

PHOTOGRAPHY: ARVIND SALHAN

The Xoom 160 is Hero MotoCorp’s flagship scooter. And as first impressions go, it made quite a strong statement when we first laid our eyes on it. But that was just after its launch, in January 2025. Now, it’s almost September 2026, and we finally got to spend a few days with it to get to know it better. Is it as good as it looks? Does it manage to blend performance, comfort and convenience in a package that will attract the Indian scooter buyer?

Those were some of the questions I had before I swung a leg over the Xoom 160 – arguably one of the most interesting made-in-India scooters on sale right now.

Also Read: Hero Xoom 160 First Ride Review

The biggest strength of course is its design, with liberal dose of adventure styling elements. And it promises daily convenience, weekend fun, and more. After spending time with it, we realise that there’s more to the Xoom 160 than just its looks.

Also Read: Honda ADV 160 Launched At Rs. 1.70 Lakh

Hero Xoom 160: Engine & Performance

First up, is the engine – smooth, refined and very likeable. The moment you set off, the Xoom 160’s smooth and refined 156 cc, liquid-cooled, four-valve, single-cylinder engine makes an immediate impression. Acceleration is brisk and the engine feels relaxed right from commuting speed to triple-digit highway speeds. In numbers, the liquid-cooled engine puts out 14.6 bhp at 8,000 rpm and 14 Nm of peak torque at 6,250 rpm.

With my 74 kg frame on board, the Xoom 160 managed to touch a speedo-indicated 114 kmph, and it felt like it would go more, given a longer stretch of empty road. As mentioned before, what’s noticeable is that it cruises effortlessly, and even at 90-95 kmph, the engine feels relaxed, and overall acceleration in traffic is also commendable. This liquid-cooled unit is well-engineered, easily one of the best engines in any Hero scooter till date. NVH levels are well-sorted, and overall it gives a sense of refinement and smooth, relaxed performance.

Also Read: Hero Xoom 160 vs Yamaha Aerox 155 vs Honda ADV 160 Specifications Comparison

Talking about performance, the Xoom 160 isn't explosive though, and it’s not going to worry the Yamaha Aerox 155 on outright sportiness, but that was never the brief anyway. The Xoom 160’s performance seems to be designed to be friendly and linear, rather than become too exciting and intimidating, targeting newer riders or those considering an upgrade from conventional 110-125 cc scooters. There’s enough grunt in the Xoom 160’s low and mid-range, and acceleration is impressive, all the way to 100 kmph and beyond.

During our time with the Xoom 160, one minor niggle surfaced, and that’s the on-off throttle transitions when the transmission seems to make a small squeak, particularly when opening the throttle from full closed position. It's noticeable, more so, when the overall engine is quite refined. And you do need to give a liberal twist of the throttle to get into the power band. But there’s no lack of performance to keep up with everything else on the street, and even out on the highway. Overall, the refinement of the 156 cc engine is possibly one of the best Hero has ever introduced on any of its scooters so far.

Hero Xoom 160: Ride & Handling

What’s also impressive and worth mentioning is the comfortable riding position. You sit upright, the saddle offers a comfortable perch, and the riding triangle offers a neutral, effortless posture – whether for the commute or for a longer run out on the highway. Stability is excellent at high speeds, and even when cornering, the Xoom 160 offers neutral, confident handling – something which translates to confident dynamics for the rider.

On the move, the Xoom 160 is easy, and rides surprisingly well, despite its rather large-ish size. At 142 kg, it isn’t exactly lightweight. You notice the weight when filtering through tight traffic or changing direction quickly. The steering though is light at low speeds, and the 787 mm seat height is approachable – and should be perfect for riders of different height and build.

But there’s one area where the adventure styling raises expectations that the Xoom 160 doesn’t completely meet. And it’s the ride quality. The damping on the front end is still acceptable, but it’s the rear suspension that is firm. While the 155 mm ground clearance is generous, broken terrain and road imperfections aren’t where this scooter feels happiest. The rear suspension tends to become bouncy over road undulations. The slightly stiff set-up compromises the comfort you’d otherwise expect from the excellent ergonomics and seating.

Hero Xoom 160: Design & Quality

The big story here is size. The Xoom 160 is a large scooter, with 14-inch wheels, chunky tyres a tall stance and imposing front end. Design-wise, this is easily one of the boldest two-wheelers Hero has ever built. Split LED headlight, tall visor, muscular bodywork – everything about it screams “premium.”

It certainly has road presence, and in today’s scooter segment, apart from the Yamaha Aerox 155, no other scooter in this segment comes even close to the Xoom 160.

What could have been better is the quality of plastics, and some fit/finish issues. Some of the plastics feel worn out and rough, and even the brake lock isn’t something which feels premium and intuitive to use.

There’s scope for improvement, and a real opportunity to underscore that the sense of a “premium” scooter is in its details as well.

Hero Xoom 160: Features

On the features list, there’s just the LCD console with Bluetooth connectivity that offers turn-by-turn navigation. The keyless ignition works seamlessly, and you can forget about the key fob while riding the scooter.

Underseat storage space is generous, at 22 litres, but not enough to store a full-face helmet, if that’s what your requirement is. The front cubby hole may look useful, with the USB A-type charging socket to charge your phone on the go, but it’s too deep to rummage through, in case you want to store something else, like the key fob.

The LCD instrument console works well, both in terms of readability and functionality. In 2026 though, expecting a TFT opens up more talking points, and bragging rights for owners. An opportunity there, for Hero to ramp up the bling!

Hero Xoom 160: Fuel Economy

In our tests, the Xoom 160 returned a combined average of just under 37 kmpl, which is a respectable figure, considering its size and performance. Our test runs involved mixed use - in traffic, as well as high-speed runs on the highway, with a relatively heavy throttle hand. With an easier hand on the throttle, we expect the fuel efficiency figure to go up to around 39-40 kmpl.

Hero Xoom 160: Verdict

The Hero Xoom 160 is priced at Rs. 1,43,498 (Ex-showroom). At that price, it’s not quite the affordable everyday scooter, and is only marginally more affordable than the Yamaha Aerox 155. As far as the segment goes, those who will consider the Xoom 160 will also have to consider other alternatives like the TVS NTorq 150, which is priced from Rs. 1.12 lakh (Ex-showroom), going up to Rs. 1.21 lakh (Ex-showroom) for the top-spec TFT variant.

For anyone looking for something distinctive, comfortable and capable of handling the daily commute as well as the occasional highway run, the Xoom 160 is easy to recommend. There’s quite a lot to like about it, but there’s also a lot that could have been better. More importantly though, it’s the positioning that will be a challenge for the Xoom 160.

It’s been a year since deliveries for the Hero Xoom 160 started, and it’s only available as a premium product at Hero’s Premia outlets. With limited Hero Premia outlets available today, Hero is missing out on the scale and strength of its network to push out the Xoom 160 to a wider range of potential customers.

But the biggest threat to the Xoom 160 will be from Hero's former partner Honda, which has just launched its Honda ADV 160 at Rs. 1.70 lakh (Ex-showroom). The ADV 160 may be more expensive, but it also offers flex fuel compatibility up to E85 and is available across the Honda network.

As things stand today, the Xoom 160 is an impressive product and has strong qualities. But it still could have been better – in overall fit-finish, ride quality and the features department, to give it that edge, and make it a real “premium” scooter. Even so, the Xoom 160 has many strengths to still make a lasting impression. We can't wait to see how it fares in a head-to-head comparison with the Honda ADV 160.

Hero Xoom 160: Key Specifications

Hero Xoom 160 Review: Image Gallery