Suzuki e-Access First Ride Review: Access With An E

PHOTOGRAPHY: Vaibhav Dhanawade

The Suzuki Access 125 has long been a trusted name in the 125 scooter space in India. It is hugely popular for its practicality, performance, agility and reliability. Now, as other two-wheeler giants have steered into the electric future, Suzuki too has now joined the race with the e-Access. Based on the ethos of the Access 125, the e-Access promises to deliver a similar experience but without using a drop of petrol. We got a brief ride experience with the e-Access at MECO Kartopia in Bengaluru, a go-kart track that, while fun, didn’t replicate real-world riding conditions. That said, it did give us a promising idea to understand what the e-Access brings to the table — and it is quite a bit. Read on to find out.

Suzuki e-Access: Design & Features

At first glance, the Suzuki e-Access doesn't scream “electric." You might even mistake it for a conventional petrol-powered scooter until you spot the bold “e-Access” chrome badging on either side of the side panels. Suzuki has design ques for the latest iteration of the Access 125 and given it a nice futuristic tone while maintain the modern retro vibe. The Access as always been known for its conservative but elegant styling with smooth lines, and it is well followed with the e-Access too.

However, Suzuki has put in the effort to make the e-Access distinctive with the lighting, colours, and the features it comes with. Speaking of features, the e-Access come with a 4.2-inch colour TFT instrument cluster that is well-laid-out, consist of lots of information everything for the speed, battery level, range, energy consumption, drive illuminations and ride modes. The unit is equipped also with Bluetooth connectivity, allowing phone alerts on the dash, turn-by-turn navigation, and weather and traffic updates.

And that’s not all, the scooter comes with a usable front storage for knick-knacks, a USB charging port, two utility hooks, and a decent 17-litre under-seat storage which a locking mechanism for the seat to hold it open. We like.

Suzuki e-Access: Ergonomics

The seat on the e-Access is long and wide offering lots of space for the rider and pillion. It has been well contoured and cushioned for comfort and for the time we spent riding the scooter, we have no complain so far about it. The riding triangle is comfortable and ergonomic, with a seat height of 765 mm, and a handlebar that is easy to reach. You sit upright, the footboard space is decent, and you also get the extended footrest moulded into the floorboard like the Burgman, for a more comfortable stance.

Suzuki e-Access: Powertrain & Performance

The e-Access is powered by a 3.07 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, paired with a 4.1 kW BLDC motor that produces 15 Nm of torque. Those numbers may not look exciting on paper, but twist the throttle, and this e-scooter responds with peppy enthusiasm. Acceleration is immediate, silent, and linear, which is ideal for city riding. In terms of range, Suzuki claims an IDC range of 95 km which is decent but could have been better.

Suzuki has taken effort with the configuration of the three riding modes on offer. You get Eco, Mode A and Mode B. The maximum speed available in 55 kmph is Eco mode, while the other two modes are rated to 71 kmph. The e-Access comes with regen braking and its intrusion is set at high for Eco and Mode A, and is set at low for Mode B. While we can’t comment on how the ride mode configuration works out in the real-world, at the track, it sure did feel balanced and well though of. Below is a table of easy reference and understanding.

Suzuki e-Access: Ride & Handling

Let’s begin by getting the testing parameters laid out first. MECO Kartopia, being a go-kart track, is smooth, tight, and technical track that is a lot of fun to ride otherwise, but not representative of our Indian roads. So, while we could test the e-Access’ agility and cornering, the real-world ride quality over potholes and rough patches remains a question mark for now.

Having said that, the handling of this Suzuki is impressive. The e-Access felt light and confident through corners, aided by its 12-inch wheels that offer a nice balance between stability and agility. The rigid pipe frame with large diameter tubing along with the weight distribution has been well engineered. At no point did we find the e-Access to be tipping more than intended into the corner, or a weight transfer on braking. In fact, we even managed to scrape the centre stand on multiple occasions.

Braking performance was equally reassuring. The setup includes a disc-drum layout with Combi-Brake System (CBS) as standard, and on the track, it delivered controlled stops without any drama. For daily commutes, this setup should inspire plenty of confidence.

Suzuki e-Access: Charging

The Suzuki e-Access offers two ways to charge, adding to its everyday usability. For regular home use, there's a portable charger that comes with the scooter and can be plugged into any standard 16 Amp wall socket — perfect for overnight top-ups. For quicker recharges, Suzuki will also offer DC fast charging stations across 1,150 (dealership and service centre) outlets within 2025. Below is a table, on the charging time via the two changing options to juice up the e-Access.

Suzuki e-Access: Verdict

While Suzuki hasn’t officially announced the prices of the e-Access at the time of the ride, we hope Suzuki considers launching the e-Access in the ballpark of around Rs 1-1.10 lakh (ex-showroom), placing it in direct competition with other EVs like the TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak and Honda Activa e:.

So, is the Suzuki e-Access a game-changer? It is quick, agile, feature-loaded, built well and looks good. But, most importantly, the battery system is simple and hassle-free giving the user to options to decide what works out best, and the ride modes are well programmed to match different riding scenarios. It is a reliable, no-nonsense electric scooter from a brand known for long-term durability. It doesn’t try too hard to be futuristic, and instead focuses on being familiar, functional, and efficient, with just the right amount of modern tech.

In conclusion, we surely need to spend more time with it in the real-world to talk about range accuracy, comfort, ride mode usability and charging practicality. But based on this first ride experience, the Suzuki looks like it’s heading in the right direction with the e-Access.