In 2018, TVS walked into the 125cc commuter-scooter segment with the NTorq 125 and handed it something most commuters lacked: attitude. This year the company has gone one size up, entering the 150cc performance-scooter segment with the NTorq 150. The pitch is refreshingly honest. Stay relevant by adding a dash of performance.
An evolution, not a reinvention
This is not an all-new scooter, and TVS is not pretending it is. Think of the 150 as the 125 grown up. Most of the body panels are new, and so is the 150cc engine. The chassis and frame, though, carry over. They have simply been re-engineered to shed weight, the sort of quiet, sensible work that never makes the brochure but always shows up in the ride.
Styled for the feed
It has been styled to catch the eye of Gen-Z buyers, NTorq’s home crowd, and it shows. Next to the 125, the 150 looks cleaner, sharper and altogether easier on the eye. There are four dual-tone colour options, all of them a little quirky, all of them built to stand out in a crowd. The Nitro Green, with its neon treatment, is the one that will divide a room; you will either love it or quietly hope your neighbour doesn’t order it. The body-coloured alloy wheels are a lovely touch. Each variant also gets one colour combination unique to it, so the Stealth Silver is a base-variant exclusive, while the loud Nitro Green is reserved for the top-spec TFT model.
Fit and finish
Overall quality has taken a clear step up from the 125. Bar a panel or two, everything feels properly put together. The one bum note is the fuel filler cap, which feels flimsy and deserves a nicer open-and-shut than it currently offers.
Performance: smooth and eager
If you have spent time on the NTorq 125, the performance may feel familiar. If you haven’t, you are in for a genuinely pleasant surprise. The new engine is smoother than the 125cc unit, and our test scooter was box-fresh, so expect it to smooth out further once it is past its run-in period. Zero to 90 kilometres an hour arrives with almost no drama. From there, the climb to the top speed is gradual rather than urgent. The CVT gearbox is nicely judged and the power delivery is effortless, with none of the lazy lag that afflicts some automatics. On the TVS test track in Hosur we saw 102 kilometres an hour, while other riders reported figures nudging 109.
Ride, handling and brakes
For a scooter that weighs 115 kilograms, the NTorq 150 feels light on its feet, nimble and happy to change direction. The TVS Eurogrip Remora tyres grip well in the dry, though we never got to try them in the wet. The rear suspension felt a touch soft and bouncy on the track, but that is the track talking; in everyday riding, and especially with a pillion aboard, that same softness should translate into a comfortable ride. Braking is strong and the scooter pulls up cleanly, with no handlebar judder even under hard stops. It runs single-channel ABS, which in plain terms means a disc up front and a drum at the back. To make up for the missing rear ABS, TVS adds its own version of a combi-brake system.
The competition
Here is the odd part. The NTorq 150 has no direct rival. Look at it from a segment view, though, and the Hero Xoom 160, Yamaha Aerox 155 and Aprilia SR 175 are the company it keeps. Of that lot, the NTorq is the most affordable. But money is not the only argument. For the extra spend, the Aerox brings the thrill and sportier feel of a motorcycle engine, and the Xoom 160 will follow you off the tarmac without a second thought. The NTorq’s job is to make you wonder whether you need either. On this evidence, plenty of Gen-Z buyers will decide they don’t.