When you think of scooters, you usually think of small, convenient and economic motorcycles for personal transportation in urban settings. But the Honda PCX150 is a scooter that manages to combine luxury, performance and reliability.

This scooter is ideal for working professionals or car owners who no longer want to suffer through traffic. It offers a luxurious ride that will make your life easier as you go about the daily grind in the metro.

First introduced in November 2009, the Honda PCX has gotten a lot of upgrades over the years. Honda says the new model released in 2019 boasts of better quality, efficiency, and design– I couldn’t agree more.

This futuristic-looking bike has a slew of hi-tech features including a Smart Key System, Full LCD Dashboard, All-LED Lighting equipment with Hazard Lamp, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), ACG Starter, Idling Stop System, and more.

Honda Philippines Inc. lent me a review bike for a couple of weeks, which I got to ride both in the city and for a weekend ride. Here’s what I can share about the new model.

Design

The Honda PCX150 feels like a mature scooter for tech-savvy urban professionals. For those looking for an alternative means of transport to get to the office or events around the metro, the Honda PCX offers one comfortable and classy-looking steed. Compared to other scooters, it looks more premium, thus commanding more respect on the road.

The model available in the Philippines comes in two colors: silver and red. The minimalist logo and absence of decals and graphics just make the bike very elegant and sleek. The full-sized front fairing has a bullet-shaped nose that just molds into the built-in windscreen. Instead of boxy edges, you get curvy lines, making the bike look sexy instead of sporty.

The bike looks and feels very well-designed – kind of like a neat capsule package. There are no messy wires and exposed parts poking out of the bike. Everything looks very clean, flowy and contoured.

Small details like a handy storage box near the left handlebar with a charger for gadgets and footrests for pillion passengers are built-in seamlessly into the bike and look like part of the design.

While some motorcycles tend to look like insects or robots, this bike makes me think of a friendly alien or spaceship pod from a technologically-advanced planet ready to transport you anywhere. The full digital LCD dashboard just adds to the futuristic appeal. At night, the lights on this bike look very striking and distinctive, kind of like a bird taking flight or two alien eyes with sharp eyebrows ready to conquer the world.

Features

• New fully digital panel
• New LED Taillight with hazard lamp
• Antilock braking system
• 14″ wheel size and bigger tire
• Console box with power outlet
• Luggage box with seat stopper, more efficient use of storage (28L)
• New LED Headlight
• Honda Smart Controller
• Honda Smart Key

Specifications

• Engine Type:  4-Stroke, Liquid-Cooled, SOHC 
• Displacement: 150 cc 
• Maximum Power: 10.8 kW @ 8,500 rpm 
• Maximum Torque: 13.6 N.m @ 6,500 rpm 
• Starting System: ACG Starter (Electric) 
• Engine oil capacity: 0.8 L
• Transmission Type: Automatic, V-Matic 
• Power socket
• Fuel system: PGM-Fi
• Fuel Consumption (ECER40): 51.3 km/L 
• Idling stop system
• Overall Dimension (L x W x H):  1,923 x 745 x 1,107 (mm)
• Wheelbase: 1,313 mm 
• Seat Height: 764 mm 
• Ground Clearance: 137 mm 
• Curb weight: 131 kg
• Fuel tank capacity: 8.0L
• Frame type: Double Cradle
• Suspension Type (Front): Telescopic 
• Suspension Type (Rear): Unit Swing 
• Tire Size (Front): 100/80-14 M/C 48P (Tubeless) 
• Tire Size (Rear): 120/70-14 M/C 61P (Tubeless) 
•  Brake Type (Front): Single Disc (ABS) 
•  Brake Type (Rear): Mechanical Leading Trailing (Drum) 
•  U-Box Capacity: 28L

Field Test Notes

City driving

• Although it appears a bit bulky and intimidating at first glance, it’s surprisingly lighter than it looks.
• Once it starts moving, you really feel the engine’s power. Acceleration was quick.
• The bike’s suspension is one of the best. It really soaks up the bumps and roughness of almost every type of road I rode it on. It’s very stable and I didn’t feel like I was going to get outbalanced.
• The engine sounds great. It’s not noisy at all.
• Though I have to sit forward to reach the ground, it’s pretty easy to balance at traffic and standstills.
• I think the smart key system is cool. You don’t need the key to turn the ignition. The bike actually detects when the key is nearby and you can open the seat using the smart controller without using the key.
• The storage space is so roomy. You can easily stash a full-face helmet securely inside along with other things. This is great for when you park at malls or anywhere since there’s no need to clip your helmet under the seat or use a lock.

• I’m used to driving a smaller scooter, so this felt bigger for me in city traffic. But for guys who are used to bigger bikes, this will feel more compact and maneuverable.
• Because of its bigger size, I found it harder to park in mall areas where motorcycles are usually squeezed together very tightly. But since it’s light, it’s easy enough to push and pull out of tight parking spots.
• Because of its looks, I felt like it was a bit of an overkill to use this bike for quick chores and errands like doing groceries or buying beer from the convenience store. I felt like I needed to look more presentable when driving the bike. Nakakahiya lumabas na naka–pambahay and slippers, like I normally do with smaller scooters.
• The bike has an optional idling stop system that automatically shuts off the engine after a few seconds of not being used. I found it a bit distracting to use in city traffic because there’s a lot of standstills, so I just turned it off. The engine automatically shuts down when you put the side-stand down anyway, which I find more useful.

For travel / touring

• Though designed as an urban commuter, I found that the Honda PCX150 makes an excellent ride for travel, touring and chill weekend rides. Ang sarap niya gamitin for long rides!!!
• In areas with no traffic, you can really feel the power and performance of the bike, with top speeds easily reaching over 100 kph.
• On twisty mountain roads, this bike felt comfortable leaning in and out. It’s a lot of fun.
• It just glides on the road, smooth as butter.
• The power starts a bit slow, but once you gain higher speeds acceleration is great. There are no jerky movements. Braking is also very gradual and not abrupt.
• The seat is one of the most comfortable bikes I’ve ever tried. It’s like you’re sitting in a LaZBoy chair or recliner sofa.
• As the driver, you can settle your butt comfortably and use the built-in ridge as support for a very relaxed upright driving position.
• Again, the storage space for touring is amazing. Ang daming kasya, di na kailangan magdala ng backpack.

• I was able to fit a change of shoes, dry bag full of stuff for a hike, camera, tripod, rain jacket and more and switch it out with riding jacket and shoes.
• On the way home, our local guide gave us a few pomelos from their trees which fit in the storage compartment along with my extra shoes, wet clothes, tripod etc. Basta, ang daming kasya. You’ll really appreciate the storage space.

• The classy-looking chrome handlebars have surprisingly little vibration even on high speeds, which equates to less riding stress and fatigue for the driver.
• The throttle felt very smooth on the hands, it wasn’t too hard to twist on and was very responsive. Kahit hindi naka-gloves, masarap gamitin.
• We passed an area with patches of gravel and dirt roads in between pavement (Sta. Maria road going to Seven Up Hills). The bike felt pretty stable going uphill. However, my visibility felt limited because of the bike design and the windshield.

Fuel Consumption

According to official specs, the bike boasts of a 51.3 km/L fuel consumption. The tank can fit 8 liters. The bike actually calculates the average fuel consumption for you. For a ride that was a combination of city driving, traffic, smooth paved highways, mountains and a bit of off-road, the average fuel consumption as indicated in the dashboard was 45.4 km/l.

For our ride to Hulugan Falls in Laguna, I loaded a full tank before the trip, traveling over 260+km and got back home with half a tank of gas left. Theoretically, with this kind of fuel mileage, you can drive roughly 363 km (roughly the same distance between KM 0 in Luneta to Santiago, Isabela) on one tank of gas.

• Start odometer: 464.7
• End odometer: 728.9 km
• Total: 264.2 km

Price

The SRP for the Honda PCX 150 in the Philippines is P133,900.00. Most brand new scooters in this displacement usually cost only P70-110k, so this is not the most budget-friendly bike, which is why it’s being marketed as a high-end / luxury scooter.

Verdict

Style-wise, I personally prefer the look of classic-looking and retro bikes, but this futuristic scooter just looks so good that it’s making me have second thoughts. It’s a head-turner! And in terms of technological advancement and product quality standards, you can’t go wrong with Honda.

There’s a reason why they’re the number one motorcycle manufacturer in the country. Honda is known for using the best materials for their components. Because they’re such a huge brand, you can be assured that parts will be easy to find and replaced if needed, which leads to fewer headaches if you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to constantly tinker with their bike.

Though I personally found it a little bit unwieldy for everyday use in high-traffic situations and for chores in the city, it’s compact enough for taller guys. It was such a joy to use on the open road and where there’s no traffic. For style-conscious urban professionals who want a comfortable and reliable ride as a daily commuter to the office and weekend rides or those who have regularly travel with pillion passengers, I think the Honda PCX 150 is a great value-for-money scooter.