New Japanese Honda Dio 110 Breaks Cover, India Launch Possible?

As someone who grew up admiring and then, finally, riding the Honda Dio in my formative years, it is a bit disheartening to see the current fate of the sporty scooter in India. It is no longer as aspirational as it used to be, especially with cool and futuristic electric runabouts now present. If only Honda had something that fulfilled the desires of budding teenage riders then, right? Well, Honda Japan does: the 2024 updated Dio 110. And trust us, it looks nothing like the Indian version.

For starters, it has the slimness and edginess that instantly lights up your mood. Then your eyes are drawn to the slim 14-inch alloys, distinctly larger than the 12-/10-inch setup that we get on the Indian version. It used to only be sold in Japan with the Honda Smart Key system that we have seen on the Activa in India, but now it also arrives with a lower variant that gets a traditional physical key slot.

Powering the Dio 110 is a similar 109 cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine that makes 8.58 bhp and 9 Nm, which are comparable to the Indian version. However, the Japanese Dio is very light. It tips the scales at 96 kilos, which is significantly lighter than the Dio that we ride in India and heavier than most of the biker boys in the office.

Even the foundations are more advanced here. Like previously mentioned, it rolls on slimmer 14-inch wheels, has a front disc brake and the suspension components also seem to be of a higher spec.

Alas, this Dio 110 remains a distant dream. Unless, the power of our dreams actually materialises and the dream makers make it a reality.