Hero Passion Pro 2018 Review

Hero Passion Pro has been one of the most successful bikes from the company.

After the Splendor, it has been the Passion Pro which has sold in huge numbers. For the year 2018, Hero has given a facelift to this best seller and it now comes equipped with a few upgrades that make the bike more attractive. What are these changes? Read further to know more.

Design

The Passion Pro now gets a new headlamp. This one is sleeker and more curvaceous than the earlier one. The fuel tank also is a new one and it has new body graphics on it . The colur scheme of the graphics compliments the bike and also the font used for the logo is neat. The seat is a well-contoured one and we really liked it It is not only good looking, but comfortable too. The seat can easily seat two people in comfort. The tail section is also newly designed and there is new LED taillamp that adds more flavour to the bike.

The instrument cluster is a combination of analogue and digital. The speedometer is analogue and the fuel guage, odo and trip meters are digital. The bike also features a side stand indicator. The Hero Passion Pro will be available in five colur option, once it goes on sale in early January.  There is black treatment provided to the alloy wheels, engine and exhaust. This make the bike look a bit premium and also different from the crowd. The alloy wheels have six spokes and are curved ones. They look pretty sporty. The mirrors are colour coded, which means they bear the same colour as the body.

The Passion Pro surely looks more attractive now, but we still feel that the design should have been a bit more radical so as to appeal to the youth more. It does not look too different from the model it replaces.

Engine and Performance

The Passion Pro come with a 110cc engine. Now this is a new one, fully developed by Hero MotoCorp. The engine churns out 9.4bhp of power and has 9Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 4-speed constant mesh gearbox. It is quite pleasurable to ride the Passion Pro. The engine is smooth and has enough grunt as well. The power is now 12 percent higher that the mosel it replaces. This make it a good choice. Another important feature in the Passion Pro is the intorduction of i3S technology. This is a start stop function, pioneered in India by Hero. The i3S helps save fuel as the bike shuts off when stationery and the engine comes to life again on depressing the clutch. This is quite a useful feature in city riding conditions. The i3S can be deactivated with the help of a switch on the right side switchgear. There is is no engine kill switch here.

Ride and Handling

The Passion Pro is a sweet handler. It is a also a comfortable bike to ride on.

The suspension setup is on the softer side, hence it gobbles up potholes pretty well. The seat also adds to the overall comfort. There is a telescopic fork at the front and the rear suspension has a 5-step adjustment. It also is quite friendly when suddenly changing direction. The brakes are also good, as there is an option of a front disc brake, which is a good safety feature as well. There rear brake is a drum one.

Mileage

The official ARAI figures have not yet been declared, but we assume the bike is god to return around 60km/l in regular riding conditions. This is a fuel efficient bike and good for those who are conscious about this aspect.

Verdict

The Hero Passion Pro need a makeover and Hero has provided it the same. While there are quite a few changes done to make it attractive, I think some more could have been done on the styling front. While the bike is being targeted at the youth, it is imperative to understand the fast changing tastes and preferences of the youth in India, especially rural India, who are now globally exposed, thanks to the internet penetration. Overall this is a good bike, but some more paparazzi would make it even more appealing.