Is Honda’s Vision 110 Scooter Too Good To Be True?

Honda is making waves in the budget-friendly segment yet again with the latest version of its popular Vision 110. The A1-approved scooter has won the brand countless fans as an affordable, reliable, and convenient entry into the world of two wheels, but for 2025 the Vision’s updates (and asking price) almost feel too good to be true.

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When we talk about a bike that retails for under $3000, the last thing you expect to get is modern technology. That was certainly the case with Honda’s XR150L, which kept costs to a minimum by employing a carburetor, basic telescopic fork, a rear drum brake, a rudimentary steel frame, etc.

For the 2025 Honda Vision, however, technology may actually be its single biggest draw.

Take its new Smart Key system, for example. The Vision 110 uses a wireless key fob rather than a physical key, a feature typically reserved for top-tier offerings from premium brands.

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As long as the fob is somewhere on your person (pocket, backpack, etc,), you’ll be able to start the bike with the flip of a switch. The proximity sensor allows you to unlock and access the Vision’s underseat storage with the push of a button as well. Honda even took things a step further by programming an automatic security feature into the system which automatically locks the storage compartment when you walk away from the scooter.

Even the engine gets a surprising amount of technology for the money. Sure, it’s air-cooled and only 109cc, but it’s also fuel-injected and good for about 123 mpg, an 8% increase in efficiency over last year’s model.

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Much of that efficiency boost is due to another new piece of impressive tech, Honda’s “enhanced Smart Power (eSP)” engine. Like most modern cars and trucks, the engine shuts itself off automatically anytime you’re stopped and idling for more than three seconds, then automatically starts back up when you roll onto the gas.

The Vision employs a brushless ACG electric motor that serves as both a starter and an alternator, which is an integrated component that’s fixed directly to the end of the crankshaft. This allows the electric motor to spin the engine directly, so there’s zero delay for restarting and none of the typical starter noise we’re used to hearing when we turn a key or thumb a starter button.

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A lightweight laser-welded frame is another premium surprise you’ll find on the Vision, which Honda says has been carefully engineered to balance stability and riding comfort. It’s a far cry from the quality of the XR150L’s frame, which is plenty sturdy but looks like something a hobbyist threw together in their garage with a Harbor Freight MIG welder.

The Vision 110 also gets linked braking as a standard feature, a system that evenly distributes braking forces between the front disc and rear drum for optimal power and smoothness. ABS isn’t part of the package, but considering the Vision’s claimed 220-pound curb weight, braking performance shouldn’t be an issue.

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Other updates for 2025 include a bump up in underseat storage capacity to 17.7 liters (plenty of room for a full-faced helmet and then some), the addition of a USB-C charging port, and an additional O2 sensor to ensure Euro 5+ compliance.

So is the 2025 Honda Vision 110 too good to be true? If you’re living in the US, unfortunately the answer is yes; the Vision remains a European market-only model for the foreseeable future.

Of course, you can still get a Honda scooter for under $3000 here as both the Honda Ruckus and Metropolitan are returning for 2025. Both options are limited to a 49cc displacement and lack all of the Vision’s most impressive features though, so scooter options overseas remain undefeated for another year.