I've made it absolutely no secret that I like bright colors. I've also loved scooters for a long time, both for their eminent practicality, and also their omnipresent unwillingness to be so. bloody. serious. They're stylish, cute, and built for real life; that's why so many people all over the world use them as everyday transport. Sometimes, you just want simple and cute. Cheap and cheerful. Neo and retro.
And that, friends, is exactly what Honda's partnership with Sundiro in China is bringing to the table with the NS150LA. It's got stylish neo-retro looks for days, and will come in two different trim levels: Youth and Pro. The Youth version is stripped down to the essentials, and doesn't have the little windscreen, front rack, or top box that the Pro gets. It also doesn't get the built-in dashcam functionality of the Pro, nor the disc brakes of the Pro, so those are also less visible things to keep in mind if you're deciding between the two.
Both the Youth and Pro versions come in your choice of four different colorways: yellow, white, pink, or a really cool gray metallic if you're not feeling particularly bright. The price difference between the two trim levels isn't massive, either. Pick a Youth NS150LA, and it'll run you 14980 RMB, which is equivalent to about US $2,121 at the time of writing. Go for all the bells and whistles with the Pro, and it's 16,580 RMB, or about US $2,347.
Honestly, I don't know how driving is anywhere in in China, since I haven't done it. But with the way people drive where I live, paying just a little more to get the Pro with a built-in dashcam seems pretty appealing, especially with the windscreen and topbox included. Good looks and practicality in one package? Sign me up immediately!
Other features of all versions of the NS150LA include traction control, ABS, a tire pressure monitoring system, a pretty sweet TFT display, USB A and C charging ports, Honda SmartKey functionality, screen mirroring with the Honda app on your smartphone, and have I somehow neglected to mention the styling?
In fact, there's one particular little detail that I especially love, and that I feel compelled to draw your attention to so that it doesn't escape your notice. Take a very close look at the taillight cluster, and if you're the kind of person who regularly made mixtapes for your friends back in the day, you might notice something that'll have you itching to hold a pen between your fingers in a very specific way.
Very specifically, Sundiro Honda says it drew influence from audiocassettes when it designed these taillight clusters. It's totally the kind of design cue that I'm absolutely a sucker for, and boy do I wish I could see and experience it in person. It's just the kind of chef's kiss of a little design easter egg that I really appreciate, you know?
Gallery: Honda NS150LA
Everyday joy is important, and the NS150LA absolutely looks like the kind of little scoot that'd put a smile on your face every single day. It's functional design that I both appreciate and respect, and I'm genuinely happy that it's out in the world.
What do you think, would you love to see one of these waiting for you to throw a leg over every day when you walk out your door? While they might make it to other parts of Asia, it's unfortunately unlikely that we'll ever see these in the US. And truthfully, outside of densely populated urban areas here, they probably wouldn't be super practical. More's the pity.
