TVS XL 100 mileage and running cost

XL 100's claimed mileage is 55 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 51–57 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 25 scooters we have reviewed it ranks 5th for mileage, 6 kmpl above the group average of 49 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 54 kmpl, the XL 100 costs about ₹1.76 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹1,369 a month, or ₹16,432 a year, before servicing.

The 4-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 216 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 1 week.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the XL 100 works out to about ₹3.7 per km all-in, of which 47% is fuel and 41% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; a nameplate this established holds value well.

The quickest wins for the XL 100: keep tyres at the recommended pressure (under-inflation by 5 psi can cost 2–3 kmpl), shift up early and avoid idling at long signals, which the idle start-stop system handles for you.

Short trips hurt most. A cold engine on a 2 km run can return half its normal mileage; if that is your use, expect the low end of the real-world band.

Service on time. A clogged air filter or old spark plug shows up in mileage before it shows up anywhere else.