I've always been a fan of retro-styled scooters. My first scooter was the now-discontinued Yamaha Fino, and my current ride is the Kymco Like 150i. So I was pretty excited when the new Yamaha Mio Fazzio was released.
The Fazzio is currently one of the most hip and stylish retro-inspired scooters in the local market. It generated a lot of buzz during its launch in mid-2022 and the new colors and upgrades for the latest edition will appeal to new riders.
Styling
While many scooters appear aggressive with bold colors and edgy features, the Fazzio’s fresh hues, smooth finish, and unique style look friendly and welcoming to the younger rider demographic or anyone who prefers the neo-retro styled scooters.
My immediate reaction upon seeing it was that I loved the color. The new Fazzio comes in new hues, namely Pastel Green, Ivory White and Black, with youthful color accents and minimalist style graphics. The Pastel Green is easy on the eyes, reminiscent of mint, pistachio or matcha ice cream.
Yamaha previously released models of the Fazzio in other colors like Cyan, Red and Pastel Blue, but since the Pastel Green is new, it looks distinctly unique, so it stands out.
No sharp edges or loud graphics here. The details are all pleasantly round and oval, from the LED headlights, taillights and motifs to the oval-shaped digital instrument cluster that displays the speedometer, trip meter and fuel gauge.
The overall design and colors look eye-catching both on the road and in social media snaps. It almost looks like a modern electric scooter and is sure to appeal to the Gen Z crowd.
The saddle
The Fazzio's saddle is a double seat that has been modified and reshaped for better comfort. While it’s not super thick, the seat provides enough comfort and cushioning for the driver and a passenger.
I’m not tall, so I appreciated the low (29.5 inches) seat height, as it makes this scooter easy to drive regardless of your height. I found the Fazzio easy to maneuver while carrying bags on the floorboard and with a backrider when I had to pick up my nephew. The weight distribution felt balanced and I could easily flatfoot the ground.
I also rode pillion with my husband driving to test the comfort level of the backseat. The saddle might leave you a bit stiff on longer rides, but it's fine for city commutes. There's a grab bar in the back to hold on to and footpegs that you can neatly fold.
Engine performance
The Fazzio is powered by an air-cooled, single-cylinder 125cc Blue Core Hybrid engine system. According to Yamaha, the 125cc engine provides instantaneous assistive force from a stopped position to smoothen out acceleration. This means you get more power for less fuel.
While you won’t be breaking any speed records, it’s built with the city in mind. During the review period, the Fazzio made zipping around town for errands, grocery runs, and casual coffee rides fun and hardly made a dent in the fuel gauge.
To assess the fuel efficiency, I rode to the Kilometer 100 marker past Jariel's Peak and the Welcome to Infanta arch in Quezon along Marilaque from Quezon City and back one weekend. After gassing up the full 5.1L tank, the ride consumed only 3 out of the 6 bars for almost 200 kilometers. While it drains more gas in stop-and-go traffic than highways, just like most vehicles, it’s definitely not a guzzler.
With the city rides and one long ride combined, I clocked in about 266 kilometers in the 2-week review period before topping up again. Based on my calculations, I got about 62km/L, which seems high, but the unit was brand new and most of that was highway driving. Regular users peg the fuel efficiency of the Fazzio closer to 45-48 km/L for real-world city use, which is not bad at all.
If your regular city commutes aren’t that far, you could probably go weeks without having to refuel.
Ride and handling
The Fazzio is extremely light and easy to use. The nifty and nimble scoot had me weaving through the chaotic city gridlock and standstill traffic with ease. This is the kind of hassle-free ride that will make your life so much easier, if only our road conditions were as ideal as other countries.
Driving on newly asphalted roads during the rainy season and through pothole-ridden areas can be a pain, but the Fazzio managed to hold its own and cushion the bumps. It was light enough for me to back out without help, u-turning was a breeze, and I could easily put it on and off the center kickstand while parking.
I found the stop-and-start system which automatically shuts off the engine at full stops a bit distracting because it would stop every time there was traffic, but you can turn this off with a button switch. The scoot automatically shuts off the engine when you put the kickstand down for safety.
I didn’t have any problems with the suspension, though a friend who bought the same unit and has been using it for a month said it can be a bit stiff or matagtag. Heavier male riders or those who travel with a pillion passenger might want to get front shocks repacked for extra comfort, but I thought it managed pretty well for a 125cc scooter.
The wheels (tubeless Maxxis tires) are on the small side and felt somewhat slippery at first. Eventually, the wheels proved to have a good grip, latching on to the uphill portion of the Katipunan Extension from Tumana to Balara with no problems even at slow speeds in the rain.
While it was great for darting through city traffic, I felt it might be a tad lightweight for long rides or motorcycle touring. Sure, it has enough power to speed up in some empty stretches, but I’d recommend sticking to safe cruising speeds when driving through the winding highways of Marilaque. I noticed a slight shake at higher speeds. For safety, I'd avoid riding through rough gravel or slick, muddy roads on this while tires are new.
Extra features
It can’t quite fit a helmet inside, but the 17.8L underseat storage compartment is roomy enough to stash everyday basics like bags, rain gear or takeout food. I just found the process of opening the seat with the key a bit stiff.
The wide and flat floorboard makes it easy for riders to transport larger items like groceries, backpacks and pet bags, which can be hard to carry on regular motorcycles.
I appreciated the extra touches, like the two handy built-in carabiner hooks below the handlebar and seat that kept bag straps secure while driving. The open cubby below the key ignition could fit a narrow water bottle and the glove compartment had a built-in USB power socket inside for charging gadgets without the need for an adaptor.
While I wasn’t able to test it out, the Mio Fazzio makes use of Y-Connect, an app that allows users to link smartphones to motorcycles to track fuel efficiency and get notifications for maintenance. I should note that some users on Reddit forums cited battery drainage issues for the Y-Connect (for various Yamaha units, not just the Fazzio), so most users opt to disconnect it.
Verdict
I usually try not to get attached to motorcycle units assigned for reviews, since obviously, we have to return it after the review period is over, but I'm going to miss this nifty scoot. It's stylish that's for sure, but it's also practical, dependable AND affordable at just P93,900.00 SRP.
Having the Fazzio was a breath of fresh air at the onset of the gloomy rainy season, and that gave me a reason to ride. Navigating around our city streets isn’t exactly fun, but the Fazzio made the daily grind of errands more bearable. Just looking at the peaceful color instantly boosted my mood.
If you’re looking for a stylish and fuel-efficient ride for filtering through city gridlock that won’t break the bank, the Fazzio is a great contender.
Overall, I was able to drive over 250+ km all over the city and to Infanta and back on a full tank which cost only Php 218. You can scrutinize more of the Fazzio's specs on paper against similar models, but I'd like to highlight the practical value of having a personal scooter for mobility. The savings in transport and time of driving a scooter vs. the stress of commuting, hassles of driving/parking a car, and high cost of constantly using ride-hailing apps, means more cash and energy to spare for other activities, so that’s something worth investing in.
On a side note, I usually rent scooters for solo DIY backpacking trips, and I think the Mio Fazzio would make an excellent rental unit for the more compact islands in the Philippines, ideal for moto-tourism like Siargao, Camiguin, Siquijor, or Panglao in Bohol. Its reliability, ease of use, and cheerful design match the laidback beach vibe and make it convenient for sightseeing and café hopping. It helps that it looks great in travel photos too.
SPECS:
- Price: Php 93,900.00
- Engine: 125cc air-cooled, two-valve, single-cylinder
- Power: 8.29hp @ 6,500rpm
- Torque: 10.6Nm @ 5,000rpm (with electric assist)
- Wet weight: 95 kg
- Seat height: 750mm (29.5 inches)
- Fuel tank capacity: 5.1 liters
- Score: 9/10
