Premier Auto has returned with a vehicle that starts a completely new segment in India. Say hello to the Rio
Words: Ravi Chandnani
Photography: Sawan Hembram
Premier, the company that gave us cars like the Padmini and the 118NE has re-entered in the Indian car market with an interesting car – the Rio. But this time, instead of partnering with a European manufacturer, Premier has decided to lure in a company from the east. Hence they have partnered with Zotye Auto of China. The Rio is also known as the RX6400 in China. It is based on the older version of the Daihatsu Terios. The entire rolling chassis and the transmission unit are imported from China through the CKD (Complete Knocked Down) route and the engine used is a re-engineered version of the same 1.5-litre TuD 5 motor that once powered the Peugeot 309, the Maruti Esteem and the Zen to name a few.
So what exactly is the Rio?
According to the company, it is a compact SUV. However, it appears more like a small MUV rather than a SUV. The initial impressions of the Rio are quite decent. The clear lamp head lights with a minimal front grille that is embellished with a chrome garnish and matte black bumpers all around with vertically mounted tail lamps and a 15-inch rear spare wheel hanging on the boot door make it appear quite big. The side profile too seems to create an illusion of a SUV. Overall, the subtle exterior with proportionate dimensions lends the Rio a good look.
Just like the exterior, the interiors are simple yet interesting. The first thing you notice about the Rio is that the front doors open wide and allow an easy ingress. However, once inside, tall drivers may experience a bit of a struggle as the gap between the steering wheel and the driver’s seat is less even with the seat pushed back. The plastic dashboard, the instrument panel, the glove box and the centre console are quite satisfactory in quality and minimal, however, the plastics appear dull. The fit and finish of the car is not something that we are used to, but if Premier considers manufacturing these titbits in-house, it would drastically improve the overall feel of the interiors. A good thing about the Rio is that it has plenty of headroom and a higher seating position that gives a clear view of things around without creating a blind spot. The Rio gets power windows up front and electronically adjustable rear view mirrors. Moving from the front towards the rear one can notice that the rear door doesn’t open quite as wide as the front. The headroom and shoulder room at the rear is quite good although there is less legroom with the driver’s seat pulled completely back. Boot space is quite good, however if you want more space, you can push the rear seats down which creates more than adequate space at the back. Out and out, the interiors are fair with good head and shoulder room but the legroom is compromised. Other features include the air-con which is efficient but has a noisy blower and a decent audio system
How does it handle?
The Rio features a 1.5-litre diesel engine with fixed a geometry turbo charger that churns out 64.8PS of power and a healthy 152Nm of torque. All this power is delivered to the rear wheels via a five-speed transmission which requires precision control to maintain the power in every gear. The driveability of the Rio is not peppy but instead has a more relaxed feel to it. The Rio features McPherson struts up front with a five-link rod system at the rear. A good amount of ground clearance with a sturdy suspension makes the Rio a good option for mild off-road stints. The disc brakes up front and drums at the rear deliver adequate braking force. The steering feels a tad heavy and produces an array of acoustics while turning the wheels at standstill, however, these sounds disappear once the vehicle is in motion.
Surprisingly, the above mentioned setup offers a neutral handling with a bit of body roll that can be minimized if Premier decides to use rubber which is designed and built for India – the Rio currently uses tyres that are made in China (Kenda Radials). On my short drive arousnd the factory, I felt that Premier has launched a car that will definitely entice buyers who are looking for an affordable and spacious alternative to hatchbacks. It won’t be wrong to add that with this sturdy suspension setup, the car will find a lot of buyers in the rural market. Premier could also lure in people who demand a peppier and punchier engine by introducing a common rail direct injection mill instead of the current 1.5-litre IDI engine that powers the Rio.
Overall, it seems that an old player has made a fair enough attempt to re-enter the market with a product that has a love me or hate me quality/attitude to it. It features a subtle engine with an average transmission, simple interiors and a fair enough built quality. But there are things like an ample storage area, a decent exterior and a reasonable price tag (Rs 5.25 to 5.95 lakhs, ex-showroom) that will make it fit enough to survive in the Indian market.
