New compact SUV from Premier Auto. EDIT: Rio quick testdrive on page 10

ananth_iy · 17th February 2010, 23:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klub Class

+1 to that.!

Well said GTO,I wonder how many people in India will buy this car..! Does anyone over here in the forum have the sales figures of Rio..?

Anyway let's wait and see..!

That was precisely the question I wanted to ask. To date I have not seen a single Rio on the road. Has anyone else? Have they actually started selling it?

sunil8089 · 18th February 2010, 00:50

Premier need to do enormous brand building exercises to regain the market. The success of Rio depend on:
- sensible pricing
- quality control (especially interiors)
- sustained brand building
- after sales service.

I feel it takes two to three years for Premier to start seeing green in their books.

GTO · 18th February 2010, 17:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunil8089

Premier need to do enormous brand building exercises to regain the market.

At the end of the day, the actual product builds the brand. All the marketing & hype will go down the tubes if your product doesn't live upto segment standards.

Lets leave the "SUV" bit of the Rio aside for a moment. For the same / LESSER price, what is available to the Indian car buyer: A thoroughly modern i10, Ritz, Beat or Swift.....cars that have been crash tested, have excellent quality inside out (most of them

), reek of thorough engineering and technical thought process, cutting-edge diesel engines, safety ABS & airbags, lead the way in power / dynamics etc. etc. You get the gist? On the other hand, the same customer has a Premier Rio which is made in China by a new automotive company that in all probability knows nothing about car making, will be sold in India by a brand that has previously duped their buyers, powered by a 20 year old reworked diesel engine which has a turbocharger bolted on by an inexistent R&D department. Note the absence of common-rail tech too.

Question is : If Premier indeed wanted to bounce back in a more competitive time than they've ever seen, should it have been the Rio?

apachelongbow · 19th February 2010, 12:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by xPK

If I'm in the market for SUV with budget 6-7L, I would settle with 3 year old Safari or Scorpio. Perhaps it will be too early to say but, these vehicles will definitely give me more peace of mind (at least psychologically).
I know I'm not supposed to compare Rio with these, but...

O/T: Are you serious about a 3 year safari!!!. A brand new safari has so many niggles and complaints and 3 year old would simply fall apart

I see no reason why we all are making such a cry about the RIO, granted PAL is almost defunct now, but the RIO seems to be a OK product for that price range.

How can we judge the build quality without taking a long term test on one? It is pretty surprising that instead of a proper discussion or review we all are collectively bashing the product and the company even before its proper launch.

I mean when we sing praises of tin boxes on wheels such as the products from trax or ancient gypsies we must give this product a chance too.

What is the point in comparing the RIO with an A segment hatch back? Is it only the price point?

My humble appeal to all. Can we please objectively review each and every auto, without getting emotional about the company in question or if its a Chinese import and all? We are team-bhp and we are one of the most objective auto sites online, I am sure we will live up to that reputation

rajeev k · 19th February 2010, 13:55

We are yet to see the RIO in Kochi, where usually any newly launched cars appear immediately. Any idea of RIO sales figures?

harishnair · 19th February 2010, 14:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

O/T: Are you serious about a 3 year safari!!!. A brand new safari has so many niggles and complaints and 3 year old would simply fall apart

I see no reason why we all are making such a cry about the RIO, granted PAL is almost defunct now, but the RIO seems to be a OK product for that price range.

A 3yr old safari/Scorpio is any day a better buy than a brand new Rio. The best part being that service and parts are available easily.

Rio has an ancient engine which powers it and at current price level its by no means VFM when you consider what it offers. Also IMHO it is not a true offroader and thus comparing it with the Swift/Punto/i20 is perfectly acceptable.

apachelongbow · 19th February 2010, 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajeev k

We are yet to see the RIO in Kochi, where usually any newly launched cars appear immediately. Any idea of RIO sales figures?

Is it launched? I am not sure. A lil birdie tells me RIO will get the delicious 1.3mjd from fiat, expect to see this coming april/may

Donno how much will the price increase be.... lets see

aparth · 19th February 2010, 21:17

Does the Rio have any sort of crash safety rating? Like Euro NCAP or something?

ridinthru' · 19th February 2010, 21:30

Jaipur Automobiles is the sole dealer for Rio in NCR, spoke to the Head - Mr Behl and he said the TD and display vehicles will arrive by Holi, though he insisted that bookings had commenced, he's got 30 orders already and got after me too to go ahead and book one, deliveries commence last week of March, as per him.

Abes · 6th March 2010, 11:43

I just read in a car blog that premier has managed a 2000 strong booking for the Rio.

Wheel O Sphere Blog

lejhoom · 6th March 2010, 20:12

The other day I spotted one on the Begumpet flyover in Hyderabad. It was black. Don't know who the dealer here is.

trrk · 7th March 2010, 19:47

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by lejhoom

Don't know who the dealer here is.

Hyderabad

Sri Sri Sri Premier, Hyderabad -
040 - 27530169, +91 - 09160088678, 09963345678,

Source:

http://www.premierrio.com/dealers.html

kapss · 7th March 2010, 23:34

I sat in the car at the Premiere stall at the AutoExpo and can say for sure that the comparatively big outer dimension does not translate to much usable space inside.
The seats do not have adequate leg room or thigh support and somehow i believe that the rear seats would not accommodate 3 at all. Maybe most of the space goes to the boot which I could not check.
In short, this is not a very practical car. Maybe the initial novelty factor has got it the 2000 bookings or maybe its the niche car lovers who want something different from the usual hatches, but i would be very surprised if this response to the car continues for long.

georgev · 3rd April 2010, 16:00

not practical in the indian market, also doubt stability / conering at high speeds

looking forward to the MM THAR

amtak · 20th April 2010, 16:59

Last week we were chasing one Rio on the Ghodbunder Road, the vehicle had a MH 45 passing, so it seems it came somewhere from Pune area (Pimpri-Chinchwad?) as there are only two dealers in Maharashtra area.

We were in an Indigo and had a hard time chasing the vehicle on the highway. Considering the fact it is an old school engine, the way it performs in the Rio is excellent. and it looks good for a small SUV/ Semi Urban area personnel.

If I was in Nagpur, I would buy it. In Mumbai, I would go for the Figo.

18th February 2010, 00:50	#257
sunil8089 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 198 Thanked: 153 Times	Premier need to do enormous brand building exercises to regain the market. The success of Rio depend on: - sensible pricing - quality control (especially interiors) - sustained brand building - after sales service. I feel it takes two to three years for Premier to start seeing green in their books.
	() Thanks

19th February 2010, 13:55	#260
rajeev k Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Emerging Metro Posts: 3,352 Thanked: 1,947 Times	We are yet to see the RIO in Kochi, where usually any newly launched cars appear immediately. Any idea of RIO sales figures?
	() Thanks

19th February 2010, 21:17	#263
aparth Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1,341 Thanked: 1,708 Times View My Garage	Does the Rio have any sort of crash safety rating? Like Euro NCAP or something?
	() Thanks

19th February 2010, 21:30	#264
ridinthru' BANNED Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: roaming Posts: 134 Thanked: 16 Times	Jaipur Automobiles is the sole dealer for Rio in NCR, spoke to the Head - Mr Behl and he said the TD and display vehicles will arrive by Holi, though he insisted that bookings had commenced, he's got 30 orders already and got after me too to go ahead and book one, deliveries commence last week of March, as per him.
	() Thanks

6th March 2010, 11:43	#265
Abes BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Muscat Posts: 201 Thanked: 60 Times	I just read in a car blog that premier has managed a 2000 strong booking for the Rio. Wheel O Sphere Blog
	() Thanks

6th March 2010, 20:12	#266
lejhoom BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 366 Thanked: 187 Times	Spotted one in Hyderabad The other day I spotted one on the Begumpet flyover in Hyderabad. It was black. Don't know who the dealer here is.
	() Thanks

7th March 2010, 23:34	#268
kapss BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 110 Thanked: 2 Times	I sat in the car at the Premiere stall at the AutoExpo and can say for sure that the comparatively big outer dimension does not translate to much usable space inside. The seats do not have adequate leg room or thigh support and somehow i believe that the rear seats would not accommodate 3 at all. Maybe most of the space goes to the boot which I could not check. In short, this is not a very practical car. Maybe the initial novelty factor has got it the 2000 bookings or maybe its the niche car lovers who want something different from the usual hatches, but i would be very surprised if this response to the car continues for long.
	() Thanks

3rd April 2010, 16:00	#269
georgev BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: KL-05 Posts: 233 Thanked: 7 Times	not practical in the indian market, also doubt stability / conering at high speeds looking forward to the MM THAR Last edited by georgev : 3rd April 2010 at 16:01.
	() Thanks

20th April 2010, 16:59	#270
amtak Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai - The city of Sea Link!!! Posts: 2,915 Thanked: 899 Times View My Garage	Last week we were chasing one Rio on the Ghodbunder Road, the vehicle had a MH 45 passing, so it seems it came somewhere from Pune area (Pimpri-Chinchwad?) as there are only two dealers in Maharashtra area. We were in an Indigo and had a hard time chasing the vehicle on the highway. Considering the fact it is an old school engine, the way it performs in the Rio is excellent. and it looks good for a small SUV/ Semi Urban area personnel. If I was in Nagpur, I would buy it. In Mumbai, I would go for the Figo.
	() Thanks