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Premier Rio Review - Premier World

By:Rohin Nagrani |Published :October 31, 2009
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Life does tend to give you a second chance, but few really know what to do with it or even how to go about bringing themselves back on track. Rewind to the late nineties and you would find Premier Automobiles in just such a situation. With two joint ventures gone bad, a lockout that is still being fought in the courts, losses mounting into hundreds of crores and a nameplate that was about to be wiped out from the face of Indian business, Premier couldn’t have been in a more dire situation than this. Their core competency lost, Premier went back to their sole surviving business of making machine tools and engineering in Pune and it seemed that they would never return to making automobiles. But, Premier was out to prove everybody wrong.

So, in 2004, they came back into the field. They did so by launching a pickup and panel van which we all now know as the Sigma. Sold in a select few states, Premier has seen decent success with these vehicles, producing close to 1000 units each month. And if you thought Premier had banished their past with these commercial vehicles, think again. They brought the 1527cc TUD5 that powered the erstwhile PAL-Peugeot 309, and the Nissan gearbox from the 118NE, back into the Sigma! But they always kept the flame of building cars alive, and so went around doing a market survey.

Since they had a limited production capacity, they wanted to enter a niche that would ensure they could utilise their production capacity of close to 25,000 units completely, and still be modern in build and outlook. The market survey revealed that there existed a need for a cheap SUV that looked just as modern as its larger compatriots yet cost no more than the Suzuki Gypsy at best. They scouted around the world for such a product and found Zotye Auto in China building just one such vehicle — the Zotye 2008.

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Tags: Auto Industry |  Premier |  Sigma |  Nissan |  Suzuki Gypsy |  TUD5 engine |  BSMotoring |  review |  price | 
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 [24] Comments
TIMON
21st January,2012
Reply
this cars exterior is look gud but premier should change the interior.
pritpal ladhowal
23rd June,2011
Reply
i feel rio is more benifical car for small family
S>RAMESH
21st December,2010
Reply
PAL is a reputed organisation. Recently I collected proforma invoice from a dealer at Koramangala, Bangalore nad submitted to my bankers for financial assistance. In a week's time when I went back to the dealers place, to my surprise the shtters were closed. When contacted the Pimpri office the General Manager was good enough to promise me that the vehicle would be delivered from Mangalore dealer which is 400 kms away from my place. What would have been my status if had pruchased this vehicle without a local dealer and after sales backup service. Is premier company really interested in selling its new brand vehicles or is it just a passion? I had sent two emails to the Gen. Manager for which there is no reply for the same till date. God has rescued me from entering into such irresponsible staff acting for such areputed organisation.
M.K.Bhale
1st November,2010
Reply
Its a good looking vehicle and comfort ride on off road but interier is quite simple.
Ajit
29th September,2010
Reply
I want to buy this car .My cno-9940051293(Chennai).Please call
neeraj
29th July,2010
Reply
i want to buy 105 cars pls contact imm cell no 981108253
tammy
13th March,2010
Reply
yeah i agree the Rio's exterior design looks good. by the way does anyone know where can we buy rio's oxygen sensor?
Parveen Chauhan
10th March,2010
Reply
i want buy this suv and i want to know about showrooms in india
Amit
1st February,2010
Reply
The looks of Rio are making me drool and if the the powertrain is the old workhorse from Peugeot the TUD5, one of the most reliable, torquey and drivable diesel engine, then it is got a heart of gold also. Can any one inform me of the local Dealer in Delhi and when is it going to be available?
Autoreg
7th January,2010
Reply
The original Terios and jimny had opposite design philosophy. Terios was a K car that sported a 4x4 drive and was more of a fashion statement. Jimny on the other hand was designed to be a proper 4x4 from the start. It can take on the big boys like Range Rover on very rough terrain as its light weight has advantages but ulimately loses out as its wheels are too close. I dont think Terrios was ever taken as serious 4x4 although it was well kitted out for comfort.
mohit
2nd January,2010
Reply
i think most of the buyers r impressed wid the price and looks of RIO...whereas the main cuse of worry is its after-sale service and reliability....do u have ne idea when is MARUTI JIMNY launching and its price...???
gourqav
30th December,2009
Reply
It may not backed with maruthi type service stations .But I am sure it is nuch safer than our Suzuki vehicles like Roll over Jimny, versa, and most dangerously designed and still built and shamelessly sold to innocent Indians The death Box Suzuki-Omni
Sumit
7th December,2009
Reply
Cheap or Expensive- its not the question. The point is- if I have only 7 lakhs of my hard earned money on my hand, would I put it on an experimental car like this. This may be cheap as compared to Scorpio or Safari, but if I can not afford these, shall I spend whatever I have on a Terios and then repent 1-2 years later because by all probability the product would have failed by then, dealership-service centres closed and no takers in the resale market. In that scenario, a vehicle like this would be resold at 60-70K only. So is it really dirt cheap- or horribly expensive. WARNING! stay away from such products.
Anupam
1st December,2009
Reply
The Terios looked better than in 2 wheeled avatar, the rio would have also looked better that way. I don't think Maruti will be able to bother it in price terms because going by the price of the gypsy, the jimny will definitely be costlier. And a high five for premier for being so honest - noticed the name anyone 'teRIOs'. Way to go!
Anupam
1st December,2009
Reply
I actually wanted to say 'The terios looked better than this in the 2-door version (not 2wheeled).' Sorry
srikanth
21st November,2009
Reply
looks good and surely soundslike good value for money.If fiat irons out few of those rough edges like noise insulation and quality of interiors they have a winner on their hands!!! would like to see a full road test soon
ashish
12th November,2009
Reply
love it! looks like a winner..! Only issue is with reliability.... and after sales service. Will wait for more news on this.
Autoreg
10th November,2009
Reply
PAL has a history of frankinstien autos; last one being a FIAT 124 body but seem to been purchased from LADA with a discarded nissan engine. This one an ex Daihitsu Terrios from 1985 via a Chinese co but with an ageing 1.5 diesel from a third source - what a mix ! I cant imagine its too safe either as no chinese car can pass a Euro NCAP test.
faisal arfi
7th November,2009
Reply
I think this is a good initiative frm premier. it looks decent SUV at reasoable price because india market is price sensitive.it can be the pioneer of small SUV segment in in But performance ,after sales service would be the key factor of this car in indian car market.I wil not be surprised if people prefer to by mini SUV in place of hatchback like GETZ and SWIFT
faisal arfi
7th November,2009
Reply
I think this is a good initiative frm premier. it looks decent SUV at reasoable price because india market is price sensitive.it can be the pioneer of small SUV segment in in But performance ,after sales service would be the key factor of this car in indian car market.I wil not be surprised if people prefer to by mini SUV in place of hatchback like GETZ and SWIFT
uday
4th November,2009
Reply
holy crap. importing cheap , unreliable and unsafe cars from chin and branding it in India. What worse can Premier do. They should take inspiration from TATA motors which also based in pune..Look at the all improved manza. simple fantastic. I think its better they make pick up trucks
Reply by:ramesh lal
10th November,2009
dear uday, its 1997 daihatsu- toyota car.dont forget qualis which was 1st generation kijang of eighties by toyota. its still getting premium price in used market and even prefered to innova.
ramesh lal
4th November,2009
Reply
its for those who always had wanted to buy new model of gypsy called jimny with power steering and better suspension. the threat to this suv will be from jimny if maruty brings it with both diesel and petrol 4x2 and 4x4 options.
Reply by:ronnie
10th November,2009
according to rumour jimny will be launched in the middle of 2010.hurry up premier! just start selling as many as rios by then
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