Premier has been sincerely focusing on its very affordable compact SUV Premier Rio for quite some time. The first and most important addition to the Rio is an all new BS IV compliant 1.2 Litre MPFi petrol engine which will help Rio enter the major Indian cities which otherwise were beyond its reach because of the implementation of BS IV norms.
So for those Premier Rio aspirers living in big cities, it comes as a good news since now you would see Rio’s at nearby dealerships. But that’s not all as to take the level of appeal of Rio one step up, Premier will showcase a new facelifted model at the 2012 Auto Expo. But the recently spied 1.3 L multijet Diesel Rio will not make its debut at the Auto Expo and will be introduced close to mid 2012.
image – Premier Rio 2012 New Model Compact SUV
The car has been offered a couple of cosmetic changes that do make it a little extra appealing but overall it still looks the same dated Rio. Evident visual changes include:
- New curvy headlamps integrating into the bumper
- New clean integrated grille
- A silver chin spoiler for sophistication
- A new hood and side panels
- New front bumper for improved aerodynamics
- Grey plastic valance covers for wheel arches
- Body coloured side cladding
- Side mirror integrated turn indicators
- New rear bumper
image – Premier Rio 2012 New Model Compact SUV
Coming to the technical aspect, as mentioned above, it sports a new 1.2 Litre petrol engine manufactured in China that generates 75.5 BHP of max power and 102 Nm of peak torque. Although the performance of the car is quite disappointing in all senses, the ground where it performs well is, the bad roads. The suspension isn’t good enough but does a fine job on bad Indian roads.
Premier Rio 2012 Facelift SUV Technical Specifications
Engine
- Fuel: Petrol
- Installation: Front, longitudinal, RWD
- Type: 4cyl, in line, 1173cc petrol
- Power: 75.5bhp at 5800rpm
- Torque: 10.5kgm at 3500-4250rpm
Transmission
- Gearbox: 5-speed manual transmission
Dimensions
- Length: 3970mm
- Width: 1570mm
- Height: 1730mm
- Wheel base: 2420mm
Chassis & Body
- Tyres: 205/70 R15
Brakes
- Front: Disc
- Rear: Drum
Acceleration in gear
- 20-80kph in 3rd gear: 21.80sec
- 40-100kph in 4th gear: 39.05sec
Economy
- Tank size: 46 litres
Premier Rio 2012 Facelift SUV Price In India
The car will be priced between Rs 4.95-5.8 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).
Source Credit-ACI
Updated on 1st August 2012:
Premier Rio CRDi4 Diesel With 1.3 Litre Engine Launched At Rs. 6.70 Lakhs – Details
