Premier Rio 2012 Review

If there was a space vacant in the Indian automotive sphere, here is a vehicle that will fit it like a glove. Adil Jal Darukhanawala grabs a first drive of the new mini-SUV from Premier Automobiles on its comeback trail

Yes that's right, Rio is the name of the new mini-SUV which many car makers plain dumb ignored and it is here that an old venerable name from the motor manufacturing business hopes to reinvent itself. Let's avoid the riddles and cut straight to the chase which in this case is of Premier Limited announcing its advent back as a speciality car maker in India.

Better known eons ago for its Premier Padminis and Fiat Unos plus the eminently forgettable Peugeot 304 which pulled the company down (or was it the other way around! - the jury is out on this count), Premier under the stewardship of Maitreya Doshi, grandson of Walchand Hirachand, has embarked on a whole new way to get back into a segment of industry which his family helped pioneer in this country.

First the method behind the madness and here it seems that Maitreya Doshi after the highly publicized spat with long time partner Fiat used all his business acumen to monetize his real estate holdings in Mumbai and then re-invest this into his firm's machine tool division at Chinchwad in Pune. This purely engineering-driven arm of the company began to specialize in cutting edge applications for heavy industry and has made not just a name for itself in its sphere of operation but has also managed to make the firm financially very sound. Apart from being shielded from the economical turmoil, the new business orientation also taught Premier to make do with less and this mantra has been put into place for a very lean automobile manufacturing unit at Chinchwad.

Thanks:carwale.com/research

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Mahindra XUV 500 Review

Mahindra’s 1st global SUV platform is here. Designed with inputs from customers across the world, it is unmatched in terms of style, performance, technology, safety and comfort – a truly complete driving experience.

Bold lines outline the chiselled, aerodynamic body of the XUV500 with static-bending projector headlamps, LED parking lamps and racing-inspired twin exhaust give the vehicle both a ferocious and sophisticated look, making it a striking presence on road.

Mahindra seems to have decided to grab the attention of the entire nation with its new SUV- XUV 500. With this move, the undoubted king of the SUVs in India achieves the famous five figures.

It was originally code named as W201, and then received the name XUV 500 recently before its launch on 29 Sept, 2011.

The external Look

As far as the looks are anxious, it looks enormous with big front grille that’s dominated by the brand’s logo at the center. It brings in the goodness of luxury segment contenders like SUVs like the Honda CR-V & Hyundai Santa-Fe at a really modest price of under 15lakhs.

The mesh type look behind front grille and in between the front bumper doesn’t give premium or up-market look to the SUV. But, M&M has managed to come up with a really wide and huge SUV.

The fog lights, tail-and-headlights features clear lens for clear and bright view. Its huge wheel gives rugged and macho look that is further enhanced by wider 17-in alloy wheels.

In the interior

If you step inside the 500 XUV, you’ll understand that there’s something extraordinary in place inside it. Seven passengers can be accommodated comfortably in its interior.

The dash, housing a long middle console, grabs the attention of the person entering XUV 500. Central console houses six-in touchscreen color/monochrome display and there are 2 AC vents on central console, and smaller ones on the side.

The dash, housing a long central console, grabs the attention of the person entering XUV 500. Central console houses six-in touchscreen color/monochrome display and there are 2 AC vents on central console, and smaller ones on the side.

Comparing XUV500 with Toyota Innova

It is true that Indian patrons have been getting fairly reasonably priced small diesel cars when compared to massive SUVs, but it is also a fact that utility vehicles are having the engagements of true SUV lovers who can easily afford massive wheels.

Taking presentation into consideration, the close rival of XUV500 will be Toyota Innova as it comes with 2KD-FTV diesel turbocharger unit, delivering 102PS and 200Nm.

We can’t expect high fuel economy ratings from both as they are SUVs; the average gas mileage ratings of XUV500 and Innova are 11.5km/l and 10.2km/l respectively.

Talking about Innova, it is very reliable as it comes from the quality-conscious Toyota. If you are going to add an SUV to your auto collection, the new XUV500 is the best choice to entertain your adventurous legs with sporty and speedy drive along with essential safety attributes to make your journey safe.

Pricing

The base MSRP of the XUV500 W6 is Rs 10.8 lakhs, and the price of W8 2WD and W8 4WD is Rs 11.95 lakhs and 12.88 lakhs correspondingly.

Thanks:

mahindra-xuv500.org

mahindra.com/What-We-Do/

carsingh.com/new/