This is the true litmus test of any car. The Premier Rio+ may be aesthetically pleasing and has simple and basic interior. But it needs good drivability within city and on the highway for customers to adopt it. Although the demands may sound simple, it is actually the tallest order for any car.
Has the Rio cracked it? Let’s find out:
What powers the Rio?
The biggest problem (that even management of Premier Auto admits) that the old Rio faced was a lack of BSIV complaint engine. The old Rio only met BSIII norms due to which it could not be sold in major cities which is the actual target market of the Rio.
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The Premier Rio+ now looks chic and stylish from the outside. But is it the same story on the inside? Is the build quality right for the Indian conditions? How good is the quality of plastics? Is it spacious enough to accommodate an average family with luggage?
Let’s find out:
The number of changes made to the interior of the refreshed Premier Rio are certainly less than those made to the exterior. The 2 main changes are – beige interiors and a new steering wheel and that’s about it.
Over the years, the Indian automotive market has matured from small hatchbacks to entry sedans to C+ sedans. This year, the focus of the manufacturers will be on two key segments –Compact Sedans and Compact SUVs.
Maruti Suzuki recently launched their contender for the CS market – Swift Dzire and rest of the manufacturers such as Tata and Mahindra are expected to follow suit.
Coming to the Compact SUV market; now this is going to be extremely interesting. Ford, Renault and Mahindra are honing their challengers as we speak. But little known rival is already present in the market from a long forgotten company called ‘Premier Auto’. Does it ring a bell?
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Last week IndianAutosBlog.com got a chance to test drive the new Swift Dzire that is going to be launched today. New? How new is it? Maruti Suzuki claims to have put in 150 new features. The Swift Dzire is already the leader of its segment with a 39% market share i.e. about 3.3 lakh units sold in the domestic market. The company and its vendors have confidently invested over 120 crore rupees towards this full model range.
Is the car as good or better as the old one? Let’s find out!
We’ll answer the most important question first – Isn’t this just a Swift with a bigger boot?
Having touched upon the exteriors and the interiors, we finally place the spotlight on the driving performance of the Corolla Altis petrol AT. On the face of it, the changes to the design and interiors are not groundbreaking. But let me tell you that the mechanicals are not in the same basket.
What powers the new Toyota Corolla Altis?
The biggest change in the new Corolla Altis is the new engine. The older ZZ engine is out and in comes the 1.8L 2ZR engine with VVT-i delivering the firepower. Power has been pushed up by 7 bhp to 138 bhp @ 6,400 rpm and the engine delivers a healthy torque of 173 Nm at 4,000 rpm.
The additional power and torque has not massively altered the Corolla’s performance in a straight line. However the engine feels more responsive and the power delivery is very smooth and linear. Adequate amount of torque at lower rpm makes it very easy to drive in city traffic. The car is quick off the blocks with the 0-100km/hr sprint taking under 10 seconds.
The exterior design was plain and simple. But what about the interiors? Being the best selling nameplate, the Corolla definitely has to please owners. After all, most of your time will be spent inside the car. So has the facelift revitalized interiors? Let’s find out:
As long as you have the keyfob in your possession, there’s no need to press buttons. Just walk up to Altis and pull the handle, the car automatically unlocks. A mere glance at the interiors and you recognize that it is a mixture of black and silver with cool blue lighting (a la Chey Cruze). Sticking to the KISS philosophy, the interior is simple and conservative.
Ever wondered how difficult it is to carry the badge of ‘The Best Selling Nameplate in the World’ on your shoulders? Or how about selling one every 40 seconds?
Yes, these are a few accolades that Toyota’s Corolla achieved in its 44 years of existence. Simply amazing!
Back home the story doesn’t change one bit. Launched in 2003, the Corolla has done more for brand Toyota than any other product that has come and gone. It is the segment leader and after after a few tense moments post launch of the Honda Civic, the Corolla is back to the top spot and is looking good to continue its dominance in 2012.
Currently the 10th generation or Corolla E140 carries the blood forward. But it has been about three years since the last design review and that was starting to show. Time for a facelift? Hell yeah!
If you were a bit disappointed that Tata Motors has not done much to exteriors and interiors, I am pleased to say that most of the startling changes are to the mechanicals.
So buckle up to find out:
What powers the 2012 Nano?
Tata Motors did not change the capacity of the Nano’s engine. But they have tweaked it to produce a little more power while being kinder to your wallet. The 624 cc, twin cylinder engine now produces 38 PS instead of 35 PS. At the same time, Tata Motors obsession with ‘25kmpl’ has affected the Nano as well. The torque figure has also increased but only by 0.4kgm (4 Nm)
Start the engine and you notice reduced vibrations when the engine is idling. Put it in gear and you notice the clutch is significantly lighter than the older version. Once on the road, you feel that all those changes in the engine are not just marketing material for the brochure.
This is the true litmus test of any car. The Premier Rio+ may be aesthetically pleasing and has simple and basic interior. But it needs good drivability within city and on the highway for customers to adopt it. Although the demands may sound simple, it is actually the tallest order for any car.
