Ford Fiesta 1.6 ZXI ABS Petrol. Review on Ford Fiesta

It was 6 months back that I started wishing for a sedan. The wish became a serious searching by the month of May 2009. Although my WagonR(2007 model) was serving me very well, wifee could not get used to the notchy gear even after 2 years of attempts. We, men are very good in getting used to even the roughest gears of any vehicle, but not for the finer species! They look for something less troublesome, more reliable, worry-free atmosphere when it comes to driving.

Cutting the unnecessary story telling, here are the reasons to search for a sedan:

1. More comfort and Space

   
   




2. Powerful engine

   
   




3. Huge Boot

   
   




4. Reliability for long drives

   
   




5. Added safety features like ABS and EBD

   
   




6. Most Important= A car that one can enjoy driving around city and highway

   
   




7. Affordable within 7.30 lk

   
   

Now the brands and models that I seriously considered and did test driving throghout the month of May and June 2009. The comments are without any bias towards any brand nor variant, but a very open minded feeling that I got while testing each one.

1. Hyundai i20 Asta: Now the waiting period of 45 days made me try other cars before the final decision.

   
   




2. Hyndai Verna 1.6 Petrol SX VTVT: The high-end petrol version was with all the features built-in but 8.30 lk on road, more than 1 lak above my budget. So I had no choice but to try other brands.

   
   




3. Suzuki Dezire and 4. Ritz: Now the sales teams are not even aggressive to spot a genuine enquiry that comes to them for no effort of theirs. Anyway, I took it as a destiny not to go for another Maruti in my life!

   
   




4. Fiat Grande Punto: It has a great engine and external design, but very hard to accept the fit and finish inside.

   
   




5. Fiat Linea: I have more than 7 friends who already bought Linea and all of them are complaining about plastic quality, screws coming off from different places, certain dash board parts coming out lose, glue and paint marks seen at different places and to top it all, the engine is just 1.4 Ltr which is not really proportionate to the total body weight of the car 1250 kg. Remember the same engine is put in the Punto petrol too. So infact a hatchback engine is pulling a sedan. It may not be felt in the bumper to bumper city traffic, but when you take it to the highway with 5 people and luggage in the boot, you might regret chosing this. Fiat A.S.S(After Sales Service) is known for its bad records too. Now imagine both Tata and Fiat vehicles serviced under the same roof. I didnt want to take a chance. May be later once they prove things to be reliable.

   
   




6. Ford Fiesta 1.6 ZXI: My friends' circle suggested me not to chose any car without testing the Fiesta, which is known as the'Driver's Car" right from its launch. I had not thought about this brand having an impression that all the Ford cars are expensive to maintain and much above my budget. But things started changing once I had my first test drive. Ford gives the 1.6 sports version for all the test drives. Engine is the same 1.6 on all EXI, ZXI, SXI and the sports versions. The only difference between these variants is the accessories and few cosmetic changes on the body and inside.

   
   

My first glance at the Aquarius Blue Fiesta 1.6 Sports itself, I was swept away head over heels. I had seen this only in the TV ads till then. Its very rare and few on road and has a very strong road presence even to the non-auto enthusiasts. There was a dealer staff driver and 2 sales guys except me. I did few changes in the ORVM(outside rear view mirrors) through the inside joystick type control, lowered the steering wheel, adjusted the centre rear view mirror and was ready to go! Put the gear into first and slowly gave the accelorator. Whoaa, this thing is just flying. Its very steady and rock solid on the road, exhaust noise is very addictive, gear changes are butter smooth and precise and short. I took it to the new Airport road and ripped the engine to 120 kmph without any strain. Immediately I realised the permitted speed is only 80 kmph on this road. So I had to control myself and keep within that range for the next 30 mts.

Booked the ZXI on 24th June 2009 and took the delivery on 23rd July 2009. Infact my waiting was more than the usual, due to some excess demand in Delhi happened out of special discount sales there. I liked the Morello colour which is also rare on road so far. ZXI is almost a fully loaded variant with the 2 DIN music system with AUX-IN point, 12 V power outlet, ABS, EBD, adjustable steering, height adjust of driver's seat, power windows, electrically operated ORVMs, petrol tank lid, boot opening etc. Dual head lamps, front and reverse Fog lamps, rear windscreen defogger, completely foldable rear seat for maximum luggage, PAT security system and immobiliser, Remote key with lock, unlock, boot open buttons, huge glove box on the left, small glove box under the steering, space for 2 Kinley/Bislery bottles on the front doors, 4 cup holders, rear seat centre arm rest and many many more! The list will go on just like that. The only things missing from the high end model is the leather seats, leather steering, airbags and few cosmetic chrome touches here and there.

Upgrades Done: Michelin Energy XM1+ 185/65/R14 tires on Plati 5 spoke Alloys, Headlights upgraded to 80/100 Philips ralley, Music system added with a Blaupunkt 4 channel amplifier, Rockford Fosgate 12 inch subwoofer and a pair of Hertz component speakers on the front doors, removing the rear speakers and keeping that area empty, also retaining the 2 DIN ford music unit that comes with the car. Installed Garware Icecool front windscreen sunfilm. Got a full underbody coating done by the dealer as a compliment.

Updates as on 10th Feb 2010: Now the car has finished its 1st and 2nd free services(3 months and 6 months). First service bill was a big zero, second service bill was close Rs.900(cost of oil changes, oil filter etc.). Total ODO now is 3350 kms. It has done a long drive to Cochin and back(1200kms) without even a rattle from any part(touchwood). Best thing I love about this car now is the short turning radius. You can turn it around even in a tight corner or U turn area without a reverse attempt. I find very confident to take it even in a very narrow road or crowded street without even a hesitation. The direct steering feel and the predictable and accurate control is something thats far superior to many cars in the lower and higher segments in the Indian market right now!

Updates as on 16th December 2010:ODO is 7750 and its right time to add some lines here. As of today my fiesta has done 6 highway drives(within 400 to 1200 kms each time). It has served me well so far without any rattles nor unsafe feelings. Mileage in the city remains at 12 kmpl and highway varies within 13 to 14 kmpl with the AC always ON regardless of the climate. I am a happy Ford customer and hope it remains the same for long long time.

Summary: I would say, Fiesta is a car that even a new driver without much driving experience would find so comfortable and enjoyable.