One of the most popular models from the Ford stable in India is Ford Fiesta. It comes both with petrol and diesel variants. There are 8 models of the car spread between 1.4 L and 1.6L Duratec engines. Prices vary from 6.07 lakhs to 7.99 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi)
The 1.6L Ford Car' engine is a DOHC 16 valve, inline four-cylinder unit that develops 101PS of power and 146Nm of torque. It rides on lower profile tyres and that means sharper handling and cornering. On the other hand 1.4L pumps in a max power of 68PS @ 4000 rpm and max torque of 160Nm@ 2000 rpm. 1.4 L diesel engine’s fuel system is a high pressure common rail and the engine is 4 Cylinder In-Line, 8-V SOHC. 1.6 S version goes from 0-100 in 11.43 seconds only.
Inside too, the leather wrapped steering wheel and aluminum finish gear lever hint at being different as do the racing-type punched alloy pedals. Going with that is the honeycomb instrument cluster (just a pattern around the instrument gauges incorporating warning lights) and a console nicknamed a liquid metal finish.
The front suspension comprises of independent MacPherson struts with offset coilsprings, twin-tube gas damper units, L-Arms and a stabiliser bar while the rear suspension comprises semi-independent heavy duty twist beams, coil springs and separate twin-tube dampers.
1.6S version Fiesta promises luxury and comfort to its users. The driver seat comes with adjustable height, rear cup holder floor console, AC vents that surround the car. It comes with 2 DIN MP3 player with Aux-in Roof antenna and 6 speakers. The car also has dedicated audio input jack for iPods and similar MP3 players. The model comes with a two year or 100,000 km warranty along with Roadside assistance program that is available to Ford owners 24/7.
1.6 S version provides both the driver and the front passenger airbags for protection while the brakes have ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution).
168 mm of ground clearance in both its 1.4L and 1.6L cars make them perfectly suited to Indian road conditions. Mileage is around 8-10 kmpl in the city and 10-12 kmpl in the highway (both with AC), which is highly comparable with that of its competitors.
The fact that such a high-priced car comes with only 1 CD system might look odd to most of its users especially some of its close competitors provide multiple CD-changers. Some of the aesthetic features like a relatively smaller alloy for its large wheels and a relatively short headrest might be minor glitches in otherwise a much lauded sedan.