It’s been six years since Ford launched the Fiesta in the Indian market. Initially launched as a premium sedan , the Fiesta found many takers due to its quality interiors , an efficient diesel motor and a very peppy petrol engine. However , the competition was quick enough to catch-up and the plunging sales meant Ford finally went ahead and chopped the sticker price by a huge margin and re-named it the Fiesta Classic. In fact , the Fiesta Classic’s price tag is slightly cheaper than what the original Fiesta carried when it was launched way back in 2005! With the Classic , Ford has also made way for the all-new Fiesta.

This all-new Fiesta , the 6th generation version , was launched globally in 2008. This new Fiesta is also Ford’s first “One Ford” global car. The “One Ford” strategy basically means that the same model can be sold in various markets with minor / slight changes. The all new Ford Fiesta is due for launch in the Indian market by July 2011.

Looks and design: The new Fiesta is longer and wider than the current Classic version and has a longer wheelbase as well. No doubt , it has a good road presence. This new Fiesta is also the first car from Ford to adhere completely to the Kinetic Design philosophy. This basically means that the design of the car is similar to a sculpture flowing from one end to another. Clearly , this is visible in the way the front end looks. Its striking and the huge pulled back multi-element headlamps stand out. The grille is tight and thin with the huge air-dam below it. The bonnet is muscular with prominent creases running across its length. Use of chrome at places like the fog lamps , alongside the side windows etc adds to the looks here. In fact , on the drive , while being followed by other Fiestas in the rear view mirror , the front end looked massive and very sporty , much like the Focus RS! Wheel arches are prominent and the Fiesta runs on 15-inch alloy wheels. The rear three quarters of the Fiesta is smart with the only let down being the huge body area between the rear wheel and the tail-lamps. This is because by the time the design lines of the Kinetic philosophy reach the rear of the car , a lot of dead space ends up being created in the bottom half of the rear three quarters. The tail-lamps are small and cute and the boot gets a little integrated spoiler tip. You also notice the bumper integrated parking sensors and the rear view mirror integrated indicators – these enjoy an auto-fold function. Overall , the new Fiesta has a futuristic design which should go well for the consumers even 4-5 years down the line though the rear execution could have better here. The Fiesta enjoys a low coefficient drag of just 0.33!

Interiors / Cabin: The Kinetic Design philosophy from the exterior is carried on to the insides as well. Within the first glance , you appreciate the whole look of the fascia and the console. There is a certain degree of aggression in the design lines here as well. For starters , the twin pod speedometer console looks terrific and also houses the driver information display for functions like distance to empty , fuel economy , average speed etc. The steering wheel has controls for various functions and also rest area for the thumbs. We loved the soft touch feel of the buttons and the same goes for the climate control and audio system too. The voice activation is done via the left stalk behind the steering and easy to get used to. In fact , this will be a selling point for the Fiesta. From audio system to the climate control , you can control a variety functions with it. The Fiesta also gets Bluetooth connectivity for the audio system. The design of the audio system draws inspiration from high end gadgets like a mobile phone. Below the system sits the climate control system – it did seem to work pretty well in South India’s humid summers. In fact , it has the biggest compressor on a Fiesta yet!
There are umpteen cubby holes and places to keep your bottle / glasses. These include 2 net pockets , 3 small cup / bottle holders , storage space under the co-driver’s seat , big door pockets , a deep glovebox etc. The overall quality of interiors is decent if not terrific. The same goes for the interior space as well. This new Fiesta will feel comfortable for four full sized adults , if not five! The front seats are very supportive and the seats hug you well. The omission of a driver arm-rest is a little shocking here. The rear seat gets an arm-rest with cup-holders. A plus point due to a sloping roof is the big rear parcel shelf you get here.

Ford has worked very hard on reducing the NVH levels and infact this car has the quietest cabin in its segment! This has been due to sound absorbent materials , acoustic lamination of the glasses etc.

Engine and transmission: One of the biggest changes in the new Fiesta is its engines. The petrol motor is an all new advanced 1.5-litre Duratec motor that features twin independent variable camshaft timing technology or Ti-VCT. It displaces less capacity as compared to the current Fiesta but develops 9 extra horses , taking the maximum power to 110Bhp. It is also over 20% more fuel efficient and carries an ARAI certified fuel economy of 17kmpl! The weight of the engine has been kept low by the use of aluminum castings for the block , cylinder head and oil pan of the engine. The petrol motor feels very refined and has enough punch for spirited driving. It also sounds sporty and at higher revs , the intruding engine sound doesn’t really bother you. Another positive aspect is the broad torque curve which gives it a strong low and mid-range punch , something that is very essential for City commuting , though it cannot match up to the beautiful tuned 1.6-litre engine that does duty on the current Fiesta Classic.

For diesel lovers , Ford has plonked in an all-new 1.5-litre motor in the Fiesta. This Duratorq inter-cooled and turbocharged diesel engine produces a massive 23 extra horses over the current Classic’s engine. Moreover , it is 17.5% more efficient with an ARAI certified fuel economy of 23.5! The diesel motor is a joy to drive both in city and out on the open highways. In fact , this combined with terrific NHV levels makes driving the Fiesta diesel a pleasure! Like the current Classic , this engine also scores heavily in low-end response. There is no sudden jerk of power and instead what you get is locomotive type of torque push across the rev range. The diesel motor also gets extensive use of aluminum to keep its weight down.

Both the engines make their world debut in the new Fiesta that will be sold in India soon and are mated to a 5-speed manual transmission that has smooth and precise throws. The clutch though on the diesel model felt pretty heavy.

Suspension – Ride and handling: Ford engineers have been talking a lot about the new EPAS or Electric Power Assist Steering. This basically replaces the conventional systems with hydraulic pumps that sap the engine of power. This new Fiesta is also the first ever Ford car to come with EPS (electronic power steering). The steering feel is impressive and the electric motor adds its assist only when required. Its light nature adds to the ease of driving at slow speeds.
The older Ikon and the current Fiesta Classic , both have been great examples of how a family sedan can also be fun to drive. The new Fiesta carries on this legacy brilliantly and additionally doesn’t compromise on the comfort front much. The ride quality is a little on the firmer side with only the driver on board but with four adults on board , it becomes perfect. We drove a lot on narrow village roads with broken patches and the Fiesta seemed to absorb undulations without a protest or suspension sound. The taut feel you get while driving the car inspires confidence at high speeds as well and changing lanes at triple digit speeds doesn’t upset the balance of the car.

Verdict: Ford is planning to launch the car in July 2011 and higher placed officials are very tight lipped about the pricing details. However , they have worked hard on this vehicle and are pretty serious about positioning it in a premium domain. For example , all variants get standard ABS and dual airbags and the car comes with a 2 year / 100000 km warranty! This will also be the first of the eight new vehicles that Ford aims to launch in India over the next four years. The C segment has suddenly seen a lot of competition in the last one year. The Volkswagen Vento , Maruti Suzuki SX4 diesel and Hyundai Verna have shaken up the other existing rivals completely and the way to eat a major pie of the market share will be to price the Fiesta aggressively. The car surely deserves to be sold in good numbers and after the Figo , if priced right , is all set to become Ford’s new money minter in India.
UPDATED ON 14TH JULY - The Fiesta goes on sale today (14th July) at prices starting around Rs 8-8.5 lakh. The Fiesta will be sold in four trim levels with the base variant having driver and passenger air-bag , ABS with EBD , CD and MP3 player , steering controls for audio system , remote key , EPS etc - this makes the Fiesta very good value for money. Do we see Ford dealers going very busy now? Without a doubt!!

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