Ford Ikon 1.6Zxi - 40000km report!

[gaurav_diavolo]

Hi Guys,
This is my first review so pardon me if something doesnt seem ok. I bought the Ikon 1.6 on a friend's advice, simply because he has the exactly same model. The best part of the deal was that I was offered huge discounts by the Ford showroom in Jaipur which made the deal appealing. I did not go in for the Accent Viva because I found the rear legroom very disappointing, but I did not know that this would eventually make me a Ford Fan. I have driven a lot of Ford vehicles abroad, like the Mondeo ST220 (my all time favourite) and others. And this was the first occasion when I got my hands on an Indiamade Ford vehicle. Coming back to the cause of this report, Ikon 1.6 is the only 'Josh' machine in the Ikon range, the 1.8 being sluggish and 1.3 for the economy petrol-buyers. I have given my car toughest of challenges like a non-stop 2000km journey and 175 km/h whacks an challenging highways....have even drown it upto 2 feet in water... Crashed in an Innova at 60km/h once. And here is what I have to say about my Josh machine on its 2nd birthday....
Pros:
1) The small gear ratio makes it real fun-machine. Nothing less than a sports car on Indian roads
2) tires with reduce air pressure (26-28 PSI in company fitted tubeless) give awesome stability even at 140 km/h
3) the grunt over 130 km/h is to die for!
4) the company fitted music system is robust.....when I apporoached a dealer cum friend to get a DVD system fit in...he rightly adviced me to not to change it so early....and yes, it has proved its worth over the 24 month journey.
5) the sporty stance of the Zxi model gives the car a very appealing look
6) the parts are cheap now because of their local manufacturing....the new battery costs as low as 2200 bucks....!
7) the car is very solidly built....although I wish I had an airbag when I crashed in the Innova...I could have escaped a few bruises....an advice however....never get original fitted part replaced, get it repaired if possible because the spares of Ikon are weaker than the same company fitted part...thats a personal experience!
8) A.c is very effective

Cons:
1) the lights are dim (I have got a new philips cutout and headlamps set fitted for my highway trips which take place very frequently now)
2) brakes: the weakest thing on the josh machine.....one solution is getting disc pads replaced whenever necessary as they wearout faster than other cars of this segment)
3) window switches are very poorly placed
4) the fusebox is troublesome for many ikon owners
5) cabin noise is higher because of the tubeless 14 inchers
6) hampered rear view
7) rear view mirrors are of cheap quality

However, the Cons are very weak in front of the Pros.....the car is my baby and I love it more than any vehicle I own or have owned....its a true josh machine....has never ditched me when I needed it to perform! The car has more roar and offering to the 1.6 Fiesta (thats a personal experience as well)........I would never sell it off, would keep on making it meaner with small and big modifications.

Btw, can anyone please help me in getting a 'Himalayan Motorsport' sticker for my car..I have tried my level best for the past 2 months but could'nt get it to date!

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by gaurav_diavolo

Hi Guys,
This is my first review so pardon me if something doesnt seem ok.

Well, not a bad start.
Would be great if you could share your experiences about maintenance cost/quality of service centers.

[benbsb29]

@ gaurav : Nice write up buddy..!! Some better pics would do good justice.

The 1.6s' came with tubeless radials? Pity they have stripped those on the 1.3s'.

[akroy]

Gaurav, Welcome to the forum...What was your 2000km nonstop journey? I mean From where to where and how much time?

Abhi

[suman]

Gaurav, nice review & welcome to the forum! Wow, a Ford lover, that's a real scarce commodity here, so cheers from another Ford owner! I can understand your feelings about the Ikon 1.6, having owned one for almost 6 years - sold her this January. I have a Fiesta 1.6 which keeps the flag flying but I do miss my Ikon sometimes........

Have a pleasant stay on the forum