700 km Report of my new Horses, Ikon TDCI. EDIT: 2500km update!

[S_budhiraj]

Dear,

Brothers / Auto Lovers or My Fellow Bhpians

Sharing my experience about my new horses, Ikon TDCI. Have just clocked 700 kms as of date and here is my take:

Moving on now to the Machine

Color of the Machine:

Morello, (Wine colour)

Model:-

Ikon TDCI

Manufactured Date:-

Somewhat in late November forgot the date

Total Cost as of Date:-

Ex-showroom: - 519000
Loading and Unloading: - 2750
No. Plate: - 850
Registration: - 25430
Insurance: - 15500
Ex Warranty: - 7870
Acc. from Dealer: - 8500
ICE: - Approx. 30000 (Details follow)
Alloys and Rubbers: - 18000 (Details follow)

Grand Total: - 627900

Delivery of the car:

I bought the car from Harpreet Ford, Delhi got the delivery at 8:00 PM from the Guard and Sales guy waiting for me at the Gate of the showroom, so cant share much about my delivery exp. but summing it up it was fair enough, the reason for choosing to take the car that late was, the Roka Ceremony of my sister (The ceremony for Saying the Boy is ours and the Girl is yours).

Freebies from Dealer:

As mentioned earlier in the post, Mats and a Travel port Voucher where in I have to pay 700 for a 2 nights 3 day stay at any of the selected location around 70 cities in India.

Accessories from Ford Dealer:

Boot release, Rs 5700
(If you are married and travels frequently to Malls and Hotels, then it’s a must or lives in a place like Delhi, home of Extreme weathers)
Rear Chrome Deck Lid, Rs 2200
(Wasn’t necessary but that looked cool with my cars Color)
Door Protectors, Rs 1000
(Was extremely necessary, being in Delhi or rather anywhere in India)

Paint Job:-

Good more than fair for the price offered but must say the car looks stunning in Morello

Exterior:-

I have mixed feeling for this new Kinetic design from Ford, Some times the looks grow on you and some time you feel they are just fine but frankly saying my heart is still with the old 1.6 Nxt design. Overall the car looks more than fine for the price.

Interior:-

The dash looks ages old and the switches in the door sits quite low which make it some time quite awkward to use them. The plastic quality is not also great but what to expect at this price. Beige Upholstery is good but this lends to have an easy love with dust and stains. The clocks are also fine, clearly visible and do their job fine. The most annoying thing is the steering which is not adjustable and sits quite low on the stance. For a person like me who is 6 feet tall, sometimes it ends up touching my knee. Overall if I have to sum up its satisfactory.

Engine:-

Refinement
Refined but not as refined as bigger sibling Fiesta, If have to compare it with my Optra magnum it is no was near to the refinement but still it is not loud enough. The sounds eases up after sometime but one thing which wonders me is the fact that, from outside the machine sounds quite refined but when you sit inside its quite noisy, shows cost cutting for the price.

Performance
It doesn’t have the sudden urge of torque diesels like Swift and Verna which makes sudden power after 2000 rpm rather the power is quite linear which is available through out all rpm which makes the car hoot to drive in city. Because of the linear power delivery it doesn’t make u realize the speeds which u is actually doing. Haven’t crossed anything more than 2500-2800 rpms, so cant say about higher rpms but looks like won’t be having any efforts to do so.

Gearbox
Haven’t felt something like this in the segment, my City is no where, my Optra is not even comparable, yes some way near or closer to my Innova. The gearbox is so slick to use, that you enjoy shifting. Just give a slight command from your left hand the thing is done.

Clutch
A bit on the harder side, not impressed at all, I wish this might soften up after clocking few more miles.

Handling:-

This car surely is the younger sibling of the Fiesta, haven’t experienced something like this rather than Fiesta, I don’t feel like driving my City after experiencing something like this. Quite stable at speeds like 80, haven’t touched more than this.

Steering:-

Quite inspiring or perfectly balanced or weighted for Highway or fun drives but touch heavier for the city use. Overall do’s the great job.

Ride Quality:-

Quite impressive, soaks up the potholes and bumps quite easily.

Build Quality:-

Again, quite impressive, gives you build to last feel.

Efficiency:-

I think this would be the new mileage champion. I fuelled for 1100 bugs (around 31.5 Lts) the machine clocked around 470 kms in Delhi city driving, comes out to be 14.9 which is quite impressive for first fuel up and city driving.

ICE:-
Head: Pioneer 6050 UB
Front speakers: Pioneer 4.5”
Rear speaker: JBL GTO 6 X 9
Amp: Sony forgot no.
Sub woofer: 12” Pioneer forgot no.
Ice is sounding very amazing, but one thing which annoys is absence of Antenna. Even after putting an inner antenna, the quality is very bad. Might put and external one know.

Horn:-

Changed to Hella super tone

Other accz:-

Bumper protectors

Rubbers and Alloys:-

Alloys: Prestige 14”
Tires: Bridgestone 185/65/R14
Traded my Goodyear 13” with Bridgestone’s

Overall Verdict:-

Great VFM Product, which can handle good, drive good and is very frugal and above all at the price of a hatch

My Wishes for the Car:-

Wish it had ABS
Wish it had better dashboard
Wish it had tilt Steering

My Future plans:-

Getting Peted
Putting K&N filters

Hope I had inched in everything possible!

[aaggoswami]

Excellent review!

Regarding the clutch, the clutch of diesel cars is harder than petrol cars.
The FE you report is quite good, and IMO it will go up once the car completes some more kilometers.
I would like to ask, Does fitting in external horns, etc. void the warranty ? Or you got the horn changed from the dealer itself ?


Can we have pictures ?

[snaronikar]

Nice report. I feel it might be the 2nd car (Ford ikon tdci) in t-bhp. FE figures looks impressive. Once the 1st service is done, then it would be still more. Post some pics to complete your perfect report of the car.

[S_budhiraj]

Yes Aggoswami, tried posting pics but my system is showing some error will do it in the evening.

Well I do understand, Diesel have heavier clutch. I myself have 3 more diesels and I was comparing with that. My magnum has the softest of clutch doesn't feel like, you are driving diesel following with my Innova and the last and heaviest of the lot Indica.

The stock horn was sounding horrible, sounds evel less than that of a Bajaj chetak (forget about bikes). I had to change that for Highway and Delhi driving, got the horn changed from outside, I think the warranty wont be voided as I have just replaced the new one instead of older one.

Trying pasting some pics, hope this works!

Note from the Team-BHP Support Staff : Please use the "edit" button if posting within 15 minutes of the first post, instead of creating another back-to-back post

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by S_budhiraj

The stock horn was sounding horrible, sounds evel less than that of a Bajaj chetak (forget about bikes). I had to change that for Highway and Delhi driving, got the horn changed from outside, I think the warranty wont be voided as I have just replaced the new one instead of older one.

You are right. Warranty will not get void if we change the horns. Warranty will get void if we do any of the major changes in the wiring.

Edit: You car might look cool especially with the alloys. Post some more pics with the side view. Also if possible, take the pics in a good location. The car will really look stunning. Does the 18k for alloys include tyres and alloys. If yes, then what is the trade off price/tyre.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by S_budhiraj

My magnum has the softest of clutch doesn't feel like, you are driving diesel following with my Innova and the last and heaviest of the lot Indica.

Never knew this. But I am always having impression that diesel = heavy clutch. I dont even like the clutch of Baleno. Anything heavier than 800 = bad clutch for me. I wonder how people manage diesels. The surprise is magnum's clutch.

Originally Posted by S_budhiraj

I had to change that for Highway and Delhi driving, got the horn changed from outside, I think the warranty wont be voided as I have just replaced the new one instead of older one.

Originally Posted by snaronikar

You are right. Warranty will not get void if we change the horns. Warranty will get void if we do any of the major changes in the wiring.

@S_budhiraj, Snaronikar:
Thanks for updating me. I always was under the impression that warranty gets void.


@ S_budhiraj:
The color of you car is excellent. Looks like an angry agressive python is going to strike.
Forgot to say: Congratulations!


EDIT : I think that this thread must be here Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports - Team-BHP

[madhokritesh]

Nice Writeup, Ikon now has got a new life thanks to the Fiestas engine, Congrats.

[S_budhiraj]

Sorry for the quality of the pics have clicked all of them from my mobile and in the night, will click the new ones in this weekend.

[benbsb29]

Budhiraj, those alloys look fabulous! Now, if only you had posted better pics.

[headers]

Originally Posted by S_budhiraj

Ex-showroom: - 519000
Loading and Unloading: - 2750
No. Plate: - 850

A good dealer should not charge you for the above. Nevertheless, a good VFM buy! Congrats!

[kiku007]

Excellent review mate!

I have read that the Gear Shift Lever was vibrating a lot and the NVH levels were high at 80+ Kmph. How has your exp been on the same?

BTW Morello seems to be the fav colour choice for the new Ikon. Even the display cars across showrooms n Malls are of the same colour.

[S_budhiraj]

snaronikar@ Following is the deal I got:-

Alloys:- Prestige 14" @ 12800 for set of 4
Rubbers: - Bridgestone 185 /14, From my Uncle Store @ 13200 for set of 4
Trade in Stock tires:- Goodyear GPS 2 with rims and wheel caps @ 8000 for set of 4
(Optional) Locks or Special Screws of Alloys:- 550

Total :- 12800+13000 - 8000 = 18000 + 550


benbsb29@

Thanks, Will definitely post better pics, soon

headers@

Well I do know this but looking after the waiting list and the Morello colour, I didn't bargain much. They were intially having loads of problem with this colors production delay and I was in hurry of having the car. I was the first one in NCR to get this color so forgot about that as gift money.

[Joe M]

@Budhiraj - Is it because the photos are taken at night that the dashboard seems to be of dark color? Is black interiors available, or only the beige?
I suppose you'll get more mileage even in city traffic after doing some more kms

[lynx]

OT: Did you inquire into aftermarket dampers to improve the in-cabin noise insulation? I am interested in knowing it too. :-)

[GTO - Touring]

The Ikon TDCi is a heck of a buy at that price. Congrats S_Budhiraj.

Neat report and spot on with the observations. Tell me, how do you find the braking? Has Ford improvised on this or is it as lousy as it always was?

Originally Posted by S_budhiraj

Loading and Unloading: - 2750
No. Plate: - 850

850 bucks for the number plate....thats highway robbery! I don't remember ever paying loading / unloading charges on any of my cars either. Looks like Indian dealers are catching up with their American counterparts in finding ways to fleece the customer.

I think this would be the new mileage champion. I fuelled for 1100 bugs (around 31.5 Lts) the machine clocked around 470 kms in Delhi city driving, comes out to be 14.9 which is quite impressive for first fuel up and city driving.

Mileage champion indeed. Not surprising since the Fiesta 1.4 always impressed with its efficiency.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Never knew this. But I am always having impression that diesel = heavy clutch.

Not always, Aaggoswami.