[geeash]

Originally Posted by Self Driven

I heard that the dispatches are in full swing and waiting period should be at minimum. the shorter shipping period to the south doesn't apply for the aspire, since its totally out of Sanand.



Did you check with Chennai Ford. since MPL is not anymore the favored dealer(atleast for many of the friends who bought ford)



Thanks

No. MPL ford is very near my home. I enquired with them only. I asked SA a couple of times to be sure. He said indeed 3months. Can someone confirm from other dealer?. He even tried to cajole me into booking without a TD of automatic saying if I don't like it, he will refund. I promptly refused. I called up chennai ford. Even they don't have a AT for test ride .

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by d3mon

Coolboy, have you had a chance to drive the aspire yet?

Thanks!

I have not yet got the opportunity to drive Ford's Aspire. I really wanted to go but work is keeping me busy, interested in driving the 1.5 TDCi to see the performance gain, build quality, ride and handling etc.

Will be going next week to check it out and will update the thread on my findings about Aspire/Vento/Fiesta - all carrying 1.5 diesels

[dipen]

Why is everyone comparing the Aspire with the Vento and Fieata. Why not restrict the comparison to Dzire, Amaze, Zest.

We cannot compare cars more than 2 -3 lakh over the Aspire prices.

Agreed Aspire may not have the trademark Ford build, but what we need to answer is, whether it better than its competition which is Zest, Dzire, Amaze.

Isnt it super that the Aspire is priced lower than the Dzire with 2 free airbags complementary for base and mid models. All this with a stunner of a diesel engine which is better than competition in every way refinement, power, similar real world FE numbers.

[d3mon]

Originally Posted by dipen

Why is everyone comparing the Aspire with the Vento and Fieata. Why not restrict the comparison to Dzire, Amaze, Zest.

We cannot compare cars more than 2 -3 lakh over the Aspire prices.

Agreed Aspire may not have the trademark Ford build, but what we need to answer is, whether it better than its competition which is Zest, Dzire, Amaze.

Isnt it super that the Aspire is priced lower than the Dzire with 2 free airbags complementary for base and mid models. All this with a stunner of a diesel engine which is better than competition in every way refinement, power, similar real world FE numbers.

We know for a fact that it's better than the immediate competition.

It's so good in fact, that we want to compare it to the next segment.
And I don't understand why we can't compare cars across segments, just because of their physical size or price points.

And the fact of the matter is that the top end versions of the aspire (which I'm interested in) do tread upon the toes of the lower end versions of cars like the Vento and the Rapid. So it stands to reason that we should be comparing them. For anyone who has the budget to spend the extra money, it's a perfectly valid comparison.

[devansn]

Hi All,

My friend is in the market for a good driver's car under ten lakhs. He plans to keep the car for at least 8 years. Test drove both Punto Evo 75 HP as well as Aspire. Here are the impressions:

- Both cars (Evo Emotion 75 HP and Aspire Titanium) are more or less equivalent in features with some changes here and there.
- Felt the Aspire acceleration to be significantly better for reasons we know.
- Evo build felt sturdier.
- Aspire steering is great in feedback and feel, but may not as good as the Punto's hydraulic unit. Aspire's definitely is lighter, but weighs well as the build up.
- The ride was much better in the Evo, we felt.
- The interior quality in Aspire was good and finish was better than Evo. However, some goodies like leather wrapped steering, fabric padded door pads were missing.
- The clutch felt heavier in the Aspire but the travel was much lesser than the Evo. Looks like Aspire does not have a hydraulic clutch.
- The looks definitely was better on the Aspire.
- Aspire gives 2+1 year warranty at the moment, but it is believed that we can extend it for another 2 years later.
- The price difference in Hyderabad between these two is 1.3 lakhs, Evo being cheaper.

So keeping in mind that he wants a good driver's car that can be used for at least 8-10 years without much trouble, under 10 lakhs, which one would you suggest?

[dark.knight]

Major television channels's reviews of automobiles are very misleading these days, that's the one thing I'm seeing consistently after taking test drives. As an example Aspire reviews were all pointing to a heavier steering feel, & since that one aspect is important to me I thought of it as a big positive but the minute I cranked the engine of the Aspire I imagined the steering having a heft resistance to it, I turned it and what a downer.. it was feather light & kind of numb as well. Don't get me wrong, it is direct & precise but I love heavy steering systems. The t.v reviewers must've hands made out of butter to call this one heavy.

The Aspire's main plus point is the engines, though the low-end torque wasn't good in the petrol - one has to push the pedal a bit more to get ideal response. The interiors are nice but it does have a few shortcuts like no roof-handles (not that they matter), bendy plastics in door panels and headliners, inadequate tactility for control stalks. Just putting it out there, I know its a made-for-budget car and that it excels in many parameters like features, suspension & ride quality. The overall looks sure are best in segment but in terms of fit/finish & space its not the best in segment.

Edit: @devansn - just saw your post, the Punto will demolish the Aspire in 2 areas i.e steering feel & build quality, absolutely no contest there. The Aspire for sure will have a more relaxed rear-seat & of course more boot space. I'd say the Fiat is always the safer car to be in. Good driver's car no doubt Punto wins by a big margin (90hp only, 75hp isn't quite adequate for the weight), 8-10 years without much trouble I'd say both are about even but Ford might be more pro-active for service & warranty in the long run due to this being an all new car. Based on all the requirements your friend can decide. Resale price which many Indian buyers consider as important & reliability might be the edge for Aspire.

[d3mon]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Major television channels's reviews of automobiles are very misleading these days, that's the one thing I'm seeing consistently after taking test drives. As an example Aspire reviews were all pointing to a heavier steering feel, & since that one aspect is important to me I thought of it as a big positive but the minute I cranked the engine of the Aspire I imagined the steering having a heft resistance to it, I turned it and what a downer.. it was feather light & kind of numb as well. Don't get me wrong, it is direct & precise but I love heavy steering systems. The t.v reviewers must've hands made out of butter to call this one heavy.

I agree, it's super light at zero speed, but please drive the car to see how well it weighs up. The difference in steering feel at zero kmph and at high speeds in the aspire is huge. I've driven a lot of cars and this difference was never as pronounced as it was in the aspire.

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Major television channels's reviews of automobiles are very misleading these days, that's the one thing I'm seeing consistently after taking test drives. As an example Aspire reviews were all pointing to a heavier steering feel, & since that one aspect is important to me I thought of it as a big positive but the minute I cranked the engine of the Aspire I imagined the steering having a heft resistance to it, I turned it and what a downer.. it was feather light & kind of numb as well. Don't get me wrong, it is direct & precise but I love heavy steering systems. The t.v reviewers must've hands made out of butter to call this one heavy.

Did you try taking the car for a drive and check how the steering felt at 80+kmpH?

The light steering at parking speeds was a shocker for me as well when I drove the Global Fiesta or the Ecosport for the first time BUT they weigh up well at speeds. Both these cars have one of the best tuned Electronic Steering for <15L. I haven't driven the Aspire yet.

It's the light at all speeds and un-precise steering of Hyundai that gives me jitters.

[hothatchaway]

How does the steering of the aspire compare with that of its spiritual (albeit hatchbacked) predecessor Figo, still in circulation? Am guessing the old Figo's steering would be more to the purist's taste, while in the Aspire avataar, its tweaked to cater to the masses and would find its way into the new Figo also, as and when it makes its debut.

Disappointing to see makes diluting what used to be hallmarks of products which above all else, is about driving first and everything else later. The old Figo is a delight to drive and more than makes up for its modest power output with its driving dynamics.

Also, how does the 1.2 l manual petrol in the Aspire stack up against the old Figo petrol? Does it have decent amount of pep?

[The Rationalist]

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

How does the steering of the aspire compare with that of its spiritual (albeit hatchbacked) predecessor Figo, still in circulation? The old Figo is a delight to drive and more than makes up for its modest power output with its driving dynamics.

hothatchaway, the Aspire is not having that same feedback as Figo, but it is in no ways a bad one. It still is up there when compared to other cars of the same class. But together with this better tuned 1.5, the current Figo is no comparison to Aspire. Only downside is the build quality. Hope our review will be up this week. The new Figo will also get the same 1.5 engine, so that's going to be some fun!

[devansn]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Edit: @devansn - just saw your post, the Punto will demolish the Aspire in 2 areas i.e steering feel & build quality, absolutely no contest there. The Aspire for sure will have a more relaxed rear-seat & of course more boot space. I'd say the Fiat is always the safer car to be in. Good driver's car no doubt Punto wins by a big margin (90hp only, 75hp isn't quite adequate for the weight), 8-10 years without much trouble I'd say both are about even but Ford might be more pro-active for service & warranty in the long run due to this being an all new car. Based on all the requirements your friend can decide. Resale price which many Indian buyers consider as important & reliability might be the edge for Aspire.

Thanks DarkKnight!

Even I felt that the Aspire acceleration (especially in the first and second gears) is far better than the 75HP Punto - however, from third gear onwards, I think 75HP Evo does the job well. I did not get a chance to drive the Aspire on high speeds, but the steering weighs up nicely. However, although I can't explain this properly, the feel of the steering was far better in the Punto.

The ride in Aspire is not that impressive compared to Punto and there was a lot of noise - don't know if its the tyres or the suspension itself. And you don't get that "in the car" feeling as you get in the Punto.

[itsashishsharma]

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

How does the steering of the aspire compare with that of its spiritual (albeit hatchbacked) predecessor Figo.

Also, how does the 1.2 l manual petrol in the Aspire stack up against the old Figo petrol? Does it have decent amount of pep?

Just TDed it yesterday. I have owned cars with some excellent steerings in past, namely, M800 direct 4 yrs, M Esteem HPS 2 yrs, M Baleno 8 yrs, Palio 4 yrs, Swift 1.2 k w/o vvt 2 yrs, new Fiesta EPS 2 months.
Apart from these, have driven extensively Tata Zest, Figo 1.2P, Polo 1.2P, new DZire 1.2k.
I am quiet confident about my know hows of steeeing behavior now
Coming to the point, in CS, I would say steering wise:
Aspire > DZire > Zest > Amaze > Xcent. Figo and the Classic were in a different class. Even Fiat's HPS couldn't match the how precise Ford ones felt.
New Fiesta however is as good as an EPS can be. In fact I like it more than the Palio's HPS.
Engine low end response:
DZire > Aspire > Xcent > Zest > Amaze
High end power:
Amaze > Zest (torque) > Dzire > Xcent > Aspire.
Aspire 1.2 clearly lacks the punch when you want good acceleration but for inside the city, it is the best. It might not match Dzire in low end punch because of that 1.2k series with a good torque spread, but the Aspire shines when you need acceleration from crawling speeds. At single digit speeds you don't need to downshift to 1st and just give some accelerator input to move along as needed. This is quite practical in our increasingly high traffic and bumper to bumper traffic is where you will love the Aspire. No other car that I have ever driven was this easy to drive in b2b traffic. Yes, it loses out on outright power in its class but its the best in traffic and yes, it doesn't give you that old Figo's steering feedback but this is no Hyundai either. This steering is more close to Ecosport in steering feedback than Polo's 0 feedback one. Its an EPS that is best in the CS segment for sure.
The suspension, again is not as sporty as the Fiesta but not as soft as the Polo's.
Suspension:
Aspire(better handling) > Zest (best ride) > Dzire > Amaze > Xcent.
All in all, its a huge leap from old Figo to the Aspire. Old Figo was always a good car, only that it lagged behind in interiors and engine while the competetion moved ahead. Ford has fixed these two issues, and tuned up other stuff as well. I liked it, for me, it is best CS especially if you want a diesel or an automatic. Even the 1.2L petrol is good enough, responds much better than old Figo's.

[Self Driven]

Originally Posted by devansn

- The clutch felt heavier in the Aspire but the travel was much lesser than the Evo. Looks like Aspire does not have a hydraulic clutch.

So keeping in mind that he wants a good driver's car that can be used for at least 8-10 years without much trouble, under 10 lakhs, which one would you suggest?

I test drove the Linea when i was scouting for a sedan and the longer clutch travel did put me off. at the same time Ford's diesel clutch is heavier than many of its competitors

When I drove a Punto(not evo) and took it in to curves there was a compelling body roll, which does not make it a winner drivers car segment

Though I am a Ford Fan and not driven a Aspire yet, Except Eco Sport Ford always delivers drivers car and could not feel it in Fiat(Punto)

If the steering dynamics of Fiesta is copied in Aspire, you will be smiling in curves and would not regret the investment

[shivasuma]

Originally Posted by Self Driven

I test drove the Linea when i was scouting for a sedan and the longer clutch travel did put me off. at the same time Ford's diesel clutch is heavier than many of its competitors

When I drove a Punto(not evo) and took it in to curves there was a compelling body roll, which does not make it a winner drivers car segment

Though I am a Ford Fan and not driven a Aspire yet, Except Eco Sport Ford always delivers drivers car and could not feel it in Fiat(Punto)

If the steering dynamics of Fiesta is copied in Aspire, you will be smiling in curves and would not regret the investment

From the initial reports, looks like the Aspire is more tuned towards the mass market than the enthusiast. But that said, its probably still the best in the CS segment. I still remember that the fiesta (new not classic), with a comparatively wheezy petrol engine beat the T-jet in the track test. That says a lot about the Fiesta. Wish Ford could have done the same with the Aspire. That would have been a double delight, good handling/ride with an awesome diesel engine, which was missing from the Fords (the engine being a little down on power)

[anjan_c2007]

Test drove the Ford Figo Aspire, a new entrant in the scene at Sequel Ford, Nagpur. A friend is deciding to buy one. The diesel Titanium (Titanium Plus is the top version) is quite a driver friendly machine. Steering is precise, engine is quite powerful (100 bhp and torque 215 nm) and the car had five passengers but the AC was quite OK on a sunny day. There are no AC vents at the rear. The maximum I sped was @ 65 kmph but overall the drive was enjoyable. The interiors are quite OK and tall passengers too find it spacious unlike the DZire rear seat where the tall are a bit at unease.The engine NVH is quite within the limits and better than older Ford diesels. The suspension is good & makes the car glide over rough roads.The kerb weight of the car is nowhere mentioned in the company brochure. The sales person said it weighs 1200 KG, which I doubt. Overall, it is a tough Ford and feels solid unlike the Jap and Korean cars.

The Ford showroom is quite different from the Maruti, Hyundai, Mahindra and lately Honda showrooms,where there is lots of activity.There was only one customer here take delivery of an EcoSport. I am talking of tier II cities like Nagpur. It so happened that coffee was ordered and we then went for a test drive. The coffee got cold as it was served after we had left for the TD. After our return the coffee was re-ordered and soon it came. It was cold and was presumably the same that was served about 15 minutes back.