[navin_v8]

Kudos to Ford Motor Corporation for offering a proper compact sedan with specifications, safety and engine to match the price. Looks like Ford have learnt a thing or two from the success of their models Figo and Ecosport in India and failure of their new Ford Fiesta launched a year back. I am really glad that Ford is offering adequate safety features with automatic transmission and different engine configurations to suit the different driving needs. The compact sedan segment which was boring until now has been spiced up by Ford Aspire.

Also the mention of the legendary Ford Mustang being manufactured in India caught my eye. Way to go Ford!

[shivasuma]

Originally Posted by HVSC

Wow! Great pricing.

But why do I feel betrayed by Ford after having bought the Fiesta T!? I love my ride but when I see similar and/or better car at a lower price point it does make me feel bad.

Don't worry mate, even with a wee bit lesser power, the fiesta is in a different league all together when it comes to fun-to-drive. I am sure you can plonk a tuning box and get more power & torque and enjoy the ride.

[Self Driven]

Spoke to my friend in Ford who is high enough in the ladder to confirm that they have capacity to please any volume of booking. But could not confirm on AT deliveries. Hope they please the customers who is betting on them by avoiding the industry leaders.

[rsm97]

Originally Posted by shivasuma

Don't worry mate, even with a wee bit lesser power, the fiesta is in a different league all together when it comes to fun-to-drive. I am sure you can plonk a tuning box and get more power & torque and enjoy the ride.

The power & torque issue notwithstanding, Fiesta is well above Aspire in other aspects. First of all, being bigger it has better looks and presence. Then it certainly is much better built (checked Aspire and is not comparable to Fiesta & Ecosport in built). Feature wise, they are more or less at par. Six airbags in T+ of Aspire are a big draw, but Fiesta has certain additional useful features as cruise control, auto wiper/lights etc.

And though I have not driven Aspire anytime, initial reports indicate that it is not exactly a match to driving dynamics of Fiesta. If indeed so, I would not opt to trade my Fiesta with Aspire.

[Rajeevraj]

So got a chance to TD the 1.5 AT- Elite Ford Marathahalli.

I had visited the showroom few days back to look at the car. Those impressions have been documented in the below post

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post3764006

TD Experience.
Note: I drive a Vento TSI which is a Dual Clutch AT. So the Polo/Vento TSI is my reference point.

• Was able to get into a comfortable seating position quickly
• Steering felt a wee bit small. But felt weighted enough during the drive.
• All round view was pretty good. The Mirror adjustment buttons are on the A-Pillar. Looked convenient
• Gearbox Level similar to the Ecosport. P-R-N-D-S with a +/- button on the lever for the manual mode.
• Started the engine and it settled into a refined idle. Cabin insulation was pretty good.
• Take the foot off the brake and the car moves forward. In the Polo Vento/TSI there is a slight hesitation before the car starts moving, did not notice this in the Aspire.
• The dabbed the accelerator and the car picked up speed with a significant jerk. From standstill, if you give accelerator input, there is a jerk as it moves. The Polo/Vento TSI does not jerk as much.
• With my typically driving style. Accelerate gradually with a light foot, the car responds very well. The Up shifts, typical of Dual Clutch are not very noticeable and the overall experience is very smooth.
• The car builds speed pretty quickly and the NVH inside the cabin is still pretty good. But the Polo/Vento TSI is better insulated.
• Did not get enough road space to test the kick down well enough, but from what I did manage it was very good. The bigger engine combined with the lighter car seems to ensure there is no major lag.
• Major issue in D mode: There is no indication in the cluster as to which gear you are in. It just shows D. This was a confusion for me, so I really do not know which gear the car is in. Not sure if it is the same in the Ecosport. This I felt as a negative and felt it reduces my control over how I want the car to behave a little bit further.
• Overall D mode is pretty good for sedate to medium heavy foot driving. Couple of times when I stomped down in D mode, the gear box got confused and seemed to be hunting for the right gear as the engine revs went high. But this is just a matter of understanding the behavior and adjusting the ccel input.

S mode

• As is typical with S mode, the up shifts happen much later. Shifts happen round the 3500-4000 RPM range.
• Now in S mode, there is a gear display. It show the gear number. No display of S. So you know exactly which gear you are in.
• S mode was also pretty fun to drive. Again the bigger engine and the lighter build seems to have an effect. The engine noise and out right acceleration are not as good as the Polo/Vento, but I would still say it is quite good. For normal driving, the difference is not very significant.
• As I braked and accelerated in traffic, the box responded pretty well. Did not feel out of control at any time.

Manual Mode

• Now this is interesting. The manual +/- buttons can be used only in S mode.
• When you are in S you can directly use the buttons to shift manually. Like a paddle shift on the gear. In the Polo/Vento tiptronic mode, in D, you need to shift the lever left to get into manual mode. And then once done, you need to get back into D mode.
• In the Aspire, you slot into S. Now you are in S AT mode, you start using the buttons, you get into manual mode.
• If you want to get back to full AT mode, you need to shift to D. If you want to get to full AT S mode, you shift to D and then shift back again to S.
• The manual mode as is typical of AT's has an override where it will shift up automatically if you shift up and will shift down if you let the revs fall too low.

Some other points

• Not an expert on driving dynamics. But overall seemed pretty good to me. Could only take through some rough patches and felt the ride was quite ok.
• Overall you do not get a feeling of solidity when you sit inside, as compared to the Ecosport. But it is on par with the segment.
• The Indicator stalk quality did not seem great. looked a little out of place among the other quality bits
• The myDock in the Titanium is pretty good. Held the phone well and is protected from direct sunlight.
• The boot release switch was classy. On the right side of the steering. 2 buttons (One is for the bonnet I asume) with a chrome ring around it.
• The boot opens automatically all the way up. Bood lid was pretty flimsy
• The key is a foldable key and has a boot release button on the key itself
• Good amount of rear space. Better than the Polo. Not too less than the Vento.
• All TD vehicles and display vehicles were red.
• Availability is around 1 month. No fancy wait periods.
• Knowledgeable SA and allowed me to drive more than their regular TD route.

Summary

• Very impressed with the 1.5 + DCT. Definitely worth considering along with the Polo TSI. When I bought my Vento, I had first booked the Polo TSI but switched to Vento just for the rear seat space and the boot. If I was in a similar situation today, I mostly would have gone for the Aspire. It is not solidly built as my Vento and does not give the feeling of plushness I get when I sit in my Vento and performance wise it may be a little less accomplished. But it is 2-3L cheaper than a Vento TSI, so these things can be overlooked.
  
• Specifically in comparison with the Polo TSI, Polo IMO looks better ,is more solidly built and is a better performer. The performance factor has always been a concern with AT's under the 10L space. With the 1.5L 112bhp engine and the accomplished DCT gearbox along with the space advantage, the Aspire makes a strong case for itself as the AT of choice under 10L. It is 80K cheaper than the Polo and even cheaper than the Jazz.
  
• I have not driven the Jazz CVT. The Jazz is another new contender in this space and comes with it's own advantages. Hopefully will be able to drive the CVT soon and compare.

Note: I have been driving a DSG AT for almost 2 year now. So overall I felt naturally at home with the Aspire. For some one who has not driven an AT and specifically a DSG AT much, the experience may be very different. So I would recommend a couple of long test drives before confirming or removing the Aspire from the shortlist.

Originally Posted by JonSnow

So did any of you guys get a chance to test drive the AT 1.5 variants?

Originally Posted by witwiky

Went to Bhavna Ford today evening for test driving Aspire Petrol 1.5 AT and Diesel Titanium+ 1.5 MT

I was pleasantly surprised to find the AT Petrol waiting on the road. Especially, after so many TBHPians said there was no stock/ test drive cars.

Drove the car from Nerul to Sanpada and back, about 10 km, both on highway and road with potholes.
My feedback on both the versions is below:

- Compared to Polo GT TSI, this AT is far too unpredictable and non-reliable in terms of giving you that power and punch when you need the most.
- However, I think when driven for a while and after getting a little hang of it, it can be tamed

But, I was massively disappointed with the gearbox.

Quite interesting. My experience was almost the opposite as detailed above.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

So got a chance to TD the 1.5 AT- Elite Ford Marathahalli. I drive a Vento TSI which is a Dual Clutch AT. So the Polo/Vento TSI is my reference point.
Very impressed with the 1.5 + DCT.

Thank you very much for this review, it is very useful and detailed, particularly since you have experience of VAG's TSI+DSG combo.

Your review is very promising, and now I'm really hoping for the new Figo to also come with the 1.5+DCT combination!

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Definitely worth considering along with the Polo TSI.

From what I've read and heard, I would still not recommend the Aspire AT as an option alongside the Polo TSI. I'd say that people looking for an easy drive - with a bit of driving fun thrown in - to look at the Aspire AT. On the other hand, if driving fun is the priority, then its Polo TSI all the way.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Surprised that people are defending dummy buttons, dangling wires and unpainted parts of a recently launched premium hatchback - that too the top variant at close to 9L, while expecting the entry level 5L variant of a compact sedan to have more of basic features in addition to providing safety features.

Compact sedans never had it easy anyways!

Good job from Ford IMO. This segment has received the worst hit from enthusiasts for having destroyed aesthetics, proportions and performance. Proportions of the Aspire still don't fall in place, but it's converted quite a few people with aesthetics and performance. The 1.5 diesel and 1.5 AT options are nice indeed, even compared to the premium hatchback options. And even a loose (comparative) handling Ford should be tough competition for a "good" handling Hyundai (i20) or Honda (Jazz).

PS- Now Hyundai desperately needs to bring in the 1.4 diesel in the Xcent. The 1.1 feels so out of place in this segment.

[jetti]

Rajeevraj,

Is the DCT also a "learning" type of transmission - like the DSG? Could it be that the previous run of the car is influencing the next run?

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Quite interesting. My experience was almost the opposite as detailed above.

[turboturtle]

Guys who have done the test drives/checked the car in person - could you please confirm if the Titanium/Titanium + models come with the spare wheel as an alloy? Or is it steel / full size?

[aeroamit]

Originally Posted by turboturtle

Guys who have done the test drives/checked the car in person - could you please confirm if the Titanium/Titanium + models come with the spare wheel as an alloy? Or is it steel / full size?

Spare is full size steel wheel in both titanium & Titanium + variants. I checked the same at Ford dealership.

[heydj]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Summary

• Very impressed with the 1.5 + DCT. Definitely worth considering along with the Polo TSI. When I bought my Vento, I had first booked the Polo TSI but switched to Vento just for the rear seat space and the boot. If I was in a similar situation today, I mostly would have gone for the Aspire. It is not solidly built as my Vento and does not give the feeling of plushness I get when I sit in my Vento and performance wise it may be a little less accomplished. But it is 2-3L cheaper than a Vento TSI, so these things can be overlooked.
• Specifically in comparison with the Polo TSI, Polo IMO looks better ,is more solidly built and is a better performer. The performance factor has always been a concern with AT's under the 10L space. With the 1.5L 112bhp engine and the accomplished DCT gearbox along with the space advantage, the Aspire makes a strong case for itself as the AT of choice under 10L. It is 80K cheaper than the Polo and even cheaper than the Jazz

Straight line acceleration of Vento/Polo TSI is too good and car seems eager to please. Did you get same feeling with Aspire AT?

If someone is not to concerned with back seat space and will be driving AT for first time, would you say it does not matter what to get between Polo TSI and Aspire AT?

[adimicra]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Surprised that people are defending dummy buttons, dangling wires and unpainted parts of a recently launched premium hatchback - that too the top variant at close to 9L, while expecting the entry level 5L variant of a compact sedan to have more of basic features in addition to providing safety features.

You could have told it directly. Anyways, I don't want to reply in a similar fashion.

I had told, that people most probably won't buy the base variant because it lacks some basic creature comforts (exception are always there). So, they will be looking for the higher variants. Never did I mention that I expect all basic creature comforts plus all safety equipment within 5L.

PS - I do think Ford India deserves a round of applause for bringing in the safety features in the base variant. They could have done even better if they could have provided ABS and rear defogger in the Trend variant at least. Right now, safety conscious buyers might have to move up to the Titanium variant.

[JonSnow]

Originally Posted by adimicra

You could have told it directly. Anyways, I don't want to reply in a similar fashion.

I had told, that people most probably won't buy the base variant because it lacks some basic creature comforts (exception are always there). So, they will be looking for the higher variants. Never did I mention that I expect all basic creature comforts plus all safety equipment within 5L.

PS - I do think Ford India deserves a round of applause for bringing in the safety features in the base variant. They could have done even better if they could have provided ABS and rear defogger in the Trend variant at least. Right now, safety conscious buyers might have to move up to the Titanium variant.

I think your original comment was pretty clear as you were describing the typical buyer's behavior rather than complaining about lack of features in base variant. I don't understand why so many people seem to have misunderstood the statement.

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by adimicra

They could have done even better if they could have provided ABS and rear defogger in the Trend variant at least. Right now, safety conscious buyers might have to move up to the Titanium variant.

Right, and you know that everything has a cost and you get what you want by paying. Even before Aspire came along, you could get ABS and two airbags in most cars if you are prepared to go up till the top variant. There's no point in debating which feature is better. With Aspire, people who put safety features (at least airbags) above other gizmos and convenience have a choice. And I prefer this order of choice better than what we have seen so far. If Ford had to provide ABS in Trend, they would have cut down on some or all of the following:

Here's the list of add-on from Trend onwards:

• Rear arm rest
• Rear power windows
• Boot lamp
• Tachometer
• FM music player + speakers, Bluetooth etc.
• 2 line MFD screen
• Body colored/silver exterior elements
• Steering wheel mounted audio control
• Turn indicators on ORVM
• Power adjustable ORVM
• Driver vanity mirror

Now, apart from the last four, it doesn't make sense (in my opinion) not to provide these in the second variant, right? Another question that comes up is this: Why did they choose airbags over ABS in the base variant? Perhaps airbags sounds more fancy and might be better selling point?

In an ideal world, we should get ABS and two airbags in the base model and everything else should be customizable. But we are not yet there.

[Vikki@Hyderabad]

I've been awaiting this launch for quite some time now to switch my Figo with an Aspire. The car is launched and initial impressions are good. However, waiting for a comprehensive Team-BHP review. Moderators, please take note Your words carry a lot of weight.