[D C]

I would probably be driving a Fiesta with a diesel power plant today if they hadn't discontinued the old one. When I started looking for a new car in 2011 (I end up buying Verna CRDi in 2012), I seriously considered the Classic (A few old Fiestas were available even then, but not the variant I wanted). The turn off was its interiors, on the first look itself I felt that the car lost the premium looks of the original one, the Classic dropped off my list right then.

When the new Fiesta was introduced, I didn't even went to check it out and that was because of the design and the price. As rightly pointed out by prakhar1998, it has a love it or hate it design and it was clearly overpriced!

I loved the legendary old Fiesta for its driveability and its mod friendly design!

[Wolfconsole]

Thanks for the discussion and providing me the much needed confidence for going with the Fiesta. I was pretty much sure of it being my next car when I opened the discussion, with the only frustration being the head vs heart battle which, in my opinion, should not even arise when it comes to the Fiesta. Expect an ownership review in a couple of months

[coolboy007]

I can relate to your views. Was going through the same dilemma when choosing a car 3 months back but then a drive in the new Fiesta just sealed the deal for me and went with the facelifted Fiesta.I have a Vento as well but there is a soul attached with Fiesta.
You drive slow, drive hard and this car just plasters a smile on your face, the feel of security and stability at 100+ on highways is unparalleled. The ride/handling combo is miles ahead of other c segment cars, also got the car at a pretty good price so its an icing on cake.
It is a heart vs mind decision when you go with Fiesta, resale might be less but it is a significant factor if you compare it to the likes of Verna/City and not cars like Vento/Rapid.

[Srikji]

Well Wolfconsole I actually updgraded from a WagonR to a Fiesta petrol and not for a day have I regretted doing it. Even 3 years later, I feel great when the Fiesta plies me from Point A to Point B, the handling and driving pleasure are to kill for. It is sad that Ford has seemingly disowned a solid product, their design team am sure must not be happy with their marketing and sales teams.

[abhishek46]

Emm, i would like to put forth a few critical points.

1. In UK/Ireland and all of europe probably Fiesta exists as a hatch. It is rivalled against polo, opel corsa, ibiza etc.
2. Here in India a tail is added and it was promoted to 2 segments up to C2 segment. Whereas it's rival polo is available in india in B2 segment at a much cheaper price point. Why wasnt the hatch launched in india at same price point as polo (which could have been great!), and then the saloon version could have been launched?
3. Cabin width and interiors still remain sore point.
4. marketing or the absolute lack of it!! ?

P.S. I really like the new fiesta,and wish i could own one, just because of it's dynamics.

[kaushal21fb]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Call me naive, but I think one really shouldn't be buying a car to have fun with resale value in mind. Budget enthusiast cars have never commanded good resale and probably never will. It's upto you to decide what matters more, the money in your wallet X years from now when you sell it, or the smile on your face every time you park your car after a drive in the X years you'll own it!

No seriously bro! This is the best comment I've read in a long time. You can't call yourself an enthusiast if you car buying decision is primarily driven by resale value. No matter how much money you save (in resale) it will not bring back even a single second of your life that you spent driving a dud (dynamically) car.

Fiesta is the best handling car in the segment, followed closely by Linea. But it's its sad that both of them don't put together any sale numbers. The car buying decisions of the masses are driven by perceptions, space, resale value, looks and price to feature list. Most buyers don't appreciate or care for the dynamic capabilities its hardly a USP in India.

[rajtheindian]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

Emm, i would like to put forth a few critical points.

1. In UK/Ireland and all of europe probably Fiesta exists as a hatch. It is rivalled against polo, opel corsa, ibiza etc.
2. Here in India a tail is added and it was promoted to 2 segments up to C2 segment. Whereas it's rival polo is available in india in B2 segment at a much cheaper price point. Why wasnt the hatch launched in india at same price point as polo (which could have been great!), and then the saloon version could have been launched?

P.S. I really like the new fiesta,and wish i could own one, just because of it's dynamics.

Agree the fact that in UK and Europe, Fiesta is selling as Hatch alongside with the likes of Polo, Corsa, Fabia etc. However in India Fiesta is launched as Sedan and pitted against Vento, Rapeed etc, which are nothing but the Sedan version of Polo and Fabia respectively!
it's just the name, one place it represents a Hatch and another place the sedan based on the hatch. So your second point is invalid! Fiesta in India is positioned in the right segment.

[chaudharysaab]

I can bet number of people came back from Ford showroom by knowing they simply dont have Titanuim version available, or even any at all. Ford have made avaialble very limited number of Fiesta to Indian in highest trim and with low cost, maximum number of people wants to have taste of higher version Titanium.
In terms of space, Fiest is car with maximum width in segment still very narrow rear seat ( i am ignoring leg space here) shows the built quality of it. Just close the door and see the difference in Honda's and Fiasta's Tank thud sound.

Aww..Any day Fiesta Titanium with Golden Brown, Peprica Red color is just dream to have but not reality because it is simply not available anywhere..

[prakhar1998]

Originally Posted by chaudharysaab

In terms of space, Fiest is car with maximum width in segment still very narrow rear seat ( i am ignoring leg space here) shows the built quality of it. Just close the door and see the difference in Honda's and Fiasta's Tank thud sound

Umm, I agree that the Fiesta has a robust build quality, but a narrow seat is the consequence of a poor design not because the car is well built. A good build quality, or the mighty thud, can never be the reason to overlook space in a car. After all, a cars job is to transport people (in this segment), and it should do that well.

I would rather sit comfortably, with no obstructions, than listen to a door sound pleasant.

That is why the world is shifting to, lighter more spacious, more efficient yet safer platforms.

VW is doing it, Honda is doing it and so are Mercedes and BMW.

[sandeepmohan]

3 years ago, when I was shopping for a new car, Ford was the first choice. I wanted a Ford as my first car was a used Ford Ikon. It gave me a lot of trouble and Ford's service standards were in the middle. I was willing to take the risk with service as I was getting a new car. At that time, the Fiesta was the best car for a driver. I was excited when I set out to the Ford showroom. The drivers seat was heaven. I don't think any car in the Fiesta's segment offers a better driving position. Sitting in the drivers seat, I started looking around and looking close too. That is when I started to notice a lot of cheap bits. It felt as if the top and lower section of the dashboard was built using two different plastic molds. The top layer was quite good and the lower section was terrible. The door panels were cheap. Step in the back and it felt like you are in a lower segment car. There was next to no room as well. Even the seat fabric was horrible. Maybe I could ignore the negatives after a drive. Nope. The 1.5l petrol was a lazy spinner and it was nowhere as responsive when compared to my Ikon. That is when I started to think about it. Why should I pay over 11lac for this Ford. Ford were stubborn too. No negotiations even when I was talking to them in the last month of the year. There were very few things that favored the Ford Fiesta back then and the car is still a bit of a let down. Ford have improved the interior quality but its not enough. I mean just look at what the competition has to offer today. It is very difficult for the Fiesta. Lets put aside the fun to drive factor (Whatever little there is with a diesel). This is a small car on the inside and with a boot size that is smaller than some of those 4m sedans. This car bombed the first time around cause Ford were careless and that pretty much sealed it for the Fiesta. I don't remember when was the last time I saw a print ad for this car. Still no Ecoboost or dct. Common Ford, wake up.

[spyder_p8]

Originally Posted by Wolfconsole

The train of thought detailed here began last year, ever since I’ve started contemplating an upgrade from my Wagon R to the Ford Fiesta.

Unlike its illustrious competitors in the C2 segment such as the City, Verna, Vento, Rapid etc, the Fiesta triggers a pitched battle between the head and the heart. But my question is why should it? Isn’t it a competent car in its own right which would appeal to logic as well?

Dear Wolfconsole,

A brilliant car like Fiesta just doesn't need so much thinking. You should go ahead and buy it. Though i own a Vento TDI, i was seriously considering this. But the dealer in Pune was interested in selling on ECOSPORT. Such was the mad rush for ECOSPORT that he didn't even entertain a TD for other models. I did manage to get a TD. I think this is the only car that can hold a candle to the performance of a Vento TDI. Finally had to turn down this cornering machine just because of the dealer attitude.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

It's a very competent car, and even if it lacks horses under the hood compared to competition, it beats most of them hands down when it comes to having fun behind the wheel. It's probably the best handling compact sedan in India (alongside the Linea). We own a Ford and it's cheaper to maintain than our Hyundai and most Marutis in my known circle, so the 'high maintenance' myth is just that, a myth.

Well said. After owning two Marutis, one GM, two Tatas and now a VW i can't agree more on this. Myth is an understatement. Its more of a scandal.
I don't find Maruti to be cheaper than its counterparts.

Originally Posted by Mad Max

Ford's registers were ringing so loud they forgot to hear their competitors marching in full throttle and their customers screaming for new models and cars.

Well, there isn't any competition. This is just for an awesome drive

[quakerme]

Originally Posted by Wolfconsole

The train of thought detailed here began last year, ever since I’ve started contemplating an upgrade from my Wagon R to the Ford Fiesta.

Im really astonished when people say fiesta lacks power - compare it with ciaz,linea and city then you will understand how brilliant the tdci is.
Compare it with vento and rapid for handling and you will see that fiesta is miles ahead than the twin sisters.the rear seat looks a bit cramped but 3 adults can sit in comfortably(what more do you want?).
One of the best OEM ICE in the segment, sync option works like a charm it even recognizes "veluchamy" take it to a highway and step on it at 120+ and see how it handles, the sheer confidence it gives to you is unmatchable. The interiors looks like "ford" yes it doesn't look like any other car's in that segment everything about fiesta is different a humongous dashboard which omits cliche looks of a standard dashboard. Auto folding side mirrors is defo head turner.
Let's compare pricing - It is one of the cheapest cars in that segment the top end titanium is priced at 10.8 with all the gizmos including cruise control(which we seldom use) and auto wiper and light
Fiesta is one of the best practical cars out there in the market now, refreshing style, better handling lots of gadgets and most of all best milage and cheaper to maintain.

[novice29]

Originally Posted by Wolfconsole

Expect an ownership review in a couple of months

Another potential case of heart wins! Let me add my experience here.

In 2014-May, I thought of buying a driver's car. I had a budget cap of 10L INR and ended up with a 2014 Ford Classic 1.6. After test driving cars like Swift, Polo, Vento, Etios Liva, Honda City, Brio, Punto ..., I went to the Ford Showroom. It was literally deserted and I am the only potential customer there. One sales guy approached and I informed him I am looking for a 1.6 Petrol Classic. I expected a response like "which trim: but I got one "why Classic, that too petrol! Ecosport is the way to go, you have all the bells and whistles there, why a car like Classic in this age!".

When I told him Classic is the one for me, a technical person from the service department got into the discussion. I thought I got someone who supports this car but I was wrong. I got an advice about the low fuel efficiency of that vehicle (Ford was claiming very high FE of both petrols and diesels at that time) and got enlighted about the old engine Classic is using (Vs EcoBoost). Finally I, a customer, had to convince the sales person that Classic is not that bad as they think .

Then I got a 1.4 Diesel for test drive!!!

Since petrol is not in demand, there is no TD available for Petrol version. However, a 1.6 CLxi was available in the lot for sale and my sales person could arrange that vehicle for a TD.

After the test drive, I decided to sign the check as I was completely satisfied with what I am getting for INR 6.4L on-road. But sales team played a double game here and they came up with a quote of 6.7L (some discounts promised were not applied).
I decided to reply in the same way! I went to another showroom of the same dealer in a nearby city and met the dealership manager. I explained him what happened and he promised me to deliver the same vehicle, after applying all the discounts and another 10K for the inconvenience caused. So finally I got the vehicle for 6.3L OTR.

I drove it for 3 months and clocked ~ 11K KMs on it. Believe me, this is the most enjoyable vehicle I ever drove in India. Agreed that my portfolio does not include any high end vehicle available here.

Just wanted to note down the below points too.

• There are lots of myths about Ford vehicles. Please do not believe many of them until you really see someone who has an experience.

• Many of the Ford vehicles are no more expensive to maintain. This applies to vehicles like Figo, Classic, Fiesta. I assume it will be the case with EcoSport also. I do not have any idea about Endy though. Most of these are cheaper than their Maruti counterparts too!

• Spare parts were costly once not anymore; at least for Figos and Fiestas.

• Spare parts availability is getting better. I never heard any complaints about the availability in my city yet. May be depends on the dealer too.

• Another story I heard a lot is about the reliability. I am not expecting it to equal Honda or Toyota but I don't think it as that bad to be highlighted as an issue. After all we are seeing many of these with more than 100K KMs on them.

• Ford Petrol mills drink too much! Really? For the 11K KMs on my 1.6, it returned anywhere between 11-15 KM/L depending on my mood. When a 1.2 K-Series gives you 16-18, how much should we expect from a bigger one! Oh yes, if you are someone who bought this car seeing the AutoCar cross country figures, I am reserving my comments!

• The GC issues are not a nightmare as it is on paper.

• Until Ford does something to project their vehicles and say how good they are, the above myths are not going to change.

• Due to the above reason, you will take a hit during resale.

• And last, you can never convince someone that Ford cars are good/bad if they think the other way. Only way around is to allow them to sit in the driver seat.

PS: I sold it a month back at a loss of INR 1.5L is another story. I moved back to US and may not be using it for a couple of years at least. So let it go. I know I may not get the same 1.6L naturally aspirated mill again as they are moving to EcoBoost. However this engine and suspension setups is going to be my benchmark when I test drive another car in India.

My Conclusion: This is a love or hate car; either one love it for what it offers or hate it for what it is not. Unfortunately, I am finding the second lot high in number.

Go for it and have a big smile while eating up the roads, mainly hairpins!

[Deepak K Gupta]

Ever since I sold of my 2003 Ikon 1.6 I have been yearning for a Ford 1.6. I needed a driver's car so Fiesta 1.6 but everyone around me was screaming dated, dated.What dated, sleek low sporty looking car not like the raised designs of modern designs. Whatever happened to the low,low car designs. I TD'd the New Fiesta Petrol and was very dissapointed with the performance. So finally when I heard the rumor that Ford was going to discontinue the Fiesta/Classic I realised I would never be able to get my hands on a 1.6 Sigma motor. I made up my mind and got a Fiesta Clxi 1.6 and believe me there is no car on the road like it. I have been driving an Alto Lxi for several years just for the convenience of being able to manoeuvre in a city like Kolkata and never found a car that I could drive effortlessly in the city just like a small car. With the Fiesta I feel that I am still driving the Alto just not so with any other sedan. So if you want comfortable believe me there is no other choice.

[abhi29]

I think Fiesta is a great product and it doesn't deserve this fate for sure. Almost none of the technical or product related reasons mentioned so far justify such bad sales figures.

From what i understand, even most of the best sellers have their shortcomings, you simply cant get the best product from the best brand for the best price. The reason they are successful is they have been able to ride on their strengths while successfully hiding not-so-good aspects.

In case of fiesta, a solid marketing campaign talking about Drive-ability, Handling , Refreshed 'Aston Martin-ish' looks and most importantly the revised/ corrected pricing was missing. The marketing didn't support the product at the launch, when it was most required. Now no matter how hard they try (which they are not), they cant bring it back

Instead, it seems all their energy is still focused on Ecosport.