[rsm97]

Car prices have gone up across the board this year. Compared the current prices of City diesels at a website and the gap between them and Fiesta still is intact. If the question is whether Ford can afford to do so, think low prices alone can not substitute for overall poor marketing. C-category is more about brand building and keeping the price of a competent product perennially low maybe has its own downside.

[Vitalstatistiks]

Globally, Fiesta is synonym for cheap car. Take that away, price it in Europe and America at India levels (on a PPP basis) and see if it registers any mention of potential car buyer. With this price hike, Ford have ensured just that.

Can the existing Fiesta owners please put up respective ownership threads, for us to follow and drool ? Because I don't think there will be another sold at this revised price.

[abhishek46]

The increase in price would be the final nail in the coffin!

[DragonHawk]

Originally Posted by Vitalstatistiks

Globally, Fiesta is synonym for cheap car. Take that away, price it in Europe and America at India levels (on a PPP basis) and see if it registers any mention of potential car buyer. With this price hike, Ford have ensured just that.

Can the existing Fiesta owners please put up respective ownership threads, for us to follow and drool ? Because I don't think there will be another sold at this revised price.

In case if you haven`t noticed, there are already 2 well rated ownerships reports by bhpian anachronix
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ew-report.html

and Porschefire
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...rd-fiesta.html

Enjoy reading !!

[Vitalstatistiks]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

In case if you haven`t noticed, there are already 2 well rated ownerships reports

Thanks Dragon. I have had red eyes and dry tongue having read these two threads the number of times I did. Just encouraging the other owners, a number of who have confirmed of their purchase on this and Fiesta review thread, to also allow us a dekko.

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

The increase in price would be the final nail in the coffin!

Doesn't make a difference to the dead, I guess!

I am a happy and satisfied owner of the new Ford Fiesta (called Global Ford Fiesta by Ford Service people) since 2012 - I should be completing 3 years in a month.

Such a wonderful car! I feel bad for the car since it doesn't sell the numbers it should despite the current prices (The top-end Titanium+ that I got was 13L OTR 3 years ago!)

The car still feels like new, and I do take some time to look at its fresh looks even after 3 years - Splendid ride and brilliant handling! (I am not taking this too far, but I love the handling of Ford Fiesta even after riding my friend's Audi A4 2.0 TDI for about 40 kms)

The doors still shut with a beautiful thud - The doors made of Boron Steel offer very good side impact protection. And you can even talk to the car

I can't imagine why this wouldn't sell - At ALL!

PS: I also have a 2011 Honda City - Though the Engine is BRILLIANT, in ride quality, handling and steering feedback, the 116 BHP Honda can't hold a candle to the 90 BHP Ford!

My mom, who travelled in Ford from Chennai to Bangalore said - 'Somehow I don't feel that tired if I use Ford compared to Honda!' - Enough said!

[Carpainter]

That is some insane decision from Ford. I think they are confused with the pricing strategy for this car. First they priced it way too high only to realize that there would be no taker for that price. They reduced it a big nearly 20% but still unable to sale due to initial market perception. Now since the car is not moving, they have decided to put the price up again to gain some higher margin from this low volume product. Sad to see that the parent company have given this brilliant car a serious identity crisis. Lacklustre approach from a global player like Ford. A good car beaten to death.Well almost.

[ssingh83]

seems like all the manufacturing SOPs and tax breaks that Ford is getting from the government are actually serving the interests of other Asian countries where the Ecosoport and Fiesta are being exported. An excellent drivers car @ a reasonable price would have been a good reason for the Indian exchequer bear this loss ... but alas! Our loss is some one else's gain

[rsm97]

Originally Posted by ssingh83

seems like all the manufacturing SOPs and tax breaks that Ford is getting from the government are actually serving the interests of other Asian countries where the Ecosoport and Fiesta are being exported. An excellent drivers car @ a reasonable price would have been a good reason for the Indian exchequer bear this loss ... but alas! Our loss is some one else's gain

In Malaysia atleast, price of Ecosport are higher than India in Rupee term. Same is the case in Nepal. Indian consumer is not subsidizing but actually getting subsidized if a plain comparison is made. However, automobile pricing is not always so simple and depends on a number of factors, including market depth. My opinion is that Ford has need to keep Fiesta price right, not necessary the least. It perhaps has some strategy for it (hopefully).

[RavenAvi]

At least two reasons come to mind for the recent price hike of the Fiesta, excise-duty cut "removed" notwithstanding:

1) The all-new Figo-based (Ka) sedan's impending launch is around the corner,

2) Ford is preparing to launch the petrol variants of the Fiesta, which includes at least one EcoBoost option.

The Figo-based (Ka) sedan's top variant should be in the vicinity of around 8.0 ex-showroom, which could be one of the main reasons why the Fiesta Ambiente (Diesel) variant has vacated it's spot. All it's main rivals (Amaze, DZire, XCent) are priced there or thereabouts, so it shouldn't be a surprise.

Also, I distinctly remember reading somewhere that the petrol variants of the Fiesta would come later. They have the engines (including the superb EcoBoost), so it's a definite that they would offer it, specially in that wonderful dual-clutch automatic option. And maybe, just maybe, looking at the recent market trend of diesel automatics, Ford might give us a diesel dual-clutch automatic variant of the Fiesta as well.

(stop drooling already!)

As for the VFM factor, those who have gone through the price chart I posted when the Ciaz was launched, here's a look at the revised charts after the January 2015 price hike (post Excise-Duty Cut removal):

(click to open in a separate window)

(all prices ex-showroom, Delhi. Vento/Rapid prices taken from Carwale.)

As you can see, the Fiesta is still priced in the vicinity of the Linea/Sunny/Vento, and significantly cheaper than the City and the Verna. And you get so much more in the Fiesta Titanium than the Verna SX in terms of features and driving dynamics, and, more significantly, it is still almost ~43,000 rupees cheaper than the City V MT.

The Fiesta price hike made me think about the possible pricing of the (future) Fiesta petrol variants on offer, and I would say they might be priced in this region:

(click to open in a separate window)


(all prices ex-showroom, Delhi. Vento/Rapid prices taken from Carwale.)

They should be attractive enough to lure some buyers away from the same-segment offerings. Let's admit it - all those features + that jewel of an EcoBoost engine + exceptional ride quality and handling - the Fiesta EcoBoost Titanium could be a real gamechanger.

All it would need then, post-launch (if it happens), and desperately so, is some of that (non-existent) Ford advertising and media coverage.

[rsm97]

[left]As you can see, the Fiesta is still priced in the vicinity of the Linea/Sunny/Vento, and significantly cheaper than the City and the Verna. And you get so much more in the Fiesta Titanium than the Verna SX in terms of features and driving dynamics, and, more significantly, it is still almost ~43,000 rupees cheaper than the City V MT.

Put very well. Ecoboost AT, though, will be a pleasant surprise. Its not offered even in Ecosport right now. I recently spoke to the dealer here and they have no communication of anything different coming in Fiesta during early part of the year. No one knows if Ford has some big plan for Fiesta this year. Solicit inside information, if any.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

Doesn't make a difference to the dead, I guess!

I am a happy and satisfied owner of the new Ford Fiesta (called Global Ford Fiesta by Ford Service people) since 2012 - I should be completing 3 years in a month.

Such a wonderful car! I feel bad for the car since it doesn't sell the numbers it should despite the current prices (The top-end Titanium+ that I got was 13L OTR 3 years ago!)

The car still feels like new, and I do take some time to look at its fresh looks even after 3 years - Splendid ride and brilliant handling! (I am not taking this too far, but I love the handling of Ford Fiesta even after riding my friend's Audi A4 2.0 TDI for about 40 kms)

The doors still shut with a beautiful thud - The doors made of Boron Steel offer very good side impact protection. And you can even talk to the car

I can't imagine why this wouldn't sell - At ALL!

PS: I also have a 2011 Honda City - Though the Engine is BRILLIANT, in ride quality, handling and steering feedback, the 116 BHP Honda can't hold a candle to the 90 BHP Ford!

My mom, who travelled in Ford from Chennai to Bangalore said - 'Somehow I don't feel that tired if I use Ford compared to Honda!' - Enough said!

Even i was in love with this car when i drove one of these in ireland (hatch version of course). The only reason i did not buy this when i was back in india was because of my limited budget! (had to go for polo petrol)

[agbenny]

This is my humble opinion:

Instead of changing the name to Fiesta to Fiesta classic, they should have released this car in a different name and projected it competing with one segment higher.
I know size/dimensions does matter, But still if they are unable to bring the price down to due high-end specs and components it could have been released in a different name. Fiesta Diesel is always been a better car for the driving enthusiasts, and a net Sporty name might have taken it to more number in sales. It does't make sense with a name like "All new Fiesta" or "Global Fiesta" and expect the customer to have a mind set to pay a premium by still carrying the name 'Fiesta'.

Secondly, I am not sure if they should have completely discontinued the old Fiesta (Now Fiesta classic) - But still to me the "name" makes a lot of sense.

Let me know what you think friends.

[Vigkey]

In my opinion, there are a lot of factors contributing to the failure of Fiesta, but the perception of high maintenance or ASS or not so good showroom experience are not major factors.

If that was the case, how did Ecosport or Figo manage to get the response it got?

All the enthusiasts here are vouching for the Fiesta's ride, handling and steering feedback, but how many in the market actually understand these terms? Only if they understand this, it will become a factor in their buying. My bro-in-law cannot differentiate the playstation-like steering in his Hyundai and the very good steering my Dzire has and he is not the only one like that.

Ford's mistake was to price Fiesta so high in an extremely competitive C2-segment with an under-powered engine and space lesser than most of the competition. Add to it the close to zero marketing. If not marketing, how is Ford going to project its highlights against competition. Now this ensured the new Fiesta started as a dud. Coming to the facelift, it is available (??) in limited cities. There is a HUGE wait-time and again 0 marketing to project that it is the cheapest C2-segment sedan. How do you expect the market to know about a car? Through Team-BHP alone???

Fiesta has pretty much become a car for enthusiasts who prefer ride and handling and steering feel. No wonder it sells so less. C2-sedans are usually considered for the role of a family car and unfortunately Fiesta does not really fit into that role convincingly.

With Ecosport, Ford pretty much introduced a new segment of sub-4m SUV (or CUV). With Figo, it was a truly VFM hatchback. Fiesta is neither, its USP is not for the mass market. This, IMO, is why Fiesta failed to take off.

[rsm97]

Handling and steering are features not easy to appreciate in the city drive. Once heard a veteran say that except in emergencies, handling is not vital for most users. Whether one likes it or not, desirability of a car and dynamics it offers have no direct relation.

What is surprising is that besides dynamics, Fiesta also has competitive price, diesel engine tuned for economy, and a good ride quality (despite moderate rear seats). All these are considered high points of best seller sedans in India. A good bunch of features is icing on the cake. Its pity that Ford is unwilling to communicate to market about Fiesta.