Team-BHP - Shouldn't Ford get the new 2017 Ford Fiesta to India?

The continuing success of the top two C2-segment sedans - Honda City & Maruti-Suzuki Ciaz - indicates that there is still scope for a proper, well-built and VFM option in this segment to taste success.

With the Ford DNA and a competitive sticker tag, I don't see why the Fiesta can't carve out it's own niche. The brand enjoys a keen following among enthusiasts even today.

If the Ciaz could crack this segment even after being late to the party, the Fiesta should definitely score well.

Worth giving it a shot, Ford.

I believe Ford has a gap in the premium hatch (i20 / baleno / jazz) and the sedan (city/ciaz/verna) sections, which they can plug with the Fiesta hatch & sedans.

Need to get the pricing right and slot their offerings in a price range which is slightly premium than maruti, but lesser than Hyundai / Honda.

Also, there should be zero cost cutting, atleast evident ones. These are premium segments, and people deserve products where small stuff like engine cladding, boot cladding, and exposed wires should not be even points of discussion.

With ever increasing automobile prices, premium hatchback would be the highest selling segment in 2-3 years(others would have crossed the magical figure of 10 lakhs). So if Ford did bring this Fiesta hatch then along with i20, baleno and new gen polo (seems volkswagen might bring MQB platform to India) can be in the top 10 sales list.

Do I want Ford to bring the Fiesta (and the Fiesta ST please:) to India? Hell Yeah! I can hope and pray all I want. As, I am sure, so many of the enthusiasts in this forum.

But, will they? Let's be realistic. No, they won't. I am pretty sure that they will not bother. The way I see it, the Fiesta platform is now far too expensive for them to bother with an India entry.

In any case, do we know what Ford's strategy in India is? It seems confused. Or non-existent. Whatever it is, despite all of this, the market still seems to want their products, which is why they haven't gone the way of FIAT.

While there has been much posts about such wishful idea, nothing much has materialized on ground as we see!

Yet, i wish they bring it here - Just happen to see 2018 Fiesta review by Mat Watson and I am impressed.

I am heading to UK next week and this is on my wish list of cars to lay hands on:)

Review Video

'Should Ford bring the new Fiesta to India?'- Of course Yes. Provided they don't water it down and make it more 'India Friendly' like they did for the Figo and Aspire. Retain the solid build and good handling, give it a Ecoboost paired with the manual and DCT and you end up with a good alternative in the segment. It is a segment that has seen the least amount of action in a very long time- Boring to keep hearing of Ciaz, City, Verna, Vento and Rapid.

Will they bring it to India?. If I was a decision maker, I would be pretty circumspect about this one. It's a quiet segment and what ever earth shattering features/price they bring it with/at, at most it is going to end up in third place with 1000-1500 units of sale. I don't see it catching the City or the Ciaz. Probably will take away whatever small numbers the Vento and Rapid have. May not be worth the effort.

I would love to see this here. Been a fan of Ford right from the time they started their innings here in India. Our family got a chance to enjoy some interesting products from Ford. My dad had an Ikon (Petrol) and Fiesta, and I had an Ecosport. All of us loved their cars, especially the Ikon with its small, sporty, perfectly contoured steering wheel. They were going well after few hiccups initially (service a bit on the higher side when compared to the competition) but now they seem to be playing safe. Not willing to take that risk. But I really hope this will make it to India and I know someone here who will be waiting to get rid of the current ford and buy this. :D

Product planning meeting:

A carnut in Ford: Can we have the next generation Fiesta please?

Ford management: Why? There's already Figo.

Carnut in Ford: But that's for mass market. Fiesta is a premium offering/enthusiasts car.

Ford management: Figo S is already there. Add some more chrome, leather and touch screen and offer Figo Titanium O+.

Carnut in Ford: But both are...

Ford management: Next topic pls.

Marketing guy at Ford: Can we have the Fiesta cross version? Like a pseudo SUV. People like it.

Ford management: Sell the ecosport first. Else I'll shut the chennai plant.

Get realistic guys. It's become a no world for hatchbacks/saloons. Fiesta nameplate is sadly dead in India. If I remember correctly, India was not in the list of countries next generation Fiesta was planned for.

1. Australia might get the Fiesta only in ST guise. Not confirmed yet.
2. Next gen Focus is not confirmed for AU either.
3. Nissan has pulled off its hatch/Saloon cars from th AU market.
4. USA has gone back to its love for SUVs long back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arunramaswamy (Post 4225316)

I think Ford should bring in Fiesta. They must also consider launching Kuga and escape. Kuga/Escape would be received well given the scope in premium C-SUV segment.

Ford should now think 'differently' from the mass market makers. That is, they should focus on high quality, well-kitted, stylish cars that have a unique selling proposition. The two models selling today (EcoSport, Endeavour) both fit the bill. On the other hand, their Maruti-inspired Figo & Aspire really haven't gotten anywhere.

Fully agreed with your post, Arun. Ford India must carefully choose products from their international line-up that the mass market players can't match (or choose not to).

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 4226075)

I agree, there is no need to vie for the mass-market space – Suzuki and Hyundai are doing it so well that a third player may really struggle in that space (Honda got the City as an exception, but that’s about it).

The Ecosport is managing 3000-5000 units per month without any sweat because it’s a competent product and has created a space for itself. They can easily carve a space for themselves in the C2 sedan space with the Fiesta, and Kuga in the mid-compact SUV segment. Even the Focus may work well in the D1 sedan segment – I feel it’s still an under-developed segment in our market.

I wish Ford would bring the Fiesta hatch atleast. After the 1st gen Figo, I have nothing to upgrade to in the Ford stable. The new Figo and Aspire feels more like a downgrade. I dont want a wannabe SUV like Ecosport. I would like a hatch with a little premiumness but retaining the brilliant dynamics of the 1st gen Figo or a sedan atleast. But I dont see anything like that in Ford's India product range.
That's my wish, but I dont really see Ford fulfilling my wishes!

I've driven my neighbour's 2012 Fiesta extensively. If that model was available to buy right now, I'd have it home by Monday (Tuesday max). I'm looking to buy a car within the next 2 weeks.
If they get the 2017 Fiesta to India I would wait six months even, and give them a booking amount the fist day of sale.

Unfortunately, it's a pipe dream as things stand. As someone else pointed it out - Ford would be looking at ~1000 cars a month in the best case scenario as they can't take the fight to City or Ciaz. Given how poor Ford's marketing and positioning has been over all the time they've been in India, this best case scenario is almost certainly out of reach for them. How eager will they be to live with a niche carving of 400-500 cars sold per month is anyone's guess.

Fortunately I have right of first refusal if my neighbour decides to sell his Fiesta.

I was the one who had been thinking Fords are a pain to maintain and was always fond of Japanese reliability and their perceived cheap cost of ownership. This thought was further accentuated by the horror stories of steep AC condenser replacement costs (reported by the Fiesta drivers of our company cab fleet)

However, the first chink in that Jap armour was the awful maintenance costs of Maruti Diesels. One of my friends was paying consistently Rs.12000 per every service of his DDiS Dezire. So much for pocket friendliness. Also, Fords have really become more open in terms of maintenance costs, purely IMHO.

The final blow came to me three weeks back, when I got my hands of this beautiful machine, a 2015 Fiesta of a friend. Simply putting, that was the best driver's car I've ever set my hands on and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute behind the wheel. I was so impressed that I was so upset that the car is not on sale anymore and after him now to buy the machine after his lease period ends.

Oh, Yes! How I wish to see the new Fiesta in India! But sadly, according to a Ford birdie, the top brass at Ford does not seem to care about India as a market since they seem to have fed up with our bias towards Suzuki and Hyundai. There is no pipeline for Figo / Aspire twins too. In all probability, they might follow the GM route along with VW and the likes, who does not get enough support from the parent giants. Not to forget the obsession towards Toyota for the UVs. So, when we can wish whatever we want, the market reality might sound different.

Fiesta in sedan form would be a challenge to sell, specially after its previous failure. The segment is not growing and if Hyundai is challenged, then Ford definitely would struggle.

Feel the potential is in the hatch form. Fiesta is hot looking, has Ford build and options of premium engines. It can give current premium hatchbacks the run for their money. If Polo has got acceptability, Fiesta should too.

But realistically, unlikely that Ford would do any such thing. If it actually does, it will be a big pleasant surprise. I then will seriously consider replacing my 2015 Fiesta with fresh hatch.