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Old 30th November 2018, 11:15   #1
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2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

The Ford Aspire Facelift is on sale in India at a price of between Rs. 5.55 - 8.49 lakhs (ex-showroom).

What you'll like:

• A very well-priced car, undercuts the competition
• Peppy 95 BHP 3-cylinder petrol is much improved over the earlier lethargic 1.2L
• Powerful & efficient 1.5L diesel. Excellent driveability too
• Mature ride quality. Also, improved handling thanks to the fatter 195 mm tyres
• Airbags and ABS + EBD across the range. Titanium+ variant gets 6 airbags, while the 1.5 AT has ESP
• Features such as that awesome touchscreen HU, auto headlamps & wipers, reversing camera etc.
• 5 year / 1 lakh km warranty with transparent + reasonable service costs

What you won't:

• 1.2L is good for a 3-cylinder engine, but the 4-cylinder 1.2s from Maruti, Hyundai & gang are superior
• Overall design (other than the handsome face) feels old & bland compared to the newer compact sedans
• Cabin width makes the Aspire suited to 4 adults, not 5
• 359-liter boot is among the smaller ones of the segment. Many others offer 400+ liter boots
• Automatic doesn't come in the top variant with 6 airbags
• Lighter build is a departure from the usual Ford sturdiness
• Some missing essentials (dead pedal, full-size spare tyre) & some deleted (leather seats, height-adjustable seatbelts)

This review has been jointly compiled with GTO. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Last edited by GTO : 30th November 2018 at 11:21.
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Old 30th November 2018, 11:15   #2
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Since the Ford Aspire has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on changes made to the 2018 Facelift. To read the full official review, click here.


Last edited by GTO : 30th November 2018 at 11:21.
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Old 30th November 2018, 11:15   #3
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The compact sedan segment is fiercely competitive and it's very hard for any model to affect the Dzire juggernaut. If one manages to, it'll only be with a solid differentiator. Case in point, the new Amaze and its fantastic Diesel AT combination. The Aspire has been a competent all-rounded sedan, but its sales have been lackluster at best. While in no ways an absolute flop like its sibling - the Figo hatchback - the Aspire's numbers aren't anything to write home about either. In the year 2017, the Aspire's monthly sales average was ~2,000 cars and this facelift is an attempt to get back to those levels. This Ford sedan hasn't been updated since 2015 (barring the sports edition), hence the facelift couldn't have come any sooner.

2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review-aspire-comparo.png

The updated Aspire gets styling tweaks, a touchscreen-based SYNC 3 system and a new (better) petrol engine. It’s also competitively priced, undercutting all rivals, except the Tigor.

So, what's new on the outside?

Front gets smoked headlamps and a new grille + bumpers + air dam. Also new is this shade called White Gold:


Changes to the rear are minimal. It's easy to mistake this for the older model, save for minor differences in the bumper design and the fatter tyres:


Side profile is identical to the outgoing car. Only the bigger wheels are new here:


We don't usually like thick applications of chrome. However, we loved this heavy chrome on the bumpers. The designers at Ford have made it look tasteful. For a change, we will say that the chrome does enhance the car's look:


Headlights get blackened bits inside. It looks far better than the outgoing car's full chrome effect (reference image):


Thanks to the blackened areas, the remaining chrome now stands out:


Another look at the face. The number plate housing is slightly different - the sloping lines now align with the foglamp housing trim:


The grille gets a thicker chrome border and tiny hexagonal elements finished in a dark silver / gray. Looks incredibly classy in person:


Zooming in. The Titanium and Titanium+ get this "Diversion Silver", while the mid-models get "Rhodium Silver" with a silver surround around the grille. The base model comes with an all-black grille and border:


Air dam is now shorter, yet slightly wider than before and gets 2 slats. Also notice the blanked out portion on the left side and the rubber lip down below:


Foglamps sit recessed and get a chrome ring around them. Throw-wise, they are similar to the outgoing car:


No request sensors on the doors. Sucks. Why? Because this car has an engine-start button. Passive keyless entry would have made it complete:


Ford finally introduces 15-inch rims on the Aspire. The fatter 195/55 section Apollo Alnac 4G tyres contribute to the improved handling characteristics of the car (the older model had puny 175/65 tyres shod on 14-inch rims):


Fatter rubber not only improves the handling, but also the stance of the car:


The shape of the tail-lamps is the same, but the design elements on the side are new (triple lines):


Clear lens element on the indicator / reversing light gets individual horizontal lines instead of the "pair of lines" on the pre-facelift (reference image):


In the pre-facelift version, we had mentioned that the panel gaps around the boot area were large and inconsistent. It appears that Ford has worked upon that complaint. Also, in case you missed it earlier, check out the sexy new Team-BHP fonts on this updated sticker design:


The boot assembly now fits better:


Most of the changes at the rear are confined to the bumper. It gets revised styling with vertical black highlights on both sides and a marginally changed number plate housing (the edges are now sharper than before). The badging is the same. Only the diesel engine gets a mention on the boot, while...


...the petrol has nothing:


New reversing camera gives good clarity, even at night:

Last edited by GTO : 30th November 2018 at 11:20.
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Old 30th November 2018, 11:15   #4
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So, what's new on the inside?

The cabin of the facelift retains the beige & black theme of the outgoing car. The leather upholstery has been replaced by fabric, while a 6.5-inch touchscreen system and a new speedo console has been introduced:


Steering wheel is the same, and a leather wrap is sorely missed. The Dzire's sexy steering gives you leather, fake wood & a flat bottom (reference image):


This instrument cluster debuted on the Freestyle and now makes it way to the Aspire as well. The overall shape and position of the dials is the same, yet it has small changes like the colour of the dial's centre (area within the blue outlines is black, earlier it was grey), markings for the speed / rpm levels and the updated MID:


The MID shows the Ford logo on startup; all else is the usual stuff:


You might have noticed the missing temperature gauge (related thread (Good 'ol Temperature Gauge : Yes or No?)), but thankfully, it can be accessed in the MID. It also shows a warning for the car being on (e.g. if you open the driver's door or have left the car in accessory mode). Has a single trip meter and a distance-to-empty counter:


Average FE, instantaneous FE (shown in L/h as we were at a standstill), average speed, outside temperature and door open warnings. Yes, it'll show you exactly which door is open:


Not just the doors, but also the boot and bonnet open warnings are displayed. Love this attention to detail . Usually, it's only the expensive luxury cars that have a warning for the bonnet:


The MID suggests upshifts & downshifts, with the gear number. Newbies will appreciate:


New engine start button is located on the left side. Press it without the clutch and it'll continuously blink a green light. Weird that the car has an engine start button, but not the passive keyless entry!


The Facelift also gets rain-sensing wipers. The intermittent speed dial now adjusts the sensitivity of the auto-wiper:


Identical headlight controls as the last time, but with one important addition = the Aspire now gets auto headlamps:


Leather interiors are gone - the top variant now comes with fabric seats. I know most of you will see this as a cost-cutting move which it probably is, but I'm not complaining. Why? Simply because in the budget segment, the quality of leather is rather poor (only higher segment sedans like the Ciaz & City have better quality leather). Given a choice, I would prefer good quality fabric over leather provided just for the sake of it:


The middle area of the seats gets this patterned design. The outer bolsters are slightly raised for support:


A close look at the white stitching used. The beige colour does add a sense of roominess to the cabin. Note that the Titanium Plus gets side airbags inside the front seats, hence you shouldn't even consider aftermarket seat covers:


If you get careless with the accelerator, the drive can get jerky not only for the driver, but also the passengers. You have to modulate the clutch release & accelerator input nicely / smoothly to avoid these jerks. They are mild, yet noticeable in both, the petrol and the diesel. We think it is due to the drive-by-wire system's tuning:


Bonnet opening lever is in the same spot as before but...


...the OBD port now moves to the center of the driver's footwell (was on the side earlier):


New IRVM gets automatic day/night modes:


Behind it is the light sensor for the dimming:


Titanium Plus model gets 2 USB ports in front of the gear lever. AUX is absent, but then again, in this age of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth and USB, who uses AUX? Lower variants get a single USB port:


The ports glow a cool blue at night. You can use either port for Android Auto / Apple CarPlay:


New 5-speed gearbox makes its way to the Aspire sedan (it debuted on the Freestyle). Nice to use, despite a small amount of notchiness:


Black gear boot gets contrast white stitching:


The diesel's shifter gets a collar, which must be pulled up to engage reverse:


The Freestyle gets a TCS-off button here (reference image). In the Aspire, ESP + TCS + HLA is offered only on the Petrol AT. Ford should've given it here too, especially on the top variant which has 6 airbags:


The glovebox now gets illumination. The circular blank (on top) seems to house a passenger airbag on/off switch in the international car (reference video):


Mechanism should have been of a better design. This spring-loaded switch looks like the ones we had on older model refrigerators:


Sadly, the seatbelts now lose height adjustment (earlier one here)! Ford's continuous addition & deletion of features can get frustrating:


6.5-inch touchscreen system now comes with SYNC 3. It is well positioned and the driver doesn't need to take his eyes off the road to see it. Screen visibility is fantastic - it's glossy so reflections are noticeable, but visibility-wise, it's still a good screen. For a detailed review of this system, please refer to our Freestyle Review:


Despite being a touchscreen unit, we are glad it gets physical buttons for the commonly used functions (menu, previous track, play/pause, next track and a "screen off" button). Further, the Tune knob can be used as a cursor in Apple CarPlay if using a touchscreen is cumbersome when on the move:


Apple CarPlay now gets Google Maps!


In terms of functionality, its identical to the Android version, save for one major difference - you can't pinch to zoom / move the map. Instead, you need to press the button on the left (above the mic button) to be able to move on the map:


Destinations can be added manually or using voice commands:


A look at Android Auto. Our favourite music player - Rocket Player - is supported! For an OEM system, we found the sound quality to be satisfactory:


Reversing camera display is clean. The top right of the screen shows the distance - this orange changes to red when you get too close to an obstacle. Nope, guidelines aren't adaptive:


Press the '+' button to zoom in. Might get handy at times:


A peek at the rear seat (nothing has changed here):


We noticed that the HMSL light has a sponge in between to prevent the black plastic from rattling against the rear glass. Looks crude IMHO:


Underside of the boot is identical, except for one change...


...the manual boot release strap from the inside is missing. It’s unlikely that anyone would get trapped inside the boot, but removing it wasn't really necessary:


Key fob is now needed only to lock / unlock the car from the outside. It gets a boot release button:

Last edited by GTO : 30th November 2018 at 11:19.
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Old 30th November 2018, 11:15   #5
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Driving the 1.2L Petrol MT

Ford really knows a thing or two about building competent 3-cylinder engines:


Ford earlier launched the 1.5-liter Dragon series engine in the EcoSport. The Aspire & Freestyle get a downsized version of the same to fit into the <1,200 cc bracket & take advantage of the resultant lower taxes. Marketing reasons too, so as to position the EcoSport's 1.5L as a clear segment above. This 1,194 cc, 3-cylinder petrol engine develops 95 BHP @ 6,500 rpm and peak torque of 120 Nm @ 4,250 rpm. The Aspire is hence down by 303 cc, 26 BHP and 30 Nm when compared to the EcoSport. The engine is paired to a 5-speed MT. However, the automatic variant gets the EcoSport's 1.5-liter unit with a 6-speed torque converter.

The kerb weight of the car is 1,043 kg (17 kg more than the Freestyle), giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 91 BHP / ton and torque-to-weight ratio of 115 Nm / ton. The Aspire is obviously similar to drive as compared to the Freestyle; however, the low end felt a tad duller than the Freestyle's as the Aspire has taller gearing (see difference in cruising rpms below).

This new 1.2-liter unit is down on one cylinder compared to the earlier 1.2L, yet it is much, much better. While the old Aspire's motor was lame, this one actually has some character. It is a very welcome replacement. Ford does know a thing or two about designing small 3-cylinders (we commented on similar lines in the EcoSport review as well); simply put, this new 1.2L is very impressive for a triple-cylinder, although the competition's 4-cylinders (especially from Maruti & Hyundai) are indisputably superior.

Press the clutch and push the engine start button to fire her up. At idle, there are some vibrations felt on the steering wheel, floor and a little on the gear lever - it is not a deal breaker though & these are well controlled. Open up the door and you will see it mildly shaking when the engine is cold (it's okay when warmed up). We also noticed that whenever the A/C compressor kicked in and out, there was a small bit of shake in the cabin. That said, it is noticed only at idle rpms - e.g. when waiting at a traffic light. Other than these irritants, the motor is acceptably refined at lower speeds and it is difficult to make it out as a 3-cylinder engine. Regular folk won't even know. We found it interesting that the engine idles a bit higher than we're used to - we even saw it idling at 1,000 rpm (petrol's are usually in the ~800 rpm range). Guessing this has been done to lessen vibrations at idle.

The Aspire moves off the line without any effort. The low-end brings decent driveability (decent, not exceptional), making the Aspire easy to drive around in the city. Even with a full load, the car never felt underpowered. Overall power delivery is linear, the low end is fair and the car responds decently to throttle input. 2nd gear over a speed-breaker? No sweat, but if the speed drops too low, slip the clutch a little bit with additional accelerator input, else the engine will stall. The accelerator pedal's travel length seems to be a bit more than we see on such small sedans. While I am not complaining, some folk might (at least the ones who notice it).

The mid-range is decent, but it does feel flat at times (it's a small 1.2L at the end of the day). The Aspire revs to 6,800 rpm (we saw 6,900 on occasion too) and the top-end is adequate. You'll enjoy revving the engine on the open road; just as well since the motor does need to be worked hard to perform. Power delivery doesn't come effortlessly, no. The car is quick when driven hard and yes, the engine note never lets you forget that there is a 3-cylinder unit under the hood (classic 3-cylinder thrum is very much present). We like the sound tuning and found the engine note to be on the sportier side (note: aam junta might find it noisy). This, the well-weighted steering & the suspension tune actually make the Aspire fun to drive on the expressway! Vibrations? Most people won't even notice them on the move.

It is not a manic motor though & we distinctly remember the EcoSport's 1.5-liter unit to be rev-happier. This one also likes to rev, but the rpm needle doesn't climb up as fast. 100 km/h comes up at ~2,750 rpm in 5th gear and 120 km/h at 3,250 rpm. Net net, the gearing is taller than the Freestyle's which sees the same speeds at 2,950 & 3,500 rpm respectively. This could explain why we felt the engine a tad duller at low revs.

The gearshift's action is nice with well-defined gates, although it has a little notchiness to it. The gearbox has a medium-length throw; in such a fun to drive car, I'd have expected a shorter throw gearbox. The clutch pedal's weight is average and it is well calibrated. The pedal isn't as light as say an Xcent though and its weight could bother you in bumper-to-bumper traffic. One issue we did notice - when you are revving the car and making aggressive upshifts, there is a noticeable jerk. So it is not a very seamless drive when this car is being flogged hard.

While overall NVH levels are good, the engine does get audible past 3,000 rpm. When you accelerate, there is that classic 3-cylinder thrum that we all recognise from the Maruti 800 days. The engine is heard on the back seat too, although it’s not harsh. Post 5,000 rpm, the 1.2L gets loud. Enthusiasts will like the sporty sound, but their family members won't. Must add, the NVH levels definitely seemed a little better than in the Freestyle. There is the lower cruising rpm level, yes, while the tyres might also be contributing as they were different from our Freestyle demo car.

In terms of fuel economy, the Aspire carries an ARAI rating of 20.4 km/l for the lower 3 variants and 19.4 km/l for the top Titanium and Plus trims (old Aspire with the 4-cylinder unit = 18.2 km/l). 3-cylinder engines are inherently more fuel-efficient, thus owners should be satisfied with the real-world economy figures.

The engine bay looks cramped and messy, partly due to the lack of an engine cover. By simply adding a piece of plastic, Ford could have made the engine bay look cooler:


The bonnet gets a full insulation sheet (many petrols in this price band skip it):


Proper "cold air" intake. See how the piping brings in fresh air right from the front of the car:


Compared to the earlier Aspire, the firewall now gets an additional silver reflective sheet on top of the regular insulation:


Attention to detail! The hoses have a protective cover where they could rub against each other:


No underbody protection offered:

Last edited by Zappo : 30th November 2018 at 13:45. Reason: Edited for readability.
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Old 30th November 2018, 11:15   #6
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Driving the 1.5L Diesel MT

The excellent 1,498 cc, 4-cylinder diesel mill puts out 99 BHP @ 3,750 rpm and 215 Nm @ 1,750 - 3000 rpm. Where the more contemporary diesels (e.g. Honda's 1.5L) have a 16 valve DOHC (double overhead camshaft) valve train, Ford's TDCi engine is an 8 valve SOHC (single overhead camshaft) unit. Renault-Nissan's 1.5L & Toyota's 1.4L D-4D also employ 8 valve SOHC diesels. These are honest, robust old-school mechanicals.

You'll feel the cabin shake as you start the diesel, switch it off or even rev it at a standstill. The clatter is audible and the diesel does make its presence felt. That said, the overall NVH of the car appears to be a little better than the older one.

Spend 10 minutes with the Aspire diesel and it's very obvious which the superior engine is. While the petrol offering has improved, it is the diesel that is our pick.

Given its power & torque ratings, the pleasing performance is no surprise. The diesel offers fantastic driveability in the city. There's healthy torque at low rpms; it's certainly not dead below 2,000 rpm as some other sedans are. The engine has some serious anti stall too - you can take it down to unusually low revs without the motor giving up. The Aspire diesel possesses a tractable nature which makes it very practical for the daily office <-> home commute. Throttle response in the city is satisfactory and you won't need to downshift too often. Turbo-lag is well-controlled. Even when the turbocharger does kick in, power delivery is on the linear side.

While the 1.5L diesel will keep city slickers happy, the highway is where this engine truly shines. Slam the pedal down and the diesel Aspire crosses 120 km/h with ease. Yes, it's very quick in a straight line & will leave you grinning. The strong mid-range ensures that highway overtaking is quick & easy. Importantly, you won't be downshifting as often as in the Aspire petrol on the open road. The TDCi revvs to ~5,000 rpm when needed, but that's really pushing it. Actual progress is slow after 4,000 rpm, prompting you to upshift earlier. There's also an unwanted boomy / drone sound that creeps in at those rpm levels.

While the diesel is a fast performer, its cruising ability is equally impressive. 100 km/h comes up at 2,300 rpm in 5th gear, while 120 km/h comes up at 2,600 rpm. The ARAI rating has marginally improved to 26.1 km/l (outgoing car = 25.83 km/l).

NVH levels are kept in check. Though the engine's note does filter into the cabin, it's not excessive at regular rpms. Vibrations are felt on the pedals though, and they are directly proportional to the engine rpm.

The 5-speed manual gearbox is nice to use, although it's not the segment best. The gearbox does the job for the most part - the gates are properly defined and the throws are short enough. The clutch pedal is heavier than the petrol's. No, it isn't cumbersome, but some competitors do have clutch pedals that are lighter and have a shorter travel range.

The diesel engine is identical to the outgoing car. No changes here:


Unlike the petrol, there is no silver reflective sheet on the firewall:


The diesel is also missing an underbody protector, but it is offered as an official accessory (link). We strongly recommend it:

Last edited by GTO : 30th November 2018 at 11:18.
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Old 30th November 2018, 11:15   #7
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Other Points

• The Aspire Facelift handles better than the earlier car, but we feel its all down to the fatter tyres. Compared to the 175/65 R14 rubber of the old Aspire, the facelift gets 20 mm thicker tyres (195/55 R15). These make a very noticeable difference to the grip levels. Of course, the lower non-Titanium variants come with the 14" tyre size, so no difference there.

• We didn't get to drive the 1.5L Automatic as it wasn't part of the fleet. Here's our review of the same engine & gearbox in the EcoSport. It'll be peppier in the Aspire due to the lighter kerb weight of the sedan.

• The kerb weight has gone up & we confirmed with Ford that NVH improvements are a contributor to this. Couldn't do a side-by-side test with an old Aspire, but the doors of the new car felt like they had slightly more heft compared to the pre-facelift. Here is the kerb weight of the new vs. old cars (top variants):
1.2L Petrol MT: 1043 vs. 1012
1.5L Diesel MT: 1080 vs. 1045
1.5L Petrol AT: 1103 vs. 1035 (larger difference due to the new torque-converter AT)

• Thanks to BHPian Samaspire for pointing this out. The Aspire gets a new piece of rubber beading on the front side of the rear doors. Ford has definitely made several NVH improvements:


• Service interval remains unchanged at 10,000 km / 1 year (whichever is earlier). Ford has also included the service costs in the brochure. Weirdly, the 1.5 AT's maintenance is even cheaper than the 1.2 MT!


• These were the service costs of the outgoing Aspire. Prices have gone up as well as down, depending on which service it is (image credit BHPian Samcan123):


• The recommended tyre pressure has changed to 30 PSI for 1-3 occupants and 35 PSI for a full load. Lower variants with 14-inchers have a 35 PSI recommendation all around (in the old car, it was 32 and 35 PSI respectively - reference image):


• The Aspire comes with a 5 year / 1 lakh km standard warranty. The first 2 years are the factory warranty and the remaining 3 are extended warranty (but standard with the car). Ford should have simply called it a 5 year warranty instead of confusingly terming it as a 2 + 3.

• Ford takes feedback seriously, especially if its from a BHPian as this extended warranty was suggested by BHPian Anumod (related link).

• The Aspire is available in 7 colour shades i.e. White Gold, Ruby Red, Oxford White, Absolute Black, Deep Impact Blue, Moondust Silver and Smoke Grey.

• It is possible to heel-and-toe easily in this car. You'll love it. The pedals are perfectly spaced & positioned.

• Co-driver's seatbelt buzzer is also present .

• Spare wheel continues to be a 14-incher (175/65 size), even on the top variant.

• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay work on both USB ports. If one of them is already in use and you connect a second phone, it goes into USB mode.

• The Ford Aspire brochure can be downloaded here - Ford Aspire.pdf.

• Disclaimer: Ford invited Team-BHP for the Aspire test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

• Ford shares this footage of the Aspire:

Last edited by benbsb29 : 5th December 2018 at 10:12. Reason: Edited as per RP request.
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Old 30th November 2018, 11:37   #8
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Re: 2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Official Reviews. Thanks for sharing, Kanad! I enjoyed doing this review with you.

Nice car & a meaningful update. The front looks damn classy in person, while the new petrol is so much better than the weaker earlier one. But it’s not going to make much of a difference to the sales. I’d say the effect will be a small bump, at best. In the Ford showroom, I’d pick the Freestyle over this (market seems to be doing the same thing). The Freestyle is peppier and a bit more fun to drive. Of course, the top pick would be the Figo Sports 1.5L TDCi.

Love Sync3 and it’s by far the best head-unit in the segment. I like this attention to detail. Despite my iTunes / Rocket Player using the album’s image, Sync3 shows the actual artist which I think is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay cooler & so much more relevant . It’s nice to put a face to the voice you're listening to.

Goodbye my friend is a wonderful Ayrton Senna tribute by Karla Bonoff. Sync3 displays the artist:
2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review-a1.jpg

While my RocketPlayer / iTunes show the album art instead:
2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review-a2.jpg

Ditto for Usher:
2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review-a3.jpg

On my RocketPlayer & iTunes:
2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review-a4.jpg
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Old 30th November 2018, 12:50   #9
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Re: 2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

Overall an improved product over the old Aspire. I like the way Ford has added small additions to the MID and other features which most of the buyers look for(auto headlamps/wipers/push button start). Shows that they are trying.

The other day I was behind a new Aspire in the White Gold color. I immediately was attracted to the rear bumper and it took few seconds to realize that it was the new Aspire. It looked way better than the old Aspire's rear and the design has also improved a bit in covering the exhaust muffler which is an eyesore.

Giving the sump guard as an accessory is a good thing. I need to try my luck again with the showroom to check if they will fit the old Aspire, which I think it should.

The additional beading on the B pillar should also reduce the dust accumulation on the door sills and pillars.

Wonder why Ford did not remove name Figo and let it be just Aspire.
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Old 30th November 2018, 13:07   #10
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Re: 2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

Ford's 1.5 diesel is my engine of choice after driving a 1.2 Beat for 7 years. But the biege interiors keep turning me off. It is a known fact that they get soiled easily. I wish Ford would have offered black interior as an option.

Here's hoping next Figo has a black interior - Freestyle's brown is not so appealing in person.
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Old 30th November 2018, 13:55   #11
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Re: 2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

As the response to this official review shows so far, not much interest in the car among prospective customers. It's a good car, better than many others in the sagment. But apart from the 1.5L AT (which sadly is not available in the top trim), nothing in it to pull customers from established players.

And those beige interiors (in India!). You put a washed white shirt out in the open to dry, by evening the shirt is covered with dust. And they are giving beige interiors as the only option. Seats, Carpets and door lines HAS to be black/dark.
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Old 30th November 2018, 14:03   #12
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Re: 2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

Thanks for the wonderful review blackwasp and GTO.

The facelift definitely appears to be a much better polished package with the improved features, NVH, better petrol, fatter tyres etc.

That said, I'm a little disappointed that the active safety electronics from the Freestyle did not make their way to the Aspire (not that the common man cares). Also, while the quality of the leather upholstery in the pre-facelift was average, it made the cabin feel better and provided much better support than the fabric seats of the lower variants. Maintaining beige fabric without seat covers is going to be a big nightmare too. I somehow used to get back pain with the fabric seats of the Figo and the Aspire but nothing like that in the Aspire Titanium+'s leather.

Coming to the steering, the pre-facelift one had uneven weight. It had no weight at the center and had a lot of weight after turning a few degrees (like in Logitech G27 for those who have used it). Has that been fixed?

Last edited by GTO : 30th November 2018 at 14:44. Reason: Last line is really unnecessary here
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Old 30th November 2018, 15:04   #13
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Re: 2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

Thanks for the review blackwasp and GTO.

Ford Aspire looks refreshed with changes in exterior design and cabin appearance. Aspire was always known as a well-built car.
Quote:
"Lighter build is a departure from the usual Ford sturdiness"
If this is true then its bad move by Ford.

Quote:
Cabin width makes the Aspire suited to 4 adults, not 5.
IMHO, Compact Sedans like Aspire, Accent and Dzire are family cars. Six months back I wanted to go for Aspire and ended buying WRV just because of Aspire's cramped back seat. MS Dzire wins hands down in this aspect.
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Old 30th November 2018, 15:14   #14
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Re: 2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

Excellent Thread @blackwasp and @GTO.! I was eagerly waiting for this review.

I am a confused soul and still haven't decided on which car to buy. Tata Nexon or Aspire 2018 or should I wait for another few months .

After driving XUV-500 for few years now I am spoiled for sheer pickup and power however the sensible side calls for a mileage figure and then i get disappointed.

Its a big tussle going on right now and you guys would very well understand.

Cant settle for less than 100 BHP and cant live below 20 kmpl and yes I am a "Oil Burner" fan.

Coming to the review One question on the driveability.
how is the body roll and cornering ability with this facelift.
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Old 30th November 2018, 15:58   #15
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Re: 2018 Ford Aspire Facelift : Official Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by ShivrajG View Post

Cant settle for less than 100 BHP and cant live below 20 kmpl and yes I am a "Oil Burner" fan.

Coming to the review One question on the driveability.
how is the body roll and cornering ability with this facelift.
Without even test driving myself, I can confidently say - Body roll and cornering ability is good enough for 20kmpl mileage kind of driving.
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