[clementj]

Hi Guys,

We are from Chennai and currently own a fiesta sedan (1.5 petrol titanium). We bought the car March 2012 and so far the car has done 10890 kms. I noticed that there are hardly any ownership reports on the petrol fiesta so thought it would be worthwhile sharing my experience.

The Decision

The purchase decision was spontaneous. The story goes like this..

I used to be based in Manchester until late 2011 when I realised that I missed India too much and returned to my hometown (Chennai). Like many of my fellow Bhpians, I love cars and enjoy driving. During my time in the UK, I owned an E90 320d Msport that I had to part with it on my return. My parents had a 2008 swift vxi that had less than 20k on the odo which they sparingly used as a second car. It took a while to get adjusted to indian driving conditions but I was soon punting around town in the Swift and it was good enough.

On a uneventful Sunday afternoon in Feb 2012, I was driving down the Mount road with my parents when we happened to pass the MPL Ford showroom opp YMCA in Nandanam. My dad was looking for a replacement for our 2007 corolla and we decided to make a quick stop to check out the endeavour. We walked in and there was an example on display which we sized up. My parents rejected the idea, for reasons that it was too big in the flesh, floor was high and seating was too flat. We were about to leave when I noticed the all new Ford Fiesta parked at the end of the showroom.

I was all too familiar with the new fiesta. It was in this car that I had taken driving lessons to get my UK driver's license back in 2009. That car was a titanium spec 1.6 diesel and I had spent a good 25 hours driving it in the city and the motorways and had been impressed by the way it handled and also by the gadgetry.

At MPL, the sales manager walked up to us and started explaining to us that this was the new fiesta and that they were discounting the car now to clear existing stock. We were offered a test drive that I gladly agreed to and took my chance to rip the test drive car which was a diesel titanium. After a 3km drive, I came back impressed by the driveability and the way the car handled and was sat back in the showroom checking out the price list and the discounts. The discounts were tempting on the petrol models (initally 90k) and the OTR on the trend model was quoted at 9 lakhs. Also, I do less than 15 kms in a day and so the additional capex on the diesel didn't seem a sensible option.

By now, I had been tempted into and was convinced on a purchase. I had taken a few days to ensure that I understood my requirements correctly and made it a point to compare other cars in this price point.

My requirements prioritized in the below order
1) Handling and Ride - 15 kms in the city on twisty backroads and wriggling through chaos needed to be fun
2) Bluetooth telephony - This was a very important factor for me. On my swift, I used to make do with a parrot handsfree speaker clipped to my windscreen shade which was a real pain to turn on, sync and use and always ran out of juice at the wrong time etc.. I have tried aftermarket fitments but never have been satisfied.
3) ICE - I listen to a lot of audiobooks on the drive, so the ICE needed to be sharp and clear. I didn't need USB but Bluetooth streaming was a real good to have.
4) Driving comfort
5) NVH - Traffic does get noisy in Chennai
6) 0-100 - Was not a priority and I hardly have had the chance to stretch the car's legs on my daily run spare the occasional escapade.
7) Rear seat comfort - I drive the car myself and I had only just been engaged. We weren't going to have a regular rear seat passenger.

The alternatives

1) VW Vento / Skoda Rapid - I took a TD of the Vento. I liked the build quality, the teutonic looks and the way the diesel pulled but the steering lacked feel and none of the models offered bluetooth or even USB.
2) Verna - Loved the styling inside out and the equipment, but the wallowy ride and handling put me off. After a 320d, I wasn't going to settle for something that handled like a boat!
3) Honda City - Perky engine and my wife (then my fiancee) almost changed my mind into buying one, but I skipped for the reason that my dad had owned the previous model and besides the iVTEC engine, the car felt almost similar.
4) Linea - The emotion variant almost fit the bill but my colleagues were not very appreciative over the A.S.S for the car. So I decided to come at it if the Ford plan did not work out
5) Sunny - Did not consider. Too big a caaaar for my liking.
6) SX4 - In my view, the model was obsolete and needed a refresh. The fiesta was up to date and packed so much more goodies.

Sales Experience

I was after the Titanium variant but unfortunetely MPL Ford only had Trend variants in stock. Bluetooth was a deal breaker for me so the trend variant offered by MPL was ruled out. I decided to try my luck at the Chennai Ford showroom. They had just one titanium in stock. I verified the VIN (referring to the guidance that I found on team bhp) and found this to be a sep 11 manufactured car. They started with an 75k discount and finally after much haggling I managed to finalize it at a 1.1 lakh. The car came at an OTR of 9.67 lakhs.

I took a test drive of a petrol fiesta once before closing the deal. I did find that the bottomline wasn't very strong and I had to keep the car above 2k rpm for it to be responsive but then it had everything else I wanted. So the decision was made and I took delivery of the car 5 days later in the 2nd week of March. I only had the rear parking sensors fitted as an addl accessory (as this was the titanium not the titanium plus).

Overall, the sales experience was satisfactory.

My life with the ford

I have had the fiesta for over 16 months now and have clocked 10890 kms ~ 700kms per month so far. I use it it the city and its always on short sprints (avg 3-4 kms at a time from cold start).

Mileage figures that I see in the car..
Usual avg mileage - 9.4 kpl (City only, 100% A/C, backroads)
Best avg mileage - 16.3 kpl (highway ECR to pondy, 100% A/C)
Worst avg mileage - 7.8 kpl (heavy bumper to bumper traffic, 100% A/C, and me trying to keep the engine >2k rpm)

I wish it was more economical but I have to stress the fact that it is one of the most under-rated cars here. Overall, the car has been very easy to live with. I have listed down some of the features that I really appreciate in the ford..

ICE/Bluetooth telephony/Voice control - The ICE is very good and very clear and every feature works. adaptive sound, speed sensitive volume, the subtle DSP presets. Bluetooth phone sync works superbly. Live calls are automatically transferred to the car as soon as I turn the ignition on and the car keeps the call going even if I remove the key until I finish the call. I have been able to take conference calls from the car and have never had anyone complain of an echo or lack of clarity on the handsfree. Much better than the parrot kit that I had previously used. The voice dialling is really works and I use it every day. However, I have never used the voice control for anything other that the phone itself and it is far easier to just use the switchgear to control the A/C and the ICE.

NVH - The fiesta has impressive NVH levels. Coupled with the fantastic ICE and the silent engine, the car completely shuts off the noisy traffic and it makes the journey to and from office a relaxing experience. My dad's corolla pales in comparison.

Ride and Handling - I would just concur with the reviews on Team Bhp. Planted ride, very accurate and weighted steering and the car inspires confidence. Driving down the ECR to pondicherry, I can easily take the bends w/o the need to use the brakes.

Auto Folding mirrors - Parking space at home and at work is a bit of squeeze. In my swift, I always had to follow the routine of getting out of my car, folding the driver side mirror, squeezing through the tight gap to the other side and fold the passenger side mirror. I had to do this everytime I parked my car at home or at work i.e. 4 times a day. The fiesta folds the mirrors when I lock the car and unfolds them when I unlock

Interiors and Comfort - I rather like the black and grey interiors and the texture of the fabric. They are very practical. even after 16 months of use, the interior is spotless and dirt never shows. The front seats (titanium sport seats) are very supportive and comfortable and everything is within reach. The footwell lighting is a boon in the night and dashboard dimming on lights is a neat touch. The rear seating however is a disappointment. The rear headrests are an irritant and we had it removed and the rear arm rest is too high.

Build quality - I am not sure about the level of localization in the Fiesta, but the car feels very well screwed together and holds well until now. No rattles or noises.


A.S.S. and problems faced

One niggling that I had since taking delivery of the car was that there was a mild drift of cold air constantly flowing from the demister vent causing the front windshield to mist when the outside humidity was high. I hadn't noticed it when i took delivery of the car and over time it was becoming a difficult problem. Every night the windshield misted within minutes of starting the car affecting visibility.

I tried to explain the situation to the service advisor on the first service at Chennai Ford (3 months) but all I was told was that this was normal. I wasn't going to go with that answer and I stood my ground and called for the service manager and went through the whole process again. They kept the car for observation of the issue for 5 days and then agreed to report this issue to Ford and as a temporary fix, I was provided a 'mat' that i could cover up the demister vent. They promised to get in touch as soon as Ford had had a chance to review the issue. I had this noted down on the service summary slip for reference.

I hadn't heard from them after the first service, so I decided to take it up with them as a part of my second free service at 12 months. It was a new service advisor this time and I had to go through the problem all over again. Again I was told that this was normal but I insisted for an hour and showed the first service slip and the caveat agreed by the service manager. After a week of keeping the car under observation engineers from Ford came in to diagnose the problem. Finally it was diagnosed as misalignment of condenser seals and this issue was resolved under warranty. I had to do w/o the car for a week but I was happy that the issue was finally resolved!

The other problem I have had with the car is the ford emblem in the alloy wheels falling off. The first time I lost one, I had it replaced at the first service at a cost of Rs 800. And I lost another one 2 months later and decided it wasn't worth replacing them.

Overall

After a 17 months of ownership, I have had no issues with the car save the one that was fixed under warranty. The car has so far offered a very satisfying ownership experience meeting all my requirements and has a number of practical touches that are normally not found on feature lists that I've found to be very useful in owning the car. I am unable to comment on the cost of maintenance as paid service is 8 months away.

What I would wish for in the fiesta? The ecoboost engine, better rear styling and an improved rear seat = The ecosport?
Will my next car be a ford? Absolutely yes, for the handling and the voice recognition system alone, it will be worth my while.

[DeKay]

Clementj,
The fiesta is an excellent vehicle. I have driven the all new fiesta on a couple occasions and I loved it.
I have just booked the Ecosport Titanium (O) which essentially has everything I want, except for auto folding mirrors. Guess I will have to do without those.
But it is great to hear that you haven't been facing any rattling/ squeaking issues.

[Simple_car]

Originally Posted by clementj

Hi Guys,

Hi Clementj,

I have a fiesta A/T titanium plus at home, and concur with all the points you have said. That said, I would appreciate if you can help me out with two things:
1. Can you please elaborate a little more on engine characteristics? You said that you have to keep the engine above 2k rpms. Most reviews (mags like autocar, topgear etc.) say that the engine is flat in midrange, and it is strong towards the end at higher revs. Is this true? Mine being an A/T, behaves very differently, and I am not being able to judge the engine very well.

2. Do you get the feeling that the passenger windows are rain repellent? Like its very very easy to see the ORVM's in my car even during heavy rains. And no, I am not talking about the wind causing the water flow. I am talking in traffic scenarios, when the car is not moving at speeds.

Also please note:
1. Do have a look at how the spare tire and the jack are placed in this car. It's a unique arrangement. My mother used the spare once, and when I went to put it back, I couldn't figure it out. Even the service center personnel didn't have a clue!
2. The low beam headlights are really one of the best you get from an OEM.

My review is ready, and I have already notified the moderators to move it in this section. Surprised to see that they haven't done it yet.

Thanks,
Simple_car

[clementj]

Originally Posted by Simple_car

1. Can you please elaborate a little more on engine characteristics? You said that you have to keep the engine above 2k rpms. Most reviews (mags like autocar, topgear etc.) say that the engine is flat in midrange, and it is strong towards the end at higher revs. Is this true?

I've never driven a fiesta with the powershift but what I have felt in the 1.5 engine is that there is hardly any low end torque. Between 0-1500 rpm, the car responds like a slouch. Only after it crosses 1500, it starts pulling and it gets stronger and stronger towards the higher revs. The fiesta is definitely not the 'first' on off the block at traffic lights on 2nd gear.

So I have to work the gearbox if I find myself <2k rpm to raise the revs for quick getaways.

Originally Posted by Simple_car

2. Do you get the feeling that the passenger windows are rain repellent?

Actually I've never noticed this but true. I've driven in hard rains and the visibility has never been a problem!

Thanks for the tip about the rear tires. I'll check out the arrangement.

Btw, do you hear any steering noise at low speeds? I'm not sure if it is anything to worry about as the car still steers well but I am going to have this checked out the next chance I get.

[Simple_car]

Originally Posted by clementj

Btw, do you hear any steering noise at low speeds? I'm not sure if it is anything to worry about as the car still steers well but I am going to have this checked out the next chance I get.

Thanks a lot sir,

Yes, the steering noise at low speeds is also a know issue with this car. Ford has issued a service advisory to grease the shaft or replace it accordingly. It's there in my car as well, but it's intermittent at this stage. I haven't been able to replicate it infront of s.a.'s yet. Will wait till it becomes a bother.

Thanks,
Simple_car

[clementj]

My Fiesta was finally sold at 38,253 kms.

For 7 years that I had it, it served me well and the ownership experience was blissful. Although the petrol engine wasn't a cracker, the Fiesta's handling, driving comfort and high speed manners were commendable. I primarily used in the city and the cars handling characteristics and the sharp steering made it enjoyable to drive in and out of backroads and narrow streets.

The car was very economical to maintain and the average cost of annual service was around 6k and the insurance was hovering around the 10k mark. The car returned a mileage of 10 kmpl in the bumper to bumper traffic and was surprisingly economical on the highways returning 16-17 kmpl.

In the 7 years, only the brake discs and pads needed to be replaced. The car had barely aged inside out and still looked up to date.



A Jeep compass, a diesel MT 4x2 limited plus in Magnesio grey will take its place next month. Looking forward to starting a new ownership review thread soon.