My new Fiesta TDCI and some other test drives

dhiramos · 6th February 2008, 11:38

Hi Floks, I've been reading reviews by all of you on this site, and has helped me a lot in making informed decisions. I recently Bought the 1.4 TDCi in Dec 2007 after test driving Verna CRDI, Logan diesel, Corolla and Honda City. I have had prior experience in driving an Innova diesel, and Santro. Just thought I'll share my thoughts for all others out there trying to make decisions.

Corolla: I loved the suspension and seat comfort in the corolla, but dropped it since it was a petrol car. But the space in the corolla was extremely good. It acclerates well, although you tend to feel it perhaps has a mind of its own; Would have cetrainly gone for the car, were it to be a diesel and at the current price points. My running is upwards of 2000 km a month, hence the preferencefor diesel.

Verna Diesel: verna which has comparable power takes off like a rocket, while in the corolla there is something controlling it and preventing the rocket like take off. Perhaps good from the point of view of safety.

City: The Honda City felt similar to corolla, very noiseless engine, smooth, decent power, though not as much as the corolla, and a bit spongy in acclerating. The insides are good too, but materials are very delicate, and the car is light too. The suspension does not feel solid. Need to handle this car like a baby.

Logan: The Logan was a bit wanting in terms of interior quality, and seemed built to a cost, but the drive was not bad at all. It was certainly noisy, the suspension was good and took the undulations of the road well. But i could not drive it on real bad roads. When i opened the boot, i saw nuts and bolts sticking out, and no insulation material at all. But the sheet metal seems strong and solid. Felt very safe - like sitting in a patton tank. The space inside is massive, can easily seat 3 ppl behind. Seats are big and comfy, but could do with some contours. I found the car cost and mileage great value for money. However, i was not sure of the future of the JV renault-M&M, and hence dropped the idea after much deliberation.

The Verna had amazing pick up after a brief turbo lag, the drive was exhilarating, but i found it a bit unsteady at speeds above 130/140 kmph. The suspension was okay too, and the seats were good - The rear seat was bit hard. However, i felt it was like driving a bigger/more powerful santro. The clutch and gear changing mechanism, and unsteady nature at high speeds felt similar. To manage the car at low speeds in heavy traffic would involve a lot of clutch/break activity, just to control it within the 0-20 km speeds. Although the Fiesta was not in my buying list, i just decided to test drive it, and found the experience great. ( i test drove verna twice, and the fiesta thrice..just to be sure i felt the sameevery time). The suspension of fiesta is amongst the best in its class (leaving aside the corolla of course), minimum body roll, takes up jelly stone roads and rough roads very well, cornering/handling is great, and it is a great drivers car. On paper it gives only 68 bhp, but does not feel underpowered. It moves well in city at slow speeds, without jerks, and can reach 140 kmph on highway (it is rock steady, can even do some high speed manouveres at 80+ kmph - handles beautifully), although a bit slow in acclerating above 80+. Most city driving can be done very smoothly in the 1000-2000 rpm range. For overtaking, you need to work the gears a bit, and get into lower gears and into the 3000 rpm range. But this is not great problem, since the gear change mechanism is quick, short and precise. The engine is refined and sweet, although i found some noise above 3500 rpm (which i found in the innova too). Mileage is great so far - 15+ km/ltr with A/c in city. Although interior space is few mm less than verna, the seats are more comfortable. The rear seats are softer too. The headrests are the best, and offer best neck/head support. The boot is certainly bigger than the verna. Hence i think iFiesta TDCi is great value for money; Verna is more expensive, and you would not get all of the features you get in the ford. In the verna, you probably surely need the ABS to stop the car without skidding/locking the brakes, so it all totals to an extra Rs 70K to 90K. Besides, for me i thought, i would never fully use the 110 bhp of the verna, and wanted a different driving feeling (all hyundais feel similar) - hence settled for the ford fiesta. However, there are some irritants such as little noises here and there, which need to be set right. Cauvery Frd in bangalore did set right a minor problem with the clutch, by bleeding it. It is fine now. Later i need to check if they can respond well to the rattling noise from the door pads. The Innova never had such issues; the santro did have some such issues, but the hyundai guys are adept at detecting it and setting it right. Hope the same holds true for Ford.

1/feb: After 2200+ km: The car is much smoother,with mileage up to 18 km/ltr, I am not getting the noise above 3500 rpm that i mentioned before. It is easily able to touch and maintain speeds of 150+ kmph on NICE road in bangalore. While driving the Innova previously, i felt a bit unsure at these speeds, and breaking is certainly a problem with the innova. But no such issues with the fiesta. It is in its elements on curvy roads with bends. That is where the top class handling of the fiesta at high speeds impresses. Only, while overtaking, dont get caught in the 800 to 1500 rpm range; make sure you are above 2000 rpm while overtaking (that is where the power comes); one should have absolutely no problems. I guess this holds true for most diesel vehicles. In city traffic, just pop it to 1st gear and it can potter along at 5km/hr, no need to strain legs with ABC (acclerator/brake/clutch). Cauvery Ford has managed to set right niggling problems like rattling noise from the door panels etc. So. as of today, I’m quite pleased.

srinivasr79 · 6th February 2008, 14:01

Great decision....Hope you'll enjoy driving the car in the times to come too...

vnabhi · 6th February 2008, 15:16

Great choice. I own a petrol Fiesta and agree that it has the best handling abilities in that segment. I also TD'd a diesel Verna and like it's rocket-like response. But diesel did not make sense to me as I run only 16 kms a day.
I want to TD a diesel Fiesta one day just for the heck of it.

diabloo · 6th February 2008, 15:23

Good analysis. Well, there are people who have badly abused the city but it has taken it all with a gentleman's silence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhiramos

City: The Honda City felt similar to corolla, very noiseless engine, smooth, decent power, though not as much as the corolla, and a bit spongy in acclerating. The insides are good too, but materials are very delicate, and the car is light too. The suspension does not feel solid. Need to handle this car like a baby.

BTW, congrats on your Fiesta

achopraa · 6th February 2008, 15:33

hey man...

very nice review/s and a very good choice indeed...

Though Ford claims a "5 minute mein Fida" test drive but I think you took your own sweet time and finally got FIDA....

Please also post about ICE/upgrades and the Pics of the beauty....

mobike008 · 6th February 2008, 15:53

One of the best filtering out review in a long time. Congratulations for your new car, its a lovely car . I am sure your enjoying it completely.

When i was deciding to buy a car, i had shortlisted the Viva Crdi and Ford Fiesta TDCi. After test driving both several times, i settled for the viva, as i found it to be a much crisper handler, more fun while fast cornering and there would be no comparison for the acceleration thrill it provides. Two positive points in Fiesta, i noted was the back seat comfort is better in fiesta and rough roads are gobbled up by them much better and it certainly has a much refined engine ( NVH values). However, since i drive fast 80% of the times ( meaning i time my drives, gear changes almost always above 2.5-3K rpms, touch 100kmph-110kmph on almost daily basis in the city) the pleasure that i get more this car is indescribable. Its been over 15 months now at 20K kms at the ODO, not a single problem and i enjoy the more i drive this beauty.

Also, there was a fantastic comparison test by Overdrive between Fiesta TDCi and Viva CRDI, that finally clinched my decision towards the Viva

And, all that crazy hard driving gets me 14.5 kmpl in city driving conditions and over 18kmpl on highways

revved_up · 6th February 2008, 15:53

Congrats for your car ..!!

Really nice FE figures too.

attakasa_paiyan · 6th February 2008, 16:10

great review dhiramos,
which variance u bought? got any ICE/upgrades?

supremeBaleno · 6th February 2008, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloo

Well, there are people who have badly abused the city but it has taken it all with a gentleman's silence.

You almost sound like the NHC's alter ego.

snaronikar · 6th February 2008, 21:05

Good review and nice FE too. Enjoy the ride buddy. BTW, have you done any long trips as of now?

PatienceWins · 6th February 2008, 22:27

Congrats for your car. Nice comparative review. FE you are getting is great. Enjoy!!

BUSA · 6th February 2008, 22:43

Congrats on getting the Fiesta. The car has a fantastic and refined engine. Good choice. Any plans for Petes?

finneyp · 6th February 2008, 23:43

Nice choice pal! Congrats!

Fiesta sure is a Fun to drive Car! Enjoy driving!

normally_crazy · 7th February 2008, 00:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUSA

Any plans for Petes?

Busa - seems like you have self appointed your self as Pete's marketing agent.
Will have to take a hard look at your posts now.

braveheart_77 · 7th February 2008, 00:03

hi guyz even i own a fiesta tdci with ABS since mar 06 and have driven around 56k kms without a single problem..i luv the car and it's a gr8 handler..but be sure to go in for extended warranty it helps a lot ..recently one of the cells of my car's battery got exhausted and i just paid 840 rs. to the agency and got myself a new battery otherwise i wld have to pay arnd 3500 rs for the new battery...best car in it's price range...

6th February 2008, 11:38	#1
dhiramos Newbie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: BLR Posts: 5 Thanked: 0 Times	My new Fiesta TDCI and some other test drives Hi Floks, I've been reading reviews by all of you on this site, and has helped me a lot in making informed decisions. I recently Bought the 1.4 TDCi in Dec 2007 after test driving Verna CRDI, Logan diesel, Corolla and Honda City. I have had prior experience in driving an Innova diesel, and Santro. Just thought I'll share my thoughts for all others out there trying to make decisions. Corolla: I loved the suspension and seat comfort in the corolla, but dropped it since it was a petrol car. But the space in the corolla was extremely good. It acclerates well, although you tend to feel it perhaps has a mind of its own; Would have cetrainly gone for the car, were it to be a diesel and at the current price points. My running is upwards of 2000 km a month, hence the preferencefor diesel. Verna Diesel: verna which has comparable power takes off like a rocket, while in the corolla there is something controlling it and preventing the rocket like take off. Perhaps good from the point of view of safety. City: The Honda City felt similar to corolla, very noiseless engine, smooth, decent power, though not as much as the corolla, and a bit spongy in acclerating. The insides are good too, but materials are very delicate, and the car is light too. The suspension does not feel solid. Need to handle this car like a baby. Logan: The Logan was a bit wanting in terms of interior quality, and seemed built to a cost, but the drive was not bad at all. It was certainly noisy, the suspension was good and took the undulations of the road well. But i could not drive it on real bad roads. When i opened the boot, i saw nuts and bolts sticking out, and no insulation material at all. But the sheet metal seems strong and solid. Felt very safe - like sitting in a patton tank. The space inside is massive, can easily seat 3 ppl behind. Seats are big and comfy, but could do with some contours. I found the car cost and mileage great value for money. However, i was not sure of the future of the JV renault-M&M, and hence dropped the idea after much deliberation. The Verna had amazing pick up after a brief turbo lag, the drive was exhilarating, but i found it a bit unsteady at speeds above 130/140 kmph. The suspension was okay too, and the seats were good - The rear seat was bit hard. However, i felt it was like driving a bigger/more powerful santro. The clutch and gear changing mechanism, and unsteady nature at high speeds felt similar. To manage the car at low speeds in heavy traffic would involve a lot of clutch/break activity, just to control it within the 0-20 km speeds. Although the Fiesta was not in my buying list, i just decided to test drive it, and found the experience great. ( i test drove verna twice, and the fiesta thrice..just to be sure i felt the sameevery time). The suspension of fiesta is amongst the best in its class (leaving aside the corolla of course), minimum body roll, takes up jelly stone roads and rough roads very well, cornering/handling is great, and it is a great drivers car. On paper it gives only 68 bhp, but does not feel underpowered. It moves well in city at slow speeds, without jerks, and can reach 140 kmph on highway (it is rock steady, can even do some high speed manouveres at 80+ kmph - handles beautifully), although a bit slow in acclerating above 80+. Most city driving can be done very smoothly in the 1000-2000 rpm range. For overtaking, you need to work the gears a bit, and get into lower gears and into the 3000 rpm range. But this is not great problem, since the gear change mechanism is quick, short and precise. The engine is refined and sweet, although i found some noise above 3500 rpm (which i found in the innova too). Mileage is great so far - 15+ km/ltr with A/c in city. Although interior space is few mm less than verna, the seats are more comfortable. The rear seats are softer too. The headrests are the best, and offer best neck/head support. The boot is certainly bigger than the verna. Hence i think iFiesta TDCi is great value for money; Verna is more expensive, and you would not get all of the features you get in the ford. In the verna, you probably surely need the ABS to stop the car without skidding/locking the brakes, so it all totals to an extra Rs 70K to 90K. Besides, for me i thought, i would never fully use the 110 bhp of the verna, and wanted a different driving feeling (all hyundais feel similar) - hence settled for the ford fiesta. However, there are some irritants such as little noises here and there, which need to be set right. Cauvery Frd in bangalore did set right a minor problem with the clutch, by bleeding it. It is fine now. Later i need to check if they can respond well to the rattling noise from the door pads. The Innova never had such issues; the santro did have some such issues, but the hyundai guys are adept at detecting it and setting it right. Hope the same holds true for Ford. 1/feb: After 2200+ km: The car is much smoother,with mileage up to 18 km/ltr, I am not getting the noise above 3500 rpm that i mentioned before. It is easily able to touch and maintain speeds of 150+ kmph on NICE road in bangalore. While driving the Innova previously, i felt a bit unsure at these speeds, and breaking is certainly a problem with the innova. But no such issues with the fiesta. It is in its elements on curvy roads with bends. That is where the top class handling of the fiesta at high speeds impresses. Only, while overtaking, dont get caught in the 800 to 1500 rpm range; make sure you are above 2000 rpm while overtaking (that is where the power comes); one should have absolutely no problems. I guess this holds true for most diesel vehicles. In city traffic, just pop it to 1st gear and it can potter along at 5km/hr, no need to strain legs with ABC (acclerator/brake/clutch). Cauvery Ford has managed to set right niggling problems like rattling noise from the door panels etc. So. as of today, I’m quite pleased.
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 14:01	#2
srinivasr79 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 27 Thanked: 9 Times	Great decision....Hope you'll enjoy driving the car in the times to come too...
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 15:16	#3
vnabhi Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: DC -> DC Posts: 5,958 Thanked: 2,393 Times View My Garage	Great choice. I own a petrol Fiesta and agree that it has the best handling abilities in that segment. I also TD'd a diesel Verna and like it's rocket-like response. But diesel did not make sense to me as I run only 16 kms a day. I want to TD a diesel Fiesta one day just for the heck of it.
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 15:33	#5
achopraa BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Dilli Posts: 294 Thanked: 117 Times View My Garage	Congrats... hey man... very nice review/s and a very good choice indeed... Though Ford claims a "5 minute mein Fida" test drive but I think you took your own sweet time and finally got FIDA.... Please also post about ICE/upgrades and the Pics of the beauty....
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 15:53	#6
mobike008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 11,703 Thanked: 14,829 Times View My Garage	One of the best filtering out review in a long time. Congratulations for your new car, its a lovely car . I am sure your enjoying it completely. When i was deciding to buy a car, i had shortlisted the Viva Crdi and Ford Fiesta TDCi. After test driving both several times, i settled for the viva, as i found it to be a much crisper handler, more fun while fast cornering and there would be no comparison for the acceleration thrill it provides. Two positive points in Fiesta, i noted was the back seat comfort is better in fiesta and rough roads are gobbled up by them much better and it certainly has a much refined engine ( NVH values). However, since i drive fast 80% of the times ( meaning i time my drives, gear changes almost always above 2.5-3K rpms, touch 100kmph-110kmph on almost daily basis in the city) the pleasure that i get more this car is indescribable. Its been over 15 months now at 20K kms at the ODO, not a single problem and i enjoy the more i drive this beauty. Also, there was a fantastic comparison test by Overdrive between Fiesta TDCi and Viva CRDI, that finally clinched my decision towards the Viva And, all that crazy hard driving gets me 14.5 kmpl in city driving conditions and over 18kmpl on highways Last edited by mobike008 : 6th February 2008 at 15:56.
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 15:53	#7
revved_up BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 802 Thanked: 791 Times View My Garage	Congrats for your car ..!! Really nice FE figures too.
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 16:10	#8
attakasa_paiyan Newbie Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NA Posts: 20 Thanked: 0 Times	great review dhiramos, which variance u bought? got any ICE/upgrades?
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 21:05	#10
snaronikar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,845 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	Good review and nice FE too. Enjoy the ride buddy. BTW, have you done any long trips as of now?
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 22:27	#11
PatienceWins Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,416 Thanked: 807 Times View My Garage	Congrats for your car. Nice comparative review. FE you are getting is great. Enjoy!!
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 22:43	#12
BUSA Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,130 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Congrats on getting the Fiesta. The car has a fantastic and refined engine. Good choice. Any plans for Petes?
	() Thanks

6th February 2008, 23:43	#13
finneyp Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,716 Thanked: 319 Times View My Garage	Nice choice pal! Congrats! Fiesta sure is a Fun to drive Car! Enjoy driving! Last edited by finneyp : 6th February 2008 at 23:48.
	() Thanks

7th February 2008, 00:03	#15
braveheart_77 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: amritsar Posts: 152 Thanked: 68 Times	gr8 car hi guyz even i own a fiesta tdci with ABS since mar 06 and have driven around 56k kms without a single problem..i luv the car and it's a gr8 handler..but be sure to go in for extended warranty it helps a lot ..recently one of the cells of my car's battery got exhausted and i just paid 840 rs. to the agency and got myself a new battery otherwise i wld have to pay arnd 3500 rs for the new battery...best car in it's price range...
	() Thanks