[reignofchaos]

Originally Posted by Mpower

I didn't think anybody else was offering a sump guard in sedan category.
THe hood release thingy can be excused I feel.


I think Fiesta posted a better laptime than Ceda and Civic in MMST (ACI)

After driving it long enough today, I'd say it has absolutely no chance - None whatsoever unless the cedia was being driven too slowly.

[jkdas]

I am driving one from today. It's a bit modded and belongs to Jerish666. Swapped it for my Safari for 3 days as he was going on trip with his family.

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

Here's my review of Ford Fiesta S.

+Looks distinctive in Blue - A head turner for sure. Whether one likes it or not, one can't avoid noticing it.

With the miltek screaming at higher rpms, one will surely have to turn around to see this. But, its not loud as automech or so at any rpm. The sound is very distinct.

+Interiors are pretty decent for the asking price

Had rattles @ 10k from back IIRC. Maybe hard suspension and lot of driving over bad roads. Wiper/flasher/indicator on wrong side

+Good seats which fit snugly, maybe a bit too snugly. A little bit more shoulder room would have been useful.

Need more shoulder room. But a snug fit for a driver's car!


Now lets go to the driving part. The route I took thankfully didn't have too much traffic so had a chance to thrash the car around.

+Excellent steering wheel - very well weighed in and extremely predictable response. It is a little heavy - exactly the way I like it to be and is very easy to control.

I now like the Linea's . Very inspring at high speeds.

+The handling was pretty good, as a matter of fact excellent considering that it had pretty crappy stock rubber. It was doing exactly what I wanted to do.

Man, wow. Precise, very precise. Left or right, he goes where I want it to without any drama. Cant say much about tyres for the distance I covered/road I used. Think this has Goodyear


+Very refined engine note. Barely audible at idle and becomes quite exciting as the revs build up .

Revs built up quite fast. Short shift very useful. From 1200 it pulls great. Good low end torque. Turbo starts at 1800. *my brains plays the exhaust note now*, (I know there is no turbo.)

The Milteks' make you rev it had, asks you to down shift to second jsut for fun sake inside city. Maxes out at 90kmph or so in that gear. Wheels spins in first and second. Love it. Yet to check if it does it in 3rd gear.


+Engine revs up very very cleanly. I'm sure its a short stroke motor.

Revs up pretty fast and without any fuzz. Smooth. Dont think I used 5th gear till now.

+Great all round visibility - hardly any blind spots.

Had the window blind up. Else fine I guess.

+Awesome comfort factor about the vehicle. I was instantly at home and thrashing the car around without any fear.

Awesome to fun factor . Car feels smaller than it is.

+Brakes are nice though could be better. I'm guessing the poor rubber could be at play here.

Tarrox. Does job great. Glad that he got this, gives you very good confidence.


-The ride is a little stiff but acceptable nonetheless.

Thanks to the suspension upgrade. Its a fun it now. You know when you pass over a stone or so. Mom wasnt comfortabla at all when I drove at high speeds. Asked me to keep it at 50-60! No for a family on bad roads. He had to take my Safari coz of this.

Now for the unforgivable things

-- LHD controls which are fine but a LHD bonnet release? Give me a break Ford!

Hehe.

-- No sump guard and underbody protection. If you hit a big stone, you'd have a big repair bill. Thankfully though ground clearance is not bad.

Scary with lower ground clearance. I have to be double careful as I used to Safari.

Overall, inspite of these shortcomings, I feel its still the best deal in the 8lac sedan segment. My friend would probably book one next month unless the Linea bowls him over.

7.80 Lac OTR. 1.5lac for works. Best drivers car below 10lac OTR.

[Guna]

Folks who have driven Ikon 1.6 and Fiesta S, how do you compare the handling /driving experience of these two?
According to ACI (specifically Hormazd, whom I have great regards for) the old Fiesta, which is now considered the best drivers car in the segment (until S came) was still pale in comparision to Ikon 1.6.
Rocom engine was extremely rersponsive even at low revs. They wrote that the steering of Fiesta felt like it has a doze of iBrufen in comparision to the razor sharp steering of the Ikon.
Do you guys think the Fiesta S is in the same league as Ikon 1.6?

[reignofchaos]

Originally Posted by Guna

Folks who have driven Ikon 1.6 and Fiesta S, how do you compare the handling /driving experience of these two?
According to ACI (specifically Hormazd, whom I have great regards for) the old Fiesta, which is now considered the best drivers car in the segment (until S came) was still pale in comparision to Ikon 1.6.
Rocom engine was extremely rersponsive even at low revs. They wrote that the steering of Fiesta felt like it has a doze of iBrufen in comparision to the razor sharp steering of the Ikon.
Do you guys think the Fiesta S is in the same league as Ikon 1.6?

This is true - the Fiesta is a heavier car and the PTWR is lower than the Ikon 1.6. The steering feels a lot sharper in the Ikon. The Fiesta steering has a more weighed in feel too which accentuates it. As I mentioned, this can be a good or bad thing depending on personal preference.

[carfreak]

Read an ad by Ford in today's TOI (Mangalore edition) that some 2008 model cars are available for upto 80k discount. don't know is the 1.6s is also included.this is apart from the free insurance scheme for the month of march

[anachronix]

I have negotiated a deal for 7.56 OTR

[ACM]

Feel that Ford (& hyundai) will drop prices on the Fiesta further in next 3 months to match the Linea, the Icon did have more josh, but the Fiests feels more planted.

The Fiesta today though a very nice car does not make much sence with the SX4, Linea and ANHC in the frame today though it is the best drivers car. It needs better interiors, features and more radical exterior changes that the small bit and pieces cosmetic changes that the 1.6S has.

The older S10 will any day be more fun to drive, and if one is looking at just occational driving pleasure picking up a second hand well maintained (know that is hard to get) RS would be a much better bet than going in for the brand new 1.6S. Ford does have spares that are on the higher side anyways.

Oh and forgot to mention both the drive reviews were very nicely written, and they do present a very clear picture for prospective buyers. Great.

[d_himan]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

This is true - the Fiesta is a heavier car and the PTWR is lower than the Ikon 1.6. The steering feels a lot sharper in the Ikon. The Fiesta steering has a more weighed in feel too which accentuates it. As I mentioned, this can be a good or bad thing depending on personal preference.

Reminds me of an incident...

There's an Ikon 1.6 SXi (2003) in the family. In 2005, me and a friend did a Pune-Mumbai run on the Fusion 1.6 and the Ikon 1.6 for a comparo. (The Fusion, if I am not mistaken, has the same powerplant as the Fiesta 1.6). With 91/92 PS of the Rocam 1.6, I expected the Fusion with 100 odd PS to go faster.

Didn't happen, in fact, beyond 140 kmph, the Ikon 1.6 pulled away from the Fusion (It peaks at slightly over 190 kmph in the speedo) Of course, maybe the Fusion's aero dynamics are to blame, not sure. The mid range 80-120 in 3rd though was neck to neck even though the Ikon's torque arrived early.

In the Khandala-Lonavala section, as expected, it was Ikon all the way in the corners with its superb dynamics. But the Fusion was never too far behind and I was mighty impressed that it could keep the Ikon within its sights.

I drove the Fiesta 1.6 ZXi - but nowhere as hard. But it certainly didn't feel as brisk and precise in the city. No idea about the S.

Oh yes, the Fusion sipped less. I think I got around 7 kmpl for that drive and the Fusion got around 9.

[nitrous]

Originally Posted by ROC

After driving it long enough today, I'd say it has absolutely no chance - None whatsoever unless the cedia was being driven too slowly.

In Narain Karthikeyan's hands!
You seem to be at home with a soft suspension, i assume.
SB: Fiesta beat the Cedia with NK being the driver in both.
I think Fiesta did a 2.16.

[supremeBaleno]

@nitrous, was NK driving the Fiesta ? Or the Cedia that lost ?

[anachronix]

The Fiesta indeed beat the Civic on the track. The mother of all was the CRV on the track

[Guna]

Originally Posted by anachronix

The Fiesta indeed beat the Civic on the track. The mother of all was the CRV on the track

If I remember, he even rated CRV's handling better then Civic's

[anachronix]

Originally Posted by Guna

If I remember, he even rated CRV's handling better then Civic's

Yes!

He did the best time on track with the CRV, followed by the Fiesta S .

[joy_swift]

Am so confused between the SX4 and Fiesta S.....Fiesta S is a delight to drive but overall,I feel(thats just me) SX4 is slightly better....

A friend of mine owns the Aquarius Fiesta S and its a great looking car and have already driven it at a max speed of 170(i think was capable of 180)...

At this moment,am slightly tilted towards the SX4 but with the tbhp forums abuzz with FIAT Turbo pertrol engines,that confuses me again

[Mpower]

It was a track test of various Indian cars done at MMST by NK. All cars were driven for like 10 laps. FiestaS beat both the Civic and the Cedia...by a pretty good margin.

Vrs was fastest leaving out the imports. Would be nice if someone can put up timings.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

@nitrous, was NK driving the Fiesta ? Or the Cedia that lost ?