Personally, I feel the car feels more aggressive with that cladding being slapped on all around the body,

BHPian sriniadk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Meet my sleek ride - Ford Freestyle:

What I Love:

• The punchy diesel engine performance is coupled with excellent efficiency.
• The NVH level of this diesel engine is pretty much good (not like the Hyundai's though) better than the VW's, Honda and the 1.3L Multijet engine.
• Steering feedback and handling are crafted in an enthusiast way even though it is an Electric power steering (carrying on with Ford's charisma).
• More Practical with a 190 mm ground clearance setup.
• Excellent suspension setup - if you hit the curves it will boost your confidence to hit more speeds.
• The subtle cosmetic changes over Figo with that body cladding give it a bolder look along with the classy alloy wheels.
• Nifty features like auto IRVM, auto headlamps, auto wipers and Sync system - simply the best in its segment.
• Better interior space management especially rear legroom when compared to Polo.
• The Titanium+ variant gets necessary safety features like 6 airbags, ESP, ARP & HSA.

What could have been better:

• The major setback of this car is the degradation of build quality when compared to the 1st gen Figo and other Ford cars.
• Interior plastic quality is not top-notch and attracts scratches easily.
• Harder suspension comes at the cost of a bumpy ride at low speeds in bad patches of road.
• The Headlamps are a mere equivalent to a candle and nothing else.
• Boot space of 257L is much less when compared to competitors.
• Cost cutting like not providing keyless entry even after giving button start, non-illuminated power window switches.

To start off with a huge thanks to the Moderators for accepting my membership request. I am really delighted that after 8 years of being just a spectator of the Team-BHP website, I have got an opportunity to pen down my thoughts in this forum. Please bear with me if I make any mistakes as this is my first thread on Team-BHP and all suggestions would be considered in a healthy way.

I have divided the entire ownership into different parts, starting off with a small preface of my car journey.

Index:

Introduction about my car journey

Why only Ford again?

Exterior

Interior

Heart of any Ford - Engine, Handling

The Smaller yet Significant Things

Personal Verdict

I came to know about Team-BHP in my 12th standard when I was searching car for our home in 12th standard. The first review which I read was of the 2014 Alto K10 and the journey started from there. While the Team-BHP craze started for me 8 years ago, the craze for cars and automobiles dates back to my childhood when I used to roam around my home with all toy cars. The main influencer in my conscious was the Maruthi Omni garage which was situated in front of our home in my native place. I used to wait for my summer holidays so that I could go to that garage and sit all day long in that sun. I have changed Stepney, cut windshield glasses, removed battery and the list goes on.

I grew up and I entered that driving age. It was exactly on my 18th birthday when my friend's gate-crashed into my home at night 12 o'clock as a surprise(the best birthday till now). I had already got 2-3 driving lessons from my friend(I consider him my guru in all aspects )in their Xylo car. So we went out for a drive in the streets of my locality. I still remember my friends howling from behind "Bhai ussae gaadi le le nahi toh,aaj birthday mae maut hojayega" . While I was not driving fast nevertheless I also forgot the existence of brake, coupled with the body roll of Xylo they felt it that way.

Many things in my life changed once I completed my 12th grade. After a year of study, I had to leave the college I had been enrolled in since I had been accepted to a superior institution in a different state. Because of this, I used to get only holidays between the Semesters. But that embarked my journey of driving to the next level, as it was a routine to go on a trip every six months along with my friends. In our gang, we were a trio of drivers (with me being the amateur). We 3 never worried about the destination because driving was the main reason for our trips. Over the course of six years, we transitioned from travelling in one car at first to two cars as time went on. We have used a range of vehicles for our journeys, including the Xylo, i20, OG Innova, City (petrol), Innova Crysta, Duster, and Ciaz. But the one major participant for most of the trips was the one and only Alto 800. Alto 800 was simply a legend it never gave up. It has ferried us to most of the destinations, be it the plains of Kanyakumari, the twisting roads of Kolli hills or the Steep roads of Idukki (except for one time when we had to push it from behind as power was not enough to climb that narrow steep upslope with 5 people ). We have covered all the tourist destinations of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and a part of south Karnataka.

Time passed and I got into my job in Gujarat and it was the Covid times going on. My aim to buy a car was slowly growing inside me much more, but Covid really played a spoilsport. Then finally towards the end of 2021, I started looking for my first car. I knew my budget was restricted, so started searching accordingly and was also aware of the fact that I would not be holding on to this car for a long time due to my professional constriction. The various cars that I considered were:

• Toyota Etios Liva diesel
• Fiat Linea / Punto 1.3 Multijet
• 1st gen Swift diesel
• Renault Scala (D) / Nissan Sunny (D)
• 3rd gen Honda City iVTEC

One thing which you can find as common in all these cars would be DIESEL. Yes, I am inclined towards that Diesel grunt. It's impossible to put into words the rush of excitement you experience when you floor a diesel car and the way it pins you into the seat when the turbo spools. The other car which I have always admired is the Honda City iVTEC. My curiosity for City mainly started off after reading GTO's post about the iVTEC engine. The way he exclaims about the Vtec Kicking and hitting the rev limiter made me more curious. Luckily a close friend of mine bought the 4th gen City in a petrol version. When I got a chance to drive the same, I understood the excitement of GTO and others. My god what an engine that is; I once floored it in second gear and the car pulled like a beast all the way to 7100 RPM and I could see the speedometer cross 100 kilometers per hour. This engine has a mix of both calmness and enthusiasm in it. It will respond to your driving style exactly as you expect.

I spent an entire month, roaming around in the 2nd hand car dealer area, just to get fooled. Every time I get close to a car deal and check its service record, either the meter would have been tampered, or the car was in a haphazard state. That's when I thought why can't I just ask these showroom guys if they have any car that they had got in as an exchange car. Finally, things started falling into place when I went to the Ford showroom. There I found a gentleman (Mukesh), who seemed to be genuine and assured me of getting a car. I found a 2012 Toyota Etios Liva (D) with low run kilometres and asked him to get it to my place for a test drive. So before reaching my place, he gave me a call stating that he also has a 2012 Ford Figo Diesel in pristine condition with a full-service record which has clocked around one and a half lakhs kilometres. I refused him, not to get that car as it has high mileage in its ODO. But still, he insisted me to just drive and see. My initial impressions of driving the Toyota Etios Liva was very bad. The vehicle was constantly pulling towards the left and the suspension definitely needed an overhaul. With a sense of disappointment inside me, I got into the Ford Figo.

The initial impressions were very good, the dashboard felt refreshing and it didn't look like a car that has put on so many kms under its belt. Checked the entire car with my check-off list and surprisingly it ticked most of the boxes. Few niggles which I found in the car were:

• Rusting on 3-4 places
• The bumper was repainted which was evident (Mukesh accepted the same) and the body had scratches in many places.
• The Headlamps fail to switch to High beam.

Took the car out for a drive and I felt that the car was way ahead of the Etios which I had driven before. In that rough patch of road, the suspension neither gave any squeaky sounds nor it bottomed out. When I drove it on the Highway, the car pulled off cleanly and even at speeds of above 100 Kmph, the car was very sturdy, balanced and gave great assurance to the driver. After the drive, I informed Mukesh that I would contact him in a few days with a firm decision. Came back to my room and started doing the background research about this car. Then I realised, how I missed this car in my wanted list(mainly because I felt that the 1.4 TDCi was underpowered with the power figures on paper). The only hiccup that was there in my mind was the high mileage on ODO. But my friends gave me assurance that since it is properly company serviced there shouldn't be any problem. So without further delay, I made the decision to purchase the car. I named my Ford Figo as Ironhide( inspired from Transformers ).

Ironhide sighted on the first day:

Finally in my garage:

Simple and classic interiors:

As soon as I got the car, the first thing which I did was to convert it into a Mustang:

And I also tattooed my Ironhide with the signature stickers:

Continue reading on BHPian sriniadk's Ford Freestyle for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

The ownership has been a breeze. I never had to spend anything over and above the regular service & maintenance.

BHPian kumarmaddy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Now that, I have driven 2018 Ford Ecosport TDCi Titanium for just over 75,000 kms in 4 years and 3 months, I am pretty confident what it is capable of, and I can say that we are connected on a personal level (In my wife words: I understand my car better than I understand her) . Fortunately, my car has been trouble free so far (touch wood) and the ownership was just a breeze. I never had to spend anything over and above the regular service & maintenance. (Thanks for many threads on this forum explaining do's and don'ts of car maintenance & driving habits).

I pretty much agree with the likes and compromises that have been mentioned by the other Ecosport owners on this forum.

Likes:

• Driving dynamics.
• Build quality & Safety.
• Comfortable Interior (at least for front seats).
• Lots of storage options.
• Huge fuel tank of 52L (1 full tank is more enough for 1000 kms).
• Smart entry, ORVMs open/close upon unlocking/locking.
• Light on pocket (Servicing cost hardly crosses 6K even for 70K service).

Compromises:

• Comfortable for 2 in the rear.
• Thick A-Pillars result in blind spots.
• No Android Auto / Car Play (thanks to Fly Audio).

Money matters (over the mileage of 75K):

Fuel cost:

• Lifetime Average: INR 3.98 / KM
• Last Half-life average: INR 4.28 / KM
• Service & Maintenance Average : INR 2.69 / KM
• Overall cost (excluding depreciation): INR 6.67 / KM

Percentage wise, the costs are:

• Fuel: 60%
• Regular Service: 10%
• Maintenance: 10% (tyre change, Seat covers, deflectors, 3M CR70)
• Insurance: 20%

I have already updated the mileage information in this thread, if anyone is interested.

Detailed breakup of costs:

Service costs:

2.5K Service (13/11/2018) (first free service) (Total amount: INR 59.00)

Labour: Nil

Parts(INR 59.00): Windshield wash fluid

10K Service (16/03/2019) (second free service) (Total amount: INR 3,135.00)

Labour (INR 1,380.60):

Wheel alignment & balancing.

Parts (INR 1,754.63):

• Windshield wash fluid.
• 5W30- Engine Oil (3.8 L)
• Engine Oil Filter.
• Gasket Drain Plug.
• Weights for balancing.

20K Service (16/08/2019) (Total amount: INR 6,097.60)

Labour (INR 3,739.42):

• Service labour.
• Wheel alignment & balancing.

Parts (INR 2,358.18):

• Windshield wash fluid.
• 5W30- Engine Oil (3.8 L).
• Engine Oil Filter.
• Gasket Drain Plug.
• AC Air Filter.
• Engine Air Filter.
• Weights for balancing.

30K Service (14/02/2020) (Total amount: INR 7,352.66).

Labour (INR 3,666.26):

• Service labour.
• Wheel alignment & balancing.

Parts (INR 3,686.40):

• Windshield wash fluid.
• 5W30- Engine Oil (3.8 L).
• Engine Oil Filter.
• Gasket Drain Plug.
• AC Air Filter.
• Weights for balancing.
• Diesel Fuel Filter.

40K Service (07/11/2020) (Total amount: INR 6,462.00).

Labour (INR 4,366.00):

Service Labour
ii. Wheel alignment & balancing

Parts (INR 2,096.39):

• Windshield wash fluid.
• 5W30- Engine Oil (3.8 L).
• Engine Oil Filter.
• Gasket Drain Plug.
• AC Air Filter.
• Weights for balancing.
• Engine Air Filter.

50K Service (25/05/2021) (Total amount: INR 4,914.00).

Labour (INR 2,454.40):

• Service Labour.

Parts (INR 2,459.64):

• Windshield wash fluid.
• 5W30- Engine Oil (3.8 L).
• Engine Oil Filter.
• Gasket Drain Plug.
• AC Air Filter.
• Weights for balancing.
• Windshield wipers (Front & back).

60K Service (30/01/2022) (Total amount: INR 17,999.00).

Labour (INR 5,206.39):

Service Labour.

Wheel alignment & balancing.

Front & rear wheel brakes cleaning.

Parts (INR 12,362.81):

• Windshield wash fluid.
• 5W30- Engine Oil (3.8 L)
• Engine Oil Filter.
• Gasket Drain Plug.
• AC Air Filter.
• Weights for balancing.
• Engine Air Filter.
• Diesel Fuel Filter.
• Battery.
• High beam & Low beam lights (4 each as spare).
• Wheel nets (8).

70K Service (17/09/2022) (Total amount: INR 6,549.00).

Labour (INR 4,757.18):

• Service Labour.
• Wheel alignment & balancing.
• Software update check.

Parts (INR 1,791.93):

• Windshield wash fluid.
• 5W30- Engine Oil (3.8 L)
• Engine Oil Filter.
• Gasket Drain Plug.
• AC Air Filter.
• Weights for balancing.

Maintenance costs:

• 23/10/2019 - Sun film Front windshield CR 70 - INR 8,151.00
• 06/01/2020 - Seat covers & wind deflectors - INR 9,115.00
• 24/04/2022 - Tyre Change at 65K - INR 32,063.00

Insurance:

• Year 1 - 24,000 (Approx.)
• Year 2 - 16,865.57
• Year 3 - 21,035.47
• Year 4 -20,166.38
• Year 5 - 17,904.89

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information

The stock one itself has a good bite but I changed the brake pad as the distance the brake pad was used was pretty high and I wanted to test the Brembo ones.

BHPian jithin23 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

82,000km update:

Life has been business as usual for blue baby and this car ages like fine wine!

So I thought of upgrading my brake pads to Brembos from Engineering Exponent and one of my close contacts at Ford managed to arrange the alloy wheel which was about to be launched in the facelift before the company to shut it's doors.

I used the same TPMS sensors and no issues with respect to its functioning as such.

Stock wheels:

The first 4 pics are after the wheel swap! Looks way more classier than the stock wheels of Titanium Variant:

TPMS doing its job well. 43 psi was a tad too much and these air guys fill up like crazy:

Brembos:

The stock brake pad was almost at 1 mm:

Part no. for Brembo brake pads:

A quick review on the brake pads:

The stock one itself has a good bite but I changed the brake pad as the distance the brake pad was used was pretty high and I wanted to test the Brembo ones. The Brembo pads really do make a difference in braking after the bedding in period of 600-800 one. Overall a good buy and a recommended one in case you're going for new brake pads. Also, the cost is similar to OE brake pads.

My next major mods in this car will be adding Traction control (ESP), cargo management and auto dimming mirrors and to get the ST steering and AC cluster(last 2 items are there in the red dragon). Then I'll call it a day for modding this car!

That's all for now folks.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

My Figo was fun to drive, the peppy 1.5 diesel was exciting and the interior screamed quality (of course, for the price tag). I was happily living with my grey beauty.

BHPian rbk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A little bit of history for premise:

Cars. An emotion that we all share at Team BHP. I am no less an enthusiast. I was fortunate enough to have several cars at home as I grew up. To mention a few stalwarts from memory, there was a Maroon Contessa with the chrome bumper, a white Tata Sumo with the quintessential roof-mounted carrier, a Hyundai Accent GVS without ABS, a Wagon R Gen 2, an underpowered Hyundai Getz, a signature Green Gen 1 Ford Figo TDCi with surprisingly exciting speakers, a 3.0 TDCi Ford Endeavour Thunder+. All of these except the Figo and the Endeavour were more or less memories - as I was too young to drive.

But the first car that was daily driven and owned by me was a trusted Toyota Etios Cross. It still remains in our family clocking a solid 1.6+ lakh km on the ODO and going strong. When I passed the Etios on to my younger brother, I bought a grey Mahindra Thar CRDi. It was purely a go-by-the-heart kinda purchase - after I saw one climbing the snowy mountains on a trip to Himachal. But the bumpy ride, not so nice on the highway, inability to lock my belongings in the soft-top cabin and the almost never taking the car off-road made me realise it is time to part ways and go back to a sensible, affordable car. That is when I bought myself a Figo Blu Titanium TDCi. The car was fun to drive, the peppy 1.5 diesel was exciting and the interior screamed quality (of course, for the price tag). I was happily living with my dear Grey Figo.

Now for the twist in the tale:

One of my close friends drops a bombshell. He was off to vacation in the Maldives for a few days and he offers to leave his less than an year old glittering Black BMW 330i with me. He said I can keep it until he's back. That is a once in a lifetime kind of offer. Those few days changed everything! Though I have driven a few premium, powerful Germans before, this was my first prolonged experience with a proper, well built, performing, exciting car. The car gave me haunting memories, even after I gave it went back to its owner. I should say the Beemer has spoilt me for good.

A few months passed and I had to get a second, bigger car because long distance work travel demanded it. Of course, a BMW was a farfetched dream, considering both affordability and ability to maintain one. So I went ahead and bought myself the King of No Frills - a Toyota Innova Crysta GX Automatic (Diesel). It was the perfect work horse that I wanted. But, the ghost of the Beemer still haunted me.

I sold my Figo to my cousin, and was all over OLX to find that "Fun German" that I could buy which wouldn't burn a big hole in my pocket. A well maintained, low mileage used, German car is almost always a stretch on my budget. I gave up and decided I'll wait for an year or more before I can save up for a good car.

Now the fun part:

A flashback: It was on the afternoon of 6/2/2020 that I first saw this car, not just any Octavia vRS 230, but this car, the one the story is about. A random call from an old time school friend, telling me that he was in the vicinity with his vRS and if I wanted I could come check it out. In no time I pulled over by his office in my Figo, and I could see this Corrida Red beauty sitting on the side of the road, making a statement - doing absolutely nothing.

Man, I fell in love with the car that instance. I was gawking over it - front to back, side to side, floor to roof. He gave me a short spin in the car and I was simply blown away. The pops and bangs from the exhaust, the roar of the 2 litre TSI still stays fresh in my head.

I know what car guys feel when someone asks else wants to drive your car! Especially if you are not very familiar with the other person’s driving skills. Knowing this I never ask anyone if I could drive their car however tempting they are. But out of the blue my friend asks me if I want to get behind the wheel. As hesitant as I was, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. A brief jaw dropping sprint was enough for me to fall head over heels.

I come back home and start searching “vRS 230” on OLX, and as any car guy would know - it is a rare commodity. In the meanwhile the vRS245 was launched in India, but the on-road-price was looming around 45 lakhs! How much ever I stretch the budget there is not a chance it would stretch to 45 at the time.

Back to real time: approximately a month back from when I am writing this post. This is the time when I had almost given up on buying a new car and promised myself to wait until I can afford one. Through the years I had watched every vRS video on YouTube and read every thread about the car on Team BHP (as any true enthusiast would). About 3 weeks back I again receive a call from my friend asking me if I want to come check out his gorgeous Merc 123. Towards the end of admiring the aesthetics of his well kept 123 he casually mentions that he MIGHT sell his vRS. Knowing my friend's cars to be as good as or even better than “showroom condition” I just couldn’t let this vRS slip away! I had convinced myself earlier that I am not going to buy a car now, but I knew if I pass on this chance, I may never sleep peacefully again.

I hurried back into my office and told the wife that I just need to figure out a way to buy this car. Cars like this don't come by every day, I told her! Convincing my wife that it was a vRS and not an every day "Octavia", hence the budget, was tricky. But one thing led to another and on the 30th of June 2022, the same car which now churns out an even heftier 309 herss-perrs (Donut Media reference) shares garage space with my Garnet Red Crysta.

And right before he handed over the keys to me, Anand says “I have never let anyone else randomly drive my vRS like I let you that day. I saw you gawking over it and went ‘well, wth’. Maybe it actually was destiny that you end up owning it”. And now I sleep peacefully.

Tech corner:

The car has the following mods done on it by Harmonixx, Bengaluru. My friend, the previous owner, had got it done it before I purchased it from him:

• Stage 1 95 RON ECU Tune
• IS20 TCU Tune
• K&N OEM Replacement Air Filter
• Dyno Figures: 309HP & 529Nm

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I was initially tempted to buy either a Fiat Urban Cross or a Linea TJet but ended up with a Figo S.

BHPian VWAllstar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Great thread Vibhanshu. Perfect name as well - "The Practical Enthusiast"

I too own a Ford Figo S TDCI in white. Maybe biased, but I agree with you that it looks better in White.

My ownership is not a very smooth one though. Mine is a 2018 Figo S TDCI which I purchased in 2019. I wanted the 'S' variant only and that too in White hence I went ahead with a nearly one-year-old manufactured car. No regret whatsoever though.

I love Fiat cars and wanted to own one. The time I could afford a second car was when Fiat was packing up. Had a choice to get a 2019 Urban Cross Diesel Emotion Variant, Linea Tjet or stick to Ford. With a heavy heart, I let go of Fiat as Ford was more relevant then and their service centre was only 5 km away from my place of residence. I feel the Figo S is 90% of Fiat with 10% missing out due to Fiat's better steering (hydraulic) and built quality.

Figo S got a separate review thread on Team-BHP and it did deserve one. BHPian Vibhanshu and Tharian's thread covers every detail of the variant. Listing a few important events/issues specific to my Figo.

1. Within 15k km, the tie rod gave up. I had driven the car over some bad roads in Konkan however did not expect it to go kaput so soon. It was during the pandemic yet Ford shipped the part from Chennai and covered it under a warranty
2. Remap: Got the car remapped by Wolf Moto. Wanted to have a better low end and hence asked for a custom map. The car was too eager in traffic and hence had to change the map to have a stronger mid-range. It was a beast on the highways and did give me scares of collecting fines, especially on the Mumbai Pune Expressway. Spoke to BHPian Shekhar and he gave me details on how to have the best of both worlds. Got the map changed for the 4th time by flashing a more conservative one. Srikanth was too considerate throughout and helped make me satisfied without showing any signs of discomfort or charging for the change of maps. Another thumbs up to Wolf Moto and Srikanth.
3. Clutch assembly changed with the car at 19K km. It was quite strange for me that the clutch assembly had to be changed so early. The clutch was worn out and had to be replaced. As per my theory, it was because of the 1st map I had on my car which was making it difficult to control the car in stop-go traffic. It increased pressure on the clutch causing premature wear. My Father is a very cautious driver and he comes with past experience of driving only petrol cars. This could also have affected the clutch. Requested a goodwill warranty from Ford which they declined. The pics of the clutch plate gave it away as it was evident that poor driving skills may have caused the damage. Changed the entire clutch assembly and paid Rs. 18K all-inclusive.
4. Met with an accident with a Cow jumping on the bonnet. Fortunately, I realized from a distance that the cows are up to something and slowed down my speed. Changing lanes to avoid any unfortunate event however the cow was too nimble to jump straight from the divider onto my car. Damaged the bonnet, headlights, front RHS door, RHS ORVM, Fender, RHS rear door and rear bumper. Had zero dep insurance and claimed for the damages. All damaged parts were replaced with a total bill of Rs 85K. I had to pay Rs. 2K for processing and consumables. Bhavna Ford did a decent job to get the car in good shape. There is a crack on the front bumper which is yet to be fixed.
5. Upgraded the audio setup with Infinity component speakers. During highway drives, passengers felt discomfort with the NVH. I too use to feel nauseatic post 200 km hence went ahead with damping. Got the front doors damped with a 2.2 mm sheet. I will check if the issue has been minimized and then dampen the floor and rear doors accordingly.
6. Countless good drives in my Figo S. Especially driving on Konkan ghats where the car's actual strengths were tested and passed with flying colours. Currently, the odo is at 23k km as I use my Ameo DSG for long-distance travel for comfort. At every corner, I remember my Figo and wish it was it instead of the Ameo! But then at the end of 600 km of the day driving, I thank and appreciate the DSG + Diesel combo of Ameo.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Figo is my daily drive + weekend toy and sees both city and highway use regularly.

BHPian Vibhanshu0923 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The thing is, we enthusiasts find the joy of the firsts in multiple cars we purchase over time. 'First car we ever drove/learnt to drive on', 'First sedan', 'First SUV', 'First luxury car' etc. You get the idea...

I was fortunate enough to learn to drive on my father's Maruti Suzuki Esteem. An Indian automotive legend in most ways, it was the car that introduced me to the notion of fun behind the wheel. I still remember the potent top-end of the 1.3L motor and the tall gearing that allowed it to breach 100kmph in second gear. There are only a handful of mass-market cars that can do so. However, with the beginning of the diesel era, our family jumped ship from petrol to diesel power and brought home the excellent 1.3MJD engine in the Maruti Dzire. The midrange turbo-kick of that engine is a well-known phenomenon that has converted many enthusiasts (including my father) into diesel-heads.

Having experienced multiple mass-market cars over the years, I firmly believe that one does not necessarily need to spend big money to have access to driving fun. Putting my money where my mouth is, I bought my first car in 2017 - Ford Figo Sports 1.5L TDCi.

What I Like:

• The 1.5L TDCi engine - Fast, Frugal, Practical, Reliable; 0-100 km/h in ~10 seconds with 18-20 km/l. Seems like multiple engines rolled into one
• The looks - The tastefully done black detailing (a major reason for the white colour choice) and the subtle changes make an already good design stand out.
• The handling - Feels like a nimble, chuckable go-kart. One of the best steering setups available then (only the Abarth Punto is better IMO). Sorted suspension and right-sized tyres.
• The audio setup - I am by no means a car-audio junkie but I do appreciate the difference between a good and an average setup. To my ears, the audio system in the Figo is very good for the class.
• Cabin Space & Overall practicality - The car is spacious enough for 4 adults, their luggage, and knick-knacks. Moreover, the car is at home in the cities, highways, and ghats/mountains.
• Maintenance and service costs - The service and maintenance costs are refreshingly low. Ford really honours their service price transparency claim and the service costs have always ranged in the INR 5-7k bracket
• The chiller AC - I was sceptical of the black roof in Delhi summers but the AC is an absolute chiller and makes the cabin a good place to be in.
• Perceived Build Quality - A relative positive point. While it's no match to VW, Fiat, or other fords (Ecosport/Endeavour), it does feel better built than Maruti and Hyundai.
• Speed-sensing auto-lock without auto-unlock on ignition off - I find this an underrated feature. I like the security of the car being locked on signals and staying so, unless I want it unlocked.
• The feel/connect - Highly subjective and abstract but all the mechanical elements (engine, steering, suspension) come together to create a special driving feel that makes me smile even at double-digit speeds.

What I dislike:

• Lack of Titanium+ trim in the Sports edition - The Sports trim is available only in the Titanium trim. It would have been great to have the Titanium+ spec with the Sports edition (6 airbags)
• Slightly notchy gearshift - While the shift action is decently short, the lever doesn't offer the slick slotting action of the other gearboxes in the segment. Not a deal-breaker and gets slightly better with use & habit.
• Overall Refinement - While the engine is decently refined, it is not a Hyundai diesel in NVH. The road noise (which could be due to the stock Apollo Alnacs) and overall ambient noises inside the cabin are on the higher side. Better insulation would have surely complemented an otherwise fantastic highway package.
• Weak headlamps and foglamps - While much improved over the older Figo, the headlamps still aren't the most confidence-inspiring on night drives. The reflectors are of poor quality and burn out eventually (known issue). The foglamp throw is almost non-existent.
• Fixed rear headrests - The backseat comfort is significantly reduced due to the fixed headrests which at best support your neck.
• No armrests (front and rear) - The diesel engine ensures negligible gearshifts on the highways and an armrest for the driver is missed. Further to the point, a rear armrest would have added to the comfort at the rear.
• Limited authorized service centre competence - Have been to 3 different service centres in 3 different states, and none seemed to know the difference between a normal Figo and the Sports edition. One guy even pointed out how I risk losing the warranty for the "upsized" tyres Getting them to acknowledge finer problems and sounds is, as usual, a bit difficult but nothing out of the ordinary.

Background and Requirements

Like most BHPians, my love affair with automobiles dates back to my childhood. I landed my first job in 2017. Owning a car was a dream that I harboured for a long time. Now with my earnings, I wanted to make it a reality. I was advised by a whole lot of folks on how it was a financial suicide putting money in a depreciating asset and taking on debt so early in my career. But I just couldn't make peace with the fact that I am letting go of a long-held dream. Hence, with a 'you-only-live-once' attitude, I decided to buy a car. It was an emotional purchase in the truest sense of the term. Also, I was fortunate enough to be born into a family that did not need my financial support for at least 10 years to come. All in all, I am aware it was not the most sound decision on my part but it has been the one that has brought me the most joy for the past 4.5 years.

I wanted the following things out of my first car:

• Powerful engine - 0-100kmph in around 10 seconds (I am an engine guy)
• Good handling and stability complement the engine
• Manual Transmission
• Spacious enough for 4 people and their luggage
• Safety - at least 2 airbags with ABS and EBD must; the more the better
• Good looks - They say if you don't look back after you've parked here, you've made the wrong choice
• Decent fuel efficiency
• INR 7-9 lakhs on-road

There were a few no-compromise features I wanted in the car:

• Safety equipment mentioned above
• Automatic climate control
• Decent sounding audio system
• Height adjustable driver's seat
• Powered ORVMs
• Tachometer

All other features apart from these provided steeply diminishing marginal utility to me. I was basically looking for a sweet mechanical package as my top priority. I was oblivious to the value pre-worshipped cars offer at that point in time, hence the only options I considered were new cars.

Cars Considered

As the main criterion for the purchase was driving pleasure with a mix of practicality thrown in, the feeling that a car induced was paramount.

Hyundai Elite i20 1.4 CRDi

The i20 was a good-looking hatchback. On paper, it ticked the most boxes. It was the Sportz variant that was a little over the upper limit of my budget, but manageable in EMI terms. The car had the best interior quality I had seen in the segment. The polo felt more solid but the overall ambience of the Hyundai cabin was better. It had all the features I needed and was spacious too. The 1.4L engine had fantastically controlled NVH, revved freely, and felt punchy in the lower gears. Plus, it had a 6-speed gearbox. However, there was one catch, the driving feel.

The steering was a bit numb, the suspension tuned for comfort, and the engine, although fast, did not excite me. All in all, It was a car that appealed to my brain more than my heart. The car, however, made it to the top 3 due to the fantastic overall package.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS

The Baleno RS was the new entrant into the 'warm' hatch segment. The car was the most spacious by far, with the biggest boot. The quality of the interiors was also not a deal-breaker. The 1L turbo-petrol motor was quick too but there were 2 flaws in the package for me - The handling and the perceived lightness. The suspension felt fine even though a little soft, however, it was the steering which was devoid of feel (I was surprised since the swift had a delightful EPS unit). To top it off, the car felt a bit tinny to me (no offence meant). The price too was out of my budget and there was no compelling reason for me to stretch my budget. Overall, it tipped the scale more in terms of practicality than fun and was rejected.

Abarth Punto

Pure wishful thinking. It was the hot hatch amongst the crop of 'warm' hatches. The engine, the handling, the steering, and the brakes were exceptional. The only 2 gripes - Ergonomics and gearshift were dwarfed in light of the overall worthiness of the package. The car was way over budget and stretching didn't seem an option. Sometimes, I wonder what if I had waited for a couple of months and stretched my budget? Could have been an Abarth standing in my garage.

Volkswagen Polo

This was the car that came the closest to the Figo when making the final decision. There were 3 variants of the Polo that I was interested in, The Comfortline diesel (1.5L 90HP), The GT TDI (1.5L 105HP) and the GT TSI (1.2L 105HP). The GT variants were rejected as they overshot my budget by quite a bit, even though I was smitten by the 1.2 TSI + DSG combo. I also felt that the GT TDI lost its USP with the discontinuation of the older 1.6 TDI engine, as now it was basically a Highline polo with a remap (no offence).

The 90HP diesel Polo felt very solid and drove differently from the other cars I had driven. It had that 'European' characteristics in its drive. The car had a sporty feeling, low seating, great quality and a diesel engine which, though loud, had a good punch and revved to ~5200 rpm!! The ride too had a nicely damped characteristic. The steering, even though better than the Hyundai and the Maruti had a slightly artificial feel.

The Comfortine variant did not have automatic climate control as well but I figured I could live with that. The major deal-breaker for the Polo was the rear seat space. I am 5'10" with a laid-back driving position and with me in the driver's seat, the car was effectively a 3-seater!

Nonetheless, the Polo too made it to the top 3 of the shortlist.

Ford Figo Sports 1.5 TDCi

Ever since the Figo was launched, I found the package to be highly appealing as a practical enthusiast's car. The 1.5L diesel motor was a stonking engine and made even more torque than it did in the Ecosport! BHPian Karan561's review of his sweet Figo diesel with the Momo alloys further solidified my liking for the car. By pitting the Ford against a GT TDI in a drag race, Karan561 effectively answered the one question lingering on my mind. The diesel Figo was one of the fastest diesel hatchbacks around. The overall package though seemed a tad half-baked. Sure, it had the engine and the performance, but the handling and build were a departure from the earlier Figo. Plus, I never could digest the chrome grille of the Figo/Aspire.

Ford launched the Sports variants of the Figo/Aspire in 2017 and called them the Figo S and Aspire S respectively. The 'S' monicker brought back memories of an Aquarius Blue Ford Fiesta S pulling a hand-brake turn to slot into a parking space in front of a hotel (attaching the ad for everyone's viewing pleasure)

The Fiesta S was the machine that defined the 'S' badge amongst enthusiasts. I was waiting with glee for the initial reviews to pour in and the Team-BHP official review pointed out that the Figo/Aspire S variants were not as focused as the erstwhile Fiesta S. Sure the suspension was a bit stiffer and the tyres were wider along with a front anti-roll bar, but the entire setup was tuned more towards 'practicality'. The changes transformed the Figo/Aspire S into cars they should have been from Day 1. While I was a bit square with Ford's strategy of holding back on a niche variant and diluting the 'S' brand, all of this meant that the problems I had with the 'normal' Figo diesel were rectified to a great extent.

Took a test drive of a Titanium+ Aspire diesel as the dealership did not have a Figo test drive vehicle let alone an 'S' test car. There was a Ruby Red Figo S at the dealership already allocated to a customer which was offered to me for a test drive, but I politely declined. The 1.5L TDCi engine was a gem, pushed me back into the seat and had a superb low-end at the same time. The steering too was feelsome and direct. The 2 issues I had with the drive were - lack of grip during braking/cornering from the tyres and the slightly floaty feeling at higher speeds. I trusted the S variant to remedy both of these.

Coming down to the final 3 - Elite i20 Sportz CRDi, Polo Comfortline TDi, and Figo S 1.5 TDCi. I also wanted my family's buy-in on the final decision, and as expected, the familial sentiment swung in the favour of the i20 as it was a 'safe' & 'reliable' choice. However, it was I who was going to drive the car and maintain it solely, hence the final decision was left to me. I did toy with the idea of an Aspire S as well for the extra boot space but ultimately felt that I didn't want to compromise on the looks for some added boot space (The Figo looked better to me personally).

I just couldn't connect with the i20 as a fun-to-drive car. Its intended purpose seemed different and rightly so. Between the Polo and the Figo S, it was a matter of positives and negatives relative to a common package both cars offered. In effect, both had punchy diesel engines, great design, the required feature set, and a sporty intent -

The Figo S offered the following over the Polo:

• Better steering feel
• Cheaper maintenance
• Space and usable backseat

The Polo offered the following over the Figo:

• Better build quality
• Better mod potential
• Better structural safety (4-star NCAP rating)

Overall, I found the Figo S 1.5 TDCi more suited to my requirements. Incidentally, it was also the car that I enjoyed driving more than the Polo. To each his own, I wouldn't have gone wrong with the Polo either, however, it was the Figo that lured me more.

Some random cars

Car buying is such an exciting phase for me that I couldn't help but shortlist a couple of cars just for the heck of it. Here goes the wild card list:

Maruti Suzuki Alto K10

I genuinely had an insane amount of fun piloting this little car in the city. The low weight coupled to the 1L engine makes it a hoot to drive below 100kmph. The heart wandered towards this, just because of the smiles it had given me, to be stopped by the mind in time.

Tata Nexon/Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza

The lowest variants of these 2 compact SUVs seemed within reach and I was more interested in the Nexon than the Brezza as it had just been launched then. A quick visit to the dealership and re-look at the requirements ruled both out.

Getting her home

Booking & Delivery Experience

I was working in Jamshedpur when I bought my car and there was a single Ford dealership in town: Jayshree Ford. Once I had finalized my choice, I moved really fast to initiate the purchase process. Incidentally, I had paid the booking amount for an Oxford White Figo S 1.5L TDCi post the Aspire diesel test drive. Such was my excitement around the car. But more importantly, the Sports variant of the Figo and the Aspire was not readily available and the dealership told me that they needed a booking to place an order for that variant of the car. This seemed believable to me, moreover, a quick chat with the prospective owner of the smoking hot Ruby Red Figo Sports and with another dealership in my hometown aligned with the dealer's word. Of all the cars I had test-driven to make the choice, the Figo was the one I had immediately booked, intuition or what!

The 'S' was a sparsely selling variant of a below-average selling car. Even the salesman was surprised at my choice. The dealership tried their best to up-sell the Titanium+ variant of the Figo as they had that available. This is where I think Ford lost out on a good marketing opportunity. In my opinion, cars like the Figo/Aspire S are targeted at the Indian enthusiast and are supposed to generate excitement towards the brand. However, you can't expect a niche model to garner attention if the dealerships themselves are not too sure about the specifications of the variant. I had asked my parents to check for the availability of a Figo S diesel in my hometown and the showroom staff was aghast at their inquiry about the Sports variant over the 'normal' Titanium variant. "Sir, Ford is charging a stupendous premium for wider tyres and blacked-out roof/wheels while deleting 'features' like the 'Chrome Grille' and 'Body-coloured ORVMs'!", they said.

Looking past all this and staying adamant on my choice of the Sports variant, I instructed the dealer to place the order for my car at Ford's factory in Sanand. Then ensued the long wait to get a vehicle allotted to me. Weeks turned into months and with no clue of a White Figo S, I grew restless. BHPian tharian had just got a beautiful Red Aspire Sports around the time I had finalized my booking. His fantastic ownership review both validated my decision to go with the Figo S and made the wait for my car a tad easier. His Aspire (Rubicon) is a beauty and the subtle modifications he has done to his car have paved the way for my car all along. More on this later though. Take a bow tharian sir for your awesome thread and wishing you lakhs of fun-filled kilometres with Rubicon. This is the beauty of this forum. I learnt almost everything about my car before actually owning it.

The owner/manager of the dealership informed me that Ford isn't accepting orders for the Sports variant anymore. My heart sank a little as I really had my eye set on this particular car. I knew that cars like performance variants get discontinued sooner rather than later, but this was a bit too soon for Ford. The manager also informed me that the Ruby Red Figo S that I had been seeing since my first visit to the dealership, was available for immediate delivery as the guy who was supposed to buy it, cancelled. I had been seeing that particular car for over 3 months now at the dealership and was told during my Aspire test drive that the car was in their stockyard for the past 4 months before finally finding a taker. The whole situation seemed a little too 'convenient', with Ford discontinuing a model listed on their website within 8 months of launch and a 7-month-old example being suddenly available.

Now, I do understand manufacturers can pull the plug on a variant and Ford is surely not new to doing this, I was upset that I was told about this after more than 3 months of my booking. I know manufacturers and dealers have much closer visibility on the availability of variants than this. Since I just had a hunch and the dealer had been very decent to engage with till now, I decided to write to the head of sales at Ford India to express my displeasure with the whole booking process. I conveyed my regret at the sub-par treatment that I received as a prospective buyer and sought clarification on Figo Sports' availability. The mail worked wonders and voila! I had the VIN number of the particular car assigned to me within a week.

I did a detailed PDI before approving the car and we finally took delivery on 19 November 2017, with my parents being the ones to drive it out of the showroom. I would rate the overall dealership experience to be good as aside from the vehicle allotment hiccup, everything else was handled seamlessly by them.

Price and Discounts

The amounts are accurate to the nearest 1000

Ford Figo Sports 1.5 TDCi Titanium

Ex-showroom price = Rs 7,21,000

• Paid accessories = Reversing camera with built-in IRVM display (Rs 11,000)
• Free accessories = Seat covers (pretty good!), Floor mats, Car perfume
• Discount = Rs 25,000 (Corporate discount + cash discount)
• Insurance (Zero Dep) = Rs 22,000
• Handling charges = Rs 0 (was easy to get these waived)
• Extended Warranty (2 years) = Rs 12,000
• Road Tax = Rs 77,000

On-Road Price = Rs 8,18,000

Continue reading BHPian Vibhanshu0923's Ford Figo review for more insights and information.

Got the springs installed and initially the wheel combo was a definite issue. But I liked the way the car handled post installation.

BHPian blackbandit recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Its been a while since I updated this thread and today I thought I would post some updates. The car has gone some upgrades, of which some miserably failed and put a dent in my pocket and has completed 70K kms so far. The experience so far has been wonderful and the car still runs like a beast. Have faced no major issues so far touchwood. Apart from regular maintenance have changed the front struts - No issues faced with them but since they were slightly weak and a new pair fairly inexpensive decided to change them before getting the lowering springs installed, Right side engine mount - Failed during my drive back to Mangalore from Bangalore, and the front rotor disks. Penning down all the experiences one by one below.

The alloy wheel saga:

As part of a makeover, I had gotten the 16 inch Momo alloy Massimo alloy wheels for the car. Now as it has been pointed out multiple times everywhere that 16 inch is kind of an overkill for the Figo, I out of sheer curiosity (more of stupidity) decided to go ahead after seeing multiple photos of Kerala Figos sporting 16inch and also 17inch wheels on Instagram. The wheels turned out to be a disaster within few days of installing. Since they were 7.5J concave alloy wheels, they started fouling with the fenders. At first it seemed bearable but it turned out to be an outright disaster on a long journey. The wheels rubbed against the fender in literally every undulation of the road and gave a heart tearing sound throughout the drive. However, since I had invested a lot in these wheels, got the coil buffers installed on the front springs and solved the problem. But this caused the entire steering and suspension on the front side to act kind of funny and I was not satisfied with the end result. Howeve,r went ahead with this setup for like 2 months when the lowering bug bit me. My funny brain assumed that a stiffer set of springs would be a better result than running buffers to make the springs stiff. Ordered a set of Eibach pro Kit for the car and got them installed. And the immediate result again a disaster. The car sat so low that the wheels had barely any gap now and it was near to not driveable. The dealer of the springs told me to get wheels of 7J or lesser to solve the problem as many had installed the same and faced no issues. There began my quest to exchange my alloys. Finally got a pair of Ecosport alloys which were around 6.5J through and decided to test the same for some time. While the car looked like a monster with these set of wheels they still could not solve the fender rubs. By now, the tyres in the car which were 205/50/R16 Yokohama Earth 1 had their entire sides eaten up. At this point Another person told me to go for 205/45/R16 to solve the rubbing. But here I was fed up and considering that only cheap tyres are available at that price, I decided to bear the loss and ended up purchasing Freestyle alloy wheels from the Ford showroom. Got 195/55/R15 SDrive tyres to complete the same and I have not been happier about the decision. Posting some photos of the alloy wheel saga:

As you can see in the above images, the gap is almost non existent.

The car in looks amazing in this avatar IMO but it was still plagued with issues.

Eibach ProKit lowering springs:

Got the springs installed and initially the wheel combo was a definite issue. But I really liked the way the car handled post installing the springs and therefore decided to get rid of the wheels and keep the springs. The Eibachs have been a love hate relationship for me. While I do love what they have on offer in terms of handling and the way car takes corners, I do not like the overall comfort levels it comes with. It is definitely on the stiffer side and not a passenger friendly setup overall. But the way it transformed the handling and steering characteristics of the car, and since I majorly drive the car alone, I decided to make peace with the comfort issues. Listing down the pros and cons.

Pros:

• Completely changes the handling characteristics of the car. The car now darts into corners and it has changed the way I drive. Initially, I used to take corners cautiously owing the body roll and mass market handling of the car. Now I just fling push the car and it handles it like it's nothing. It just remains composed and maintains the driving line perfectly.
• Body roll is nearly nonexistent.
• High speed stability and cornering is amazing.
• Doesn't lose composure mid corner in bad roads or in speed breakers like it used to with the stock springs.

Cons:

• Bad ride comfort. I would say it is somewhere between average and worst more inclined towards the average side. While I don't face much issues with it all passengers who sit in my car regularly have clearly told that the old comfort levels of the car have departed completed. The current cars setup is not where the passengers are happy but they do not complain too much as well. As long as I keep the speeds checked in bad roads it is just fine.
• Issues with full load. While the car behaves fine when m driving alone or with around 2 light build people onboard, it just isn't so if the car is on full load. The suspension setup feels a bit weird.
• The car sits quite low and scrapes sharp humps especially when it has people seated at the back.
• Uneven highways are felt quite sharply inside the cabin when driving at a pace Earlier the car would just loose its composure and get thrown in this situation but right now the car sticks to the road and holds it composure but makes itself felt.

Some photos with the current setup:

A note on Ford Service:

While my experience with Cauvery Ford Mangalore has been great and continues to be great, I cannot say the same for Cauvery Ford in Bangalore. I had visited them to get my car checked for a weird sound and vibration that had started cropping up. This was when I was running the Ecosport alloys. The person who took the test drive was quite arrogant in his approach. He went ahead and challenged me saying there was no issue with the car, the issue was due to the lowering springs. I went on to explain to him that I've been running springs for close to a month now and never faced this sound and vibration and it cropped up recently. He refused to accept my explanation and held his ground. Giving him the benefit of doubt, I got it changed at a nearby garage and the vibrations and sound still persisted so I took my car back. He now told me its the alloy wheels also. I have to revert back to stock to get the sound and vibration rectified. I was due to drive back to Mangalore and owing to his incompetency, I decided to get it checked in Mangalore itself where I know the service advisors quite well. On my way to Mangalore, the sound and vibrations just increased gradually and towards the end of the journey the vibrations just increased to a level where it was horrible. That's when I realized it was a cracked engine mount that was causing all the issues. The SA in Mangalore asked me to get the car if its driveable and since it was, I took the car in and got it fixed within 2 hours. Props to them. The vibrations had also got the exhaust pipe to split, it probably was already cracked or weak and the SA got it welded at the body shop.

This goes to say that my experience with the Cauvery Ford Mangalore service centre has always been top notch even after departure of Ford. Had an accident in October that resulted in a damaged side skirt, door and tie rod. The car was sent to the body shop and the entire work was completed within 2 weeks and delivered. Work done was also upto my satisfaction. Got my 70K service done recently. Took it early in the morning and it was put in the ramp immediately. The brakes were not doing well and upon inspection the rotors had scored quite badly. Since they were inexpensive, got both the rotors and brake pads changed. And the car was delivered to me within 2 and half hours. The bill also came upto 9k which I feel is reasonable for the work done and change of parts. I also received multiple calls from the dealership as well as Ford enquiring about the status of the vehicle after delivery and if work was performed to my satisfaction. Overall a wonderful experience with them and hope it remains the same in future.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Ford service experience has been fantastic so far over the years, and I will hope that it stays that way.

BHPian ABH_1512 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Service update:

Baahon recently completed the 1,30,000 kms mark and the service was done accordingly at the FASS (Ganges Ford) here in Calcutta. Some of the parts needed replacement after this long period of ownership and hence the service bill was on the higher side due to the parts change and the corresponding labour charges.

Parts changed:

• Rear Shock Absorber (RH)
• Engine Mount
• Bar bush stabiliser
• Steering Rack

The normal service included the following routine items and were duly changed as per schedule:

• Engine Oil
• Air Filter
• Oil Filter

So, apart from the regular service and all the work involving the change of parts, the total cost came to around ₹ 33,000. In the case of the steering rack, the good folks at Ford and the dealer offered me a 30% discount as goodwill warranty and hence saving me some bucks in the process. The service experience has been fantastic so far over the years, and I will hope that it stays that way.

Now, the steering rack was changed since I was getting a constant sound while moving on uneven roads and it got amplified due to the recent North Sikkim sojourn.

Turned out, after the trip, the right side shock absorber also went kaput since coming out of the factory and had to be changed and so was the engine mount. Now, after the change of parts, the car just feels like new again and I am now very inclined to give it an inside makeover as I might have mentioned earlier as well. No fixed timeline though, since the interiors doesn’t need much fixing. May be, changing the seat covers will give the car a fresh look.

Some pictures of recent times, just to get some attention:

The present odometer reading stands at 1,30,530 kms and Baahon is chugging along nicely.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Yes, I did miss the lack of cruise control. Not because of tiredness, but rather for getting lower than expected mileage figures.

BHPian NaXal recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello,

Last month my 2017 FordAspire TDCi turned 5 years old, and I went out for a 10 days long drive to the mountains.

Kolkata to Dooars and Darjeeling.

I have done the major Kolkata to Dooars and Dooars to Kolkata stretch on single day. Meaning close to 700 kms each on first and last day of the trip.

Trip report in no particular order.

Car facts:

• Purchase date:- April 2017
• Total odo:- 38k (Approx.)
• Last service:- 5/6k kms earlier
• A/C & air filter age:- Almost 16/17 months.

(Usually I change the air & cabin filter at every service, but at last service, my SA insisted for keeping the previous since they were in very good condition and Ford in anyway doesn't recommend this at every service).

• Major work:- Nothing, its still on stock clutch / brake pads. Only the front suspension (incl steering assembly) was changed under warranty. Battery was changed a month ago.
• Tyre condition :- Almost new (OEM make and model) at front and factory given tyres are at back. -> Read more.

Occupants:

• Total :- 4 (including Sr. Citizen)
• Driver :- 1 (me only)
• Boot :- Overflowing.

Highway Performance:

The first and last part of the trip includes 700 kms (each end) of highway driving. The road includes 70% of good 2x2 section and 30% of really poor single lane and under construction section.

One can go to the first page of this thread and read the points mentioned in the "likes". So true even after 5 years. This BS4 TDCi still rules the highway. 215nm of torque with a wide mid range torque band is perfect for Indian driving conditions. Riding the Turbo is such addictive. Specially in the single lane sections, keeping the engine just around 1500 rpm, waiting behind a truck. See an opening, floor it and such brutal acceleration makes the overtake feel so easy.

It was so enjoyable to open up the throttle on those long empty 2x2 sections. Larger engine offering engine braking and perfectly tuned gear ratio meant staying on 5th for an effortless one paddle driving.

Suspension tuning is just perfect for these type of extreme long distance runs. Soft enough to keep the ride comfort aided by the soft & such comfortable seats.

Broken patches were really well handled by the suspension, yet it is hard enough to inspire those aggressive lane changes and maintaining a stable sure footed drive in those silly tipple digit speeds on those 2x2 long and empty tollways.

Yes, I did miss the lack of cruise control. Not because of tiredness, but rather for getting lower than expected mileage figures. You see, the steering feedback is excellent, you really feel connected. So are the brakes, progressive action and excellent bite makes you feel always in control, even at those tipple digit figures. Any enthusiast would easily run at a much higher cruising speed than his mental mileage speed limit, unless paying close attention towards the speedo.

A/C & the climate control logic needs a special mention.

It was and it is still a bone chiller. The climate control maintains the temperature really well. However I do miss a rear A/C vent. Not because of the rear passengers, rather for the front. See, the blower has enough power to reach and cool off the rear bench but when the climate control logic turns down the air flow, the rear feels little uncomfortable. You may manually need to turn the blower a notch higher and that makes the front occupants uncomfortable. Circular 360deg rotatable vents helps to certain extend in these conditions, allowing you to divert the flow but rear vent would have been perfect. One would never need to touch the ACC controls.

Overall, excellent long distance high speed mile muncher. Really comfortable for passengers.

Jungles of Dooars:

Nothing much to report from driving point a view. Road conditions are just like dream. Smooth, zero undulation, light traffic and dense greenery.

Only regret are the speed humps. It seems they mistakenly put those made for elephant speed humps on automotive traffic routes. Scraped the underbody few times. Nothing serious but any car lover would feel my pain.

Queen of Hills:

• Places visited (Major names in no particular order) :- Darjeeling / Kurseong / Kalimpong / Ghum / Lava / Lolegaon.
• Highest elevation :- Less than 10,000 feet.
• Road condition :- Stiff climbs, very narrow sections but road conditions are excellent.

Turbo, turbo and turbo. Climbing is such effortless compared to the 1.2 NA patrols of the same class. Even with the A/C on, overflowing luggage in the boot, there were not a single instance where the engine felt doubtful.

At times in city traffic, one may feel little uncomfortable with the relation between 1st and 2nd gear ratio but this short 1st gear and relatively non existent turbo lag makes life so easy on the hilly traffic. Up shifting to 2nd on higher rev range keeps the engine right on the torque band.

Although the suspension is towards the softer side for ride comfort but body roll is very well controlled. Specially on those hairpins with stiff climbs, zero complains from the passengers on motion sickness.

This car is on 14 inch wheels, running the stock OEM make and model tyre. One of the so called negatives. It is supposed to be under tyred. Even Ford gave the facelift 15 inchers with 195 section rubber.

However, there were few instances where due to some moronic oncoming traffic, I got stuck on a climb, few very stiff inclines. But the car had enough traction from these 175 section tyres to grip and climb without any wheel spin or rolling back.

They say, there is no replacement for displacement and its shows when getting down from the hills. Engine braking takes some pressure off from the brakes. However, it is no EV regenerating braking. So depending on your downwards momentum, brake application is always needed while getting down. Heat is well managed in these kind of conditions. Never faced any brake fading or hardening issue with the brakes.

West Bengal Forest Department Tourist Bungalow at Lava presented the toughest climbing challenge. The property was under renovation. The climb was in anyways really stiff on top the road was broken and full of loose stone chips.

Saw a local alto turning back and finding parking on main road.

However, I underestimated the ability. Torque and traction was more than enough. Climbed it without breaking a sweat.

Compared to Himachal / Uttarakhand / JnK, Darjeeling and surrounding destinations of West Bengal are really old settlements. Himalayan part of the West Bengal is really small. One can drive all these destinations on single day.

However, such heritage beauty bring its own challenges. Roads are extremely narrow. Townships are jam packed & extremely congested. Parking is a nightmare. Larger SUV may feel superior with their AWD/4x4 but in this part of the country, smaller size of Aspire makes life easier.

Conclusion:

• Total kms covered:- Around 2500
• Overall mileage (Fuel Economy):- Car reported 18, but surprisingly 18.8 as per tank full to tank full method.
• Toll paid:- Around Rs. 1600/-
• Regret 1:- Those speed humps of Dooars.
• Regret 2:- Should have changed the air Filter before the trip and should have dropped the cruising speed on highway.
• Regret 3:- The hard clutch. It is the only thing I hate about this car.
• New learning 1:- Nitrogen in tyre works.
• New learning 2:- Even with toll + highest ever diesel price, spending around 15k for the entire trip (transport, Fuel + toll) is dead cheap compared to equivalent comfortable reserved transportation.

Ever since Ford left and after this car turned 5, there was that new car itch.

Even when you have other newer options at your disposal, you would always feel that itch to replace one older machine with another shiny new machine. But this kind of trip pushes those thoughts out of the window. Flawless and explosive performance, excellent comfort and reliability, treat to drive.

What more one can ask from his machine? What else can be it's replacement at this VFM price range?

Sadly, at present, nothing.

Thanks.

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