Fiesty Fiesta

Subtle aggression has spruced up the standard 1.6's looks in the 'S'.

Introduction

One hundred years is a long time. Of course, a hundred years is a blink of an eye to climatic conditions like an Ice Age, but in the human scheme of things, a lot can be done in a century. The Ford Motor Company has been manufacturing cars for over a century now, and they've come a long way from the Model T. Ford Motor India launched its Indian operations with a car engineered especially for India, the Ikon. The successor to the Ikon was the Fiesta, whose DuraTorq diesel powerplant pleased everyone with its responsiveness and fuel-efficiency. The petrol engined 1.6 DuraTec also had its share of takers but Ford India decided to launch a slightly tweaked 1.6 which would appeal to people who were looking for a little more oomph in a mid-size sedan. So they’ve launched the more sinister twin - the 1.6 S. So we took to the twisties and had a ball on the curves to bring you this test.

Traditional three-box shape doesn't excite much, but alloys are saving grace.

Exterior

The Fiesta used to get lost in a sea of cars, but a styling update has injected much-needed aggression to the look. Subtle skirting all around, a bootlid spoiler and a front grille off the second-generation European Focus all add up to make the car look fresh. We particularly like the iridescence that shows itself at the upper edges of the headlamp lenses; the bottom of the headlamp now has a kink that has taken them from boring to exciting. The side view is quintessential sedan, but the alloys (when clean) add a lot to the design. The rear lamp cluster has been unchanged, but the bootlid spoiler adds to the character at the rear. The red 'S' badge and the chrome-tipped exhaust could've been a wee bit bigger, but overall, Ford has gone for subtle revisions rather than brash and in-yer-face. We were expecting to get a sporty blue car for our test, but what showed up was a car in a shade of brown. Or so we thought while we collected our test car in the pouring rain. When we got the car out of the basement parking lot the next morning, it turned out to be a subtle shade of purple! The registration papers called it 'Morello' like the Rage Against the Machine guitarist, so that didn't help the previous day. It looks rich in the pictures, but when clean and in direct sunlight, you notice that the paint is metallic. No chrome other than that of the badges and the muffler's tip adorns this car, yet it manages to look good. We do quite like it.

Black and grey a little dull, but white stitching and aluminium accents brighten things up.

Interior

Dark shades make it look dreary at first glance, but the combination of dark grey fabric with white stitching looks fetching and different. The soft-touch plastics around the instrument binnacle also feel really good, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel is meaty and has the right amount of grip. Touches like the fake aluminum-drilled pedals add to the sporty feel. The indicator stalks and gear lever feel good to touch. The sound the indicators make when switched on is really annoying, but that sound is the result of a lot of research, since it filters through all other noises and targets your subconscious. Interior space is adequate for a car of its size. Good headroom and shoulder room will keep occupants comfortable over long stretches. The boot is simply enormous - the exterior of the car gives no hint about how big it is. This being a sporty variant, the seats really hold you in well through all those lateral Gs, but we do feel the front seats could do with just a little more side bolstering. The seat has adequate under-thigh support even for tall drivers, and the steering wheel tilts as well. A driving position that is comfortable is quite easy to arrive at with the help of all the adjustment on offer. The mp3 player is only a single-disc player but sound quality is good. The air-conditioner is one of the most powerful we've experienced - those round air vents can whip up quite a bit of an ice storm inside the cabin.

A hundred horses and suspension, chassis and brakes to match make this the best driver's car in its segment.

Engine

Ford's four-pot Duratec engine displaces 1596cc and generates 100bhp@6500rpm and 146Nm@3400rpm. Despite identical max power and torque figures as the other 1.6-litre engines, Ford India says that the ECU has been remapped for better fuel efficiency. This is why the 1.4-litre petrol has been axed from the Fiesta lineup: Ford claims that the remap helps the 1.6 return as many kilometres to the litre as the 1.4 used to. The engine doesn't lack for power anywhere in its rev range - there's an even, smooth surge from right above idle to the 7000rpm redline, where a very pleasing soundtrack accompanies the driver's hooliganism. We'd have liked the engine to have more power; this car deserves it.

Drivetrain

The gear ratios are well matched to the engine. The gear lever was comfortable to hold, but we can't help but wish for a slightly better design that fits the palm better. The throw is slightly vague into third, but you are rewarded with a 'snick-snick' engagement that quickly becomes addictive.

Fuel Efficiency

We achieved an overall efficiency figure of 10kpl, which is laudable when you consider that we were driving with the pedal plastered to the firewall most of the time! Driven with a light foot, the car is capable of achieving nearly 12kpl, and the worst we achieved was 8kpl during our performance testing. Looks like one truly can have his cake and eat it too!

Fake drilled-aluminium pedals say it all, as does the 'S' badge on the boot.

Ride & Handling, Steering

The Fiesta 1.6 S, unlike other 'sporty' variants of other cars, actually has attached value to the 'S' other than visual changes and has had engineers from Ford Australia rework the suspension of the original Fiesta. The low-speed ride is stiff and small bumps and expansion joints filter through, but this can be forgiven for a sporty variant. If a customer needs a Fiesta for the family, the diesel Fiesta is more comfortable and offers much better fuel efficiency as well. Up speed, however, and the ride improves by leaps and bounds. The upshot of the stiff low-speed ride is the handling. Banwari, who usually drives slower than a tortoise on cough syrup, was driving at silly speeds around bends in the Fiesta - this should give you an idea of how confidence-inspiring this car's handling is. Body roll is always well-contained, and the steering always provides you with information of what's going on underneath the wheels. There is a bit of mild understeer when you’re pushing through corners but it’s beautifully reined in by playing with the throttle.The steering wheel surprisingly doesn't feel heavy at low speeds, but weighs up oh-so-beautifully in curves. In the right hands, this car has what it takes to run rings around much more expensive machinery.

ABS makes car stop dead in its tracks, but pedal could have had better feel.

Braking

The middle pedal lacks feel - at first it is a little unnerving, but as you get used to it, you realise that the brakes are quite powerful. With the standard ABS, this car stops dead. No complaints on the power and effectiveness front, but a little more feel and feedback wouldn't go amiss.

Tyres

The 1.6 S grips the road with 195/55 R15 Goodyear Eagle NCT 5s. The relatively low profile contributes towards the stiff ride and lovely handling. They have as much grip as you may need - look at the 80-0kph braking distance - and around corners in the wet, they play their part well.

Safety

Airbags for the driver and front passenger and ABS are standard on the 1.6 S, which we appreciate.

No car at the price gives you as much driving pleasure as the Fiesta.

Cost

For almost Rs 8 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai) you get a sporty version of a car that was a good driver's car in the first place. Its pricing lies smack in the middle of the competition, but the addictive driver's car that it is, be prepared to shell out a little extra at the petrol pump.

Overall Evaluation

The Fiesta 1.6 S isn't a mere cosmetic job as seems to be the norm in the Indian market for sporty versions of existing models: the reworked suspension really does improve the car's handling. The Fiesta has spares that are priced slightly higher than the segment average, but if you don't mind trading in a little ride comfort for good handling, the Fiesta makes a very good case for itself. Keep this one for the weekend; you won't be disappointed.

We’ve driven quite a few large cars that don’t give you as much confidence to push to the limit, but we have to say the Fiesta S was truly a revelation. It is truly a rewarding driver’s car for not so much money and we’d have to put this on the top of the fun list bang next to the Palio 1.6 for sheer driving pleasure under the Rs 10 lakh mark. Find a good stretch of road, get your driving gloves on, wind up the engine and we guarantee that you’ll have a ball.

Useful touches

• ABS and airbags are standard
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel

Painful touches

• CD player is only single-disc player

Test Data

Engine Specifications

1596cc, four cylinders in line petrol. 100bhp@6500rpm and 146Nm@3400rpm. View specifications

Max in Gear

Performance Test Data

Fuel Efficiency