Ford fiesta 1.6 S 350 kms review

Hi,

Bought a new Ford Fiesta 1.6 S model last week from TSG Cars, Motinagar, Delhi. Have done 350 kms so far. Great handling car, smooth engine, good pickup from low down, slightly noisy beyond 4000 rpm, poor pick up in higher power band.  Overall the car feels solid, sturdy and utterly composed over poor roads. It has nice touches such as a beeper if you leave the parking lights on and switch off the engine and an integrated music system that sounds better than many expensive car stereos.

Decided to buy Fiesta 1.6S as my four and half years experience with Ikon 1.3 Rocam was satisfactory, though towards the end it set me back by a failed ECU and ignition coil.  Also, the competition- Honda City (HC) (new) did not appeal to me after a test ride.  Its ride and handling is way below that of the Fiesta 1.6S,  the test drive car felt rattley over potholes and the bodywork felt light.  The interiors look cheap. All in all, it does not feel like a nearly Rs. 9 lakh car.  The Fiesta 1.6s scores better both in interior quality and exterior looks. The alloys in particular look oh-so-sexy!

For sheer resale value, and a couple of kms in mileage, I would have done for the Honda, but a quick math revealed that if I were to take Rs 1.75 extra loan  (the cost difference between the Fiesta 1.6S and the HC), then the EMI over 3 years would be around Rs 5500. My fuel expenses are around Rs.5000 a month. So I get the Fiesta plus petrol for the price of the HC.   Regarding resale value, I expect the HC's resale after five years to be around Rs. 4.5 lakh - Rs. 5 lakh, that of Fiesta 1.6 S to be Rs. 3 lakh- 3.5 lakh.  The initial cost difference between the two is Rs. 1.75 lakh.  SO in the end, it evens out in a way as you also paying interest on Rs. 1.75 lakh.

 

Smashing looks, smooth engine, good mid-range power, great handling, safety features, fuel economypoor leg space for rear pasengers, door map pockets too big intruding into usable space