American Stallion

Would like to review this car based on the considerations laid out by Carwale. Firstly, I'd like to add a little background as to why I really chose the Ford Figo Aspire 2018 over other rivals. Cars considered(All AT variants): Hyundai Elite i20(Under powered), Honda Amaze(Costly ownership experience/CVT gearbox was very sedate), Honda Jazz(Costly ownership experience) Tata Tigor(AMT not inspiring), Tata Nexon(Excellent car but slightly over my budget). Volkswagen Polo GT TSI( Expensive ownership and pathetic rear passenger space) History: I had owned car brands like Honda, Hyundai and Maruti in the past. All the brands were excellent in their own respects, but had never really owned a car from an American car brand. Performance, reliability, maintenance costs, an automatic and decent fuel efficiency were my key points on choosing one. Buying Experience: I honestly did not have a great buying experience from PPS Ford, Bangalore, but I must add the staff there tried their best. I'll keep the story short here. I hope they could make it up in servicing. Looks: Quite a mature design to my liking. The rear looks a little small and they could have designed it a little wider. The stance is also a bit raised and does look a little awkward at certain angles. Side profile is decent and the front looks really good. Ford could have surely added some more features like, projector headlamps or DRL's etc. But this isn't a deal breaker. Tires size and alloys used are quite appealing. Build: In comparison to the earlier Ford models built in India; I am still doubtful of its build quality. Yes, its earned 3 stars in the NCAP ratings, but is it the same model that we get to drive in India? am not too sure. It does not feel like a tank per se, but i was sure it fared well against a Honda, or a Maruti for that matter. Ford is known for its safety and I am sure that this car is built to its norms. Its sheet metal does feel a bit light to the earlier cars built. Interiors: Why a Beige theme in India? The seats are comfortable, but not well contoured to my liking. Space is ample, and if you space out the seats well, even the back passenger do get a lot of knee room. Features like cup-holders in the armrest, bottle holders in the rear door pockets all should be standard fittings these days, but its amiss here. Wake up Ford! Would like to add the the fit and finish is good, but not the best. At times you feel the fit isn't its strongest as you do hear a few rattles here and there. But then is any car, including the mighty Volkswagen exempt? While you end up paying around 10 lacs on road in Bangalore, you end up wanting more, or deserving, to say the least. Infotainment System: Quite decent actually. The low, mid and high ranges are all well contained. Bass is evident while you crank it up post the 18 mark. No jarring till date. The FLY AUDIO system lags only when you use its navigation feature. The inbuilt maps are 'ok' and nothing to rave about, but I do like when it shows you that you need to take a bridge, etc. It also shows you the nearest petrol bunks. Performance: Engine: This is the true beauty of this car and it adds pleasure to the entire driving experience. A 1.5 cc engine for this type of car and its weight is an absolute stunner. After being exposed to refined 4 cylinder engines, it did take some time getting used to this 3 cylinder one. While you hear that slight engine hum at idle, the engine is surprisingly quite refined. Rev it up post 3000 RPM and it does sound like a racing motor. Power delivery is felt at all times and this is amplified but power surges due to its torque converter gearbox. Gearbox: The older gearbox has been scrapped and a more cheaper and reliable 6-speed torque converter has been mated to the Dragon series engine. This gearbox is smooth and gear shifts are not felt, but can be heard with a keen ear. Power surges are felt while flooring the accelerator and I've also noticed at times there's a sudden downshift while you slow down, but this does not happen at all times. My only gripe with this particular gearbox is that its not too fuel efficient and its manual gear shift 'buttons' are too small and not too ergonomically placed . Ford should have incorporated paddle shifts or at least stick shifts to make this car more fun to drive! Isn't that their credo? Suspension: One word: Excellent! The ride is very comfortable and soaks in the bumps on our roads rather well! I compared this with cars like the i20, the Amaze and the Polo/Ameo and this is way better than all 3 hands down. The setup is well tuned for Indian roads. Braking: Very impressive. Good bite and the ABS fitted works well. Ride & Handling: There's a good balance between the ride and handling. Steering response is not vague but engaging. Yet not as fun as the Opel Astra ;) Servicing and Maintenance: Not yet done, but the service schedule itself impressed me and with its 5 year warranty and it does put you at ease. Only time will tell how much goes out of my pocket. Though I've heard that service costs have gone down and parts are in par with competition or even lesser . So, let me sum up my review with some pros and cons; Pros: 1. Big, powerful engine 2. Great acceleration 3. Great ride and handling characteristics 4. Safety not skimmed 5. Good audio system when compared 6. Automatic variant includes features like traction control and hill incline hold 7. Reverse parking camera is of good quality 8. Cabin is well insulated 9. Headlights have a good throw Cons: 1. Due to its bigger engine, it ends up being more expensive 2. Interiors don't feel posh 3. No Android auto 4. "Bahut Kum Dehti Hai" :p 5. Servicing network isn't the largest in our country yet. I hope this would improve 6. While you sit at the back, your shin ends up getting bruised a bit due to the front seat positioning. 7. Beige interiors should not be entertained in our country at least. 8. Absence of arm rest in the front Mileage: City usage: Ranges between 8 to 10 kmpl Highway: Ranges between 13 to 17 kmpl