The Ford Fiesta facelift was showcased at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo and is expected to be launched in India by mid-June. New reports suggest that the C-Segment sedan, as we had speculated at the time of unveiling, will be initially offered only in diesel variants and a petrol engine will be introduced sometime later.
The diesel mill in question is a 1.5-litre diesel unit which churns out 89bhp and 204Nm, powering the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. Based on the European-spec model, the new Fiesta continues to use the current car’s platform with quite a few cosmetic changes. Ford might later add the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine to the car’s lineup, though being expensive to manufacture, it might be offered only in the higher variants.
The Fiesta facelift will be offered in three variants, Ambiente, Trend and Titanium. Looking at the equipment levels, the base Ambiente version is expected to be priced very competitively as it doesn’t get fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto climate control, cruise control or even a music system, even as optional extra.
The other two variants will get a six-speaker music system while the top-end Titanium will get alloy wheels, automatic headlamps, keyless entry, rear parking sensors as well as the latest Sync infotainment system. Ford will offer a bunch of safety equipment like ABS with EBD and airbags as standard with all the variants. While the base will only get driver airbags, the other two will be equipped with passenger airbags as well.
The new Fiesta’s front fascia features a large, chrome garnished Aston Martin-esque grille, a new set of angular headlamps and a redesigned bonnet and fog lamps. The rear features a redesigned tail lamp cluster, a new bootlid and chrome inserts and claddings for the bumper. The interiors of the car also get a makeover with a new piano black centre console, high-gloss finish for the instrument panel and a redesigned steering wheel.
Despite being one of the best looking cars in the segment, the Fiesta failed to make a mark in the C-Segment due to an improper pricing strategy and to some extent, its cramped interiors. With the new car, Ford has done even better in the design department. But in order to succeed, Ford will have to price the car competitively against the likes of Hyundai Verna, the Honda City, Volkswagen Vento and the Maruti SX4.
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