Ford has launched the 2018 Aspire in India across 11 variants (six petrol, five diesel) with a price range of Rs 5.5 lakhs to Rs 8.49 lakhs. There’s an updated design, new engines and of course, SYNC3 infotainment system.
The signature Ford grille has been retained but now trimmed out in chrome. Additionally the face now gets chrome inserts in the bumpers. These add a premium feel and look very well integrated with the fog lamps.
Despite being under four meters, the design does not look abrupt and there is quite a bit of it to make this car a swell looker. Besides that, the updates include a new design for the alloy wheels (and wheel covers) and a really strong shoulder line.
The rear remains more or less unchanged from the outgoing model. However, there is a large chrome strip that connects the reverse lamps and a slightly chunky bumper that gives the car its signature sedan appearance.
The cabin is a beige and brown affair and is very similar to the one we saw on the Freestyle compact crossover. The Titanium+ model gets the SYNC3 infotainment system, a new instrument cluster and steering wheel as a part of the updates.
Ford has introduced the new 1.2-litre Dragon petrol engine in this car. It’s good for 96bhp/120Nm. The diesel on the other hand is a 1.5-litre that produces 100bhp/215Nm. Both these engines are offered with a five-speed manual.
There is also a 1.5-litre petrol engine and this is mated to a six-speed AT. This setup is only offered on the top-of-the-line Titanium+ petrol variant and is priced a full Rs 1.2 lakhs over the Titanium+ MT variant.
The Aspire is Ford competitor for the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze, and Volkswagen Ameo in the Indian car market. At this price, its top spec models have also taken on premium hatchbacks like the Honda Jazz, Hyundai Elite i20 and the Maruti Suzuki Baleno.
