2 Years with Ford Fiesta DuraTorq Limited Edition

[madaneeraj]

Well Its never too late, So here I am posting ownership review after celebrating 2nd anniversary of my very own possession. Go Fida, Ford Fiesta. Well this might not be the best car in the segment, but only if it does not meets your requirements
Lets begin the story-

Selection
Year 2009, September- Got married in the preceding month was looking for a ride. Desperately looking for a job in Delhi (Homesick) so just wanted something for 3-4 months.
Started search with used cars-
Zen Classic Nothing good in sub lakh. Test drove a couple but umphh
Fiat UNO Great acceleration, liked the car but something didn't clicked.

New Cars
went for Alto, liked swift booked Ritz (huge waiting period with swift)

November 2009
Search was still own, saw Linea and fell in love. Great looker, under powered Petrol but Diesel was drivable. Great handling, ride and awesome looks. Budget was stretched from 80K to 500K but 900K for emotion was bit too much. Still holding on with Ritz booking but mind was struck on Linea. Somebody suggested Fiesta diesel, called for a test drive and guess what booked one. Dealer told me you can have it any color, as long it is BLACK. It was the last piece for the Limited edition.

What I liked about the car (before buying)
Good torquey engine
Settled ride
Slick, medium length gear shift
Steering response
Limited edition price (6.5 ex showroom for diesel) and extra features like seat and steering adjust

What I didn't liked (before buying)
Hard seat fabric, Linea seats just hugged you (Stiff seats are good for long rides, realized later)
Rear seat
Space (or lack of it)
Looks OK Ok

Well drove Linea once again, and boy it was sooooo slow. Didn't liked the drive. Simply it was not zippy as fiesta was (specially in torque zones). You know what I felt like- Driving a tank with a 1300 CC heart
So i was final, I am sticking to my booking of Fiesta, and yes Ritz was cancelled.
Contd...

 

[Varun560061]

Re: 2 Years with Fiesta DuraTorq

A very nice and short review.. It would be great if you post some pictures of your ride..

 

[Thetraveller]

Re: 2 Years with Fiesta DuraTorq

A great short review! Now you need to add some icing with some nice pics. Do post them

 

[truecitylover]

Re: 2 Years with Fiesta DuraTorq

Nice review to start with Maddy! Do post more pictures and share more details about your ride.
Hope you'd have done a lot of travelling. Can you post a new T'Log too with your Fiesta?

 

[350Z]

Re: 2 Years with Fiesta DuraTorq

Great start. Looking forward to some exciting pictures and further experiences. Yours is the one with Leather upholstery?

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[madaneeraj]

Re: 2 Years with Ford Fiesta DuraTorq

So decision was made that it has to be Ford, but Petrol or Diesel???
As said there was a limited edition going on diesel and OTR cost in Pune was coming out to be 7.30 Lacs. Petrol ZXI version would have come around 6.97 with corporate discount. Mind was tempted towards Petrol costing around 5.9 Lacs OTR (Limited edition) but I believe due to emission norms, Petrol was available only in Mumbai.Strange though, Petrol and Diesel editions were not available in same city. Pune had only Diesel.

Drove Petrol, but couldn't find much difference between 20-80 KMPH, Speeds on which we drive 90% of times in India, thanks to excellent Torque in Diesel.
So is there not much difference between Petrol & Diesel Fiesta???
Not really below 1700 RPM when the Turbo has not really kicked in difference could be comparable to a Donkey and Horse. Also when Turbo start loosing steam around 2700 RPM difference again kicks in say 110 KPH +. Where 1.6 Petrol easily cross 160 and raring to go further, diesel dies around 150 with nothing much left over 120 KPH.

For a 25 Year old buying his first car, its a complex decision. Heart goes for Petrol but Diesel rules over mind. All this considering the fact that Diesel is not slow by any means. It's fast, Thanks to light weight 1150 Kg centered around the bottom, 160 NM Torque with a high compression ration of 18:1. Never drove a big car whole my life, so Diesel turned quiet a handful, so finally finally drove it home. Contd...

 

[Surfer]

Re: 2 Years with Ford Fiesta DuraTorq

madaneeraj nice review - black color looks awesome.

 

[madaneeraj]

madaneeraj nice review - black color looks awesome.

Thanks Surfer! but I am yet to start. Thanks 350Z for putting up the pics in order. So Lets start with the review-

Engine

1,398 CC, 68 BHP, 160 NM of Torque around 2200 RPM. As we know like petrol Diesel are not high revving engines. So nothing different about this.
On paper above figures look quiet depressing but it's the combination of gear ratios, weight and tuning of the engine, with Turbo kicking in at 1500 RPM makes it immensly drivable. Default power band is set at around 900 RPM so not much far from 1500 turbo zone.

Its the judicial use of gear shift which keeps this machine into sweet spot (between 1700 to 2600 RPM) and immensly pleasurable to drive.
Below are some self observed speed tests which I have seen on his car-

0-100 around 14 sec- with constantly keeping the car between the Torque zone.

20-100 less than 10 sec

30-100 in top gear (5th) 35 seconds, so you can see how slow the car could be if you are out of turbo zone.

Top speed - 160 Kmph, but beyond 120, this car moves with moementum as engine starts to run out of breath after this.

Engine becomes very noisy beyond 3200 RPM, and havent seen the needle moving beyond that. Compression ratio of 18:1 is on the higher side. TDci engine makes a distict rattle sound once started but the same subsidize once the same is warmed up.

Gears & ride quality

5 speed manuaal, sticky gears with medium throw. Perfect as you need to upshift and downshift more frequently, but anything below would have been bad . Clutch is nice and soft and easy to handle.

2nd gear is quiet tall and 1st gear is quiet low. Now this is only thing which is painful in this car. Back to back traffic is a nightmre beacause you cannot upshift to 2nd and 1st gear being short, JERKY

3rd gear is something you woud like to be in. Max power comes in their. Turbo boost can pin you in your seat and that's where you began to feel, just 68 BHP because it looks and feel very powerful.

Ride quality is decent on high speed with Mcpherson coiled suspension giving decent comfort. Low speed kind of not good for passengers passsing through potholes as they can come unfiltered into cabin.
Low seating with 165 mm ground clearance is good but cannot keep you clear of all the mountains.

 

[madaneeraj]

Contd...

4th gear- Again a sibling of 3rd gear, 4th gears paeks around 100 but its best to shift around 80kmph. Not too tall but gives a decent power punch.

5th- Car feels most comfortable in this zone. Can be used for cruzing but with a pinch of acceleration also, need to put you foot on gas. Pretty tall too as can be engaged around 50 and goes all upto 150+.

Handling- Well this is the most loved part of the car. Zip zap zoom. Keep the car in power zone and you can trust this hydraulic piece of art. Weighs down at hig speed and pretty light in city traffic. Love to go by zig zag turns. Body roll is there but I simply love the excitement (else there would be no difference between this and car racing video games ) . PRECISE would be an undrstatement with no under or over steer. Simply loved this while taking it through ghat sections (down slopes and flat runs).

Things do change dramatically going "over up the slopes" 68 BHP is exposed and you need frequent down shifts to move ahead. Even 3rd gear you cannot drive in over slight to steep inclines. On our trips to Lavassa/Lonavalsa had to shift to first gears which is not very pleasing. In short car do feel underpowered on inclines. Really miss Ford S petrol which would have been a dream car with this kind of awesome handling. Still think that New Ford Fiesta diesel has become a better proposition with increased BHP (87 I think) but with infalted price tag which spoils the party.

 

[madaneeraj]

Interiors-
Plain Zane but effective.

A/C is chilling, platic feels good to hold, sheen looks durable.
Decent space holders. Map reading lamps in place. Steering- nothing funky about but gets job done. Outdated waterfall simple front display.

Power windows does not have single touch down and no claimate control either. Nothing is extraordinary about cabin but nothing looks outwardly cheap.

Contd...

 

[350Z]

Your car looks good and black colour really enhances the appeal here. Get a wash and polishing done; it will be sparkling again like in showroom condition. Otherwise it is well-kept overall. Can you share the maintenance costs (Servicing, breakdown etc.)?

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[madaneeraj]

Your car looks good and black colour really enhances the appeal here. Get a wash and polishing done; it will be sparkling again like in showroom condition. Otherwise it is well-kept overall.

Thanks 350Z, well I am an admirer of inner beauty, external does not appeal to me that much.

Well 1 headlight bulb and rain wipers (around 400 Re,) have been changed so far until yesterday I got the battery change (3300). Everything from Ford dealers only. Ford has come down in spares part cost since inception and might be less if not equal to Hyundai (controversial statement to make, but telling from own expereince)

Service interval is 6 months costing anything around 3k with oil filter changed everytime and Air filter once an year.

Got Garware sunfilm (30%), underbody coating (from delaer after 1st servicing) and Teflon coating after an year of purchase (around 3500 from an outside vendor).

And yes, broke the rear view more which cost around 1200.

So that's all so far.

Regards,
Maddy

 

[Akash]

I must say your Fiesta's interiors look as good as new. Like 350Z mentioned, do get the exteriors polished/waxed which would enhance the exterior appeal of your ride.