[treadmark]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

I believe the PowerShift gearbox is still imported, and not locally manufactured. When I was researching the EcoSport AT, I came across the following information: [list][*]It is the GETRAG gearbox, model number 6DCT250 (PDF, website)[*]GETRAG do not have Indian presence, the closest is China (source)

Getrag has three joint ventures one being with Ford and the other two with Jiangling & Dongfeng.
I believe all the transmissions for Ford is designed and developed from Getrag Ford Transmissions Cologne Germany.

Cheers!

[jetti]

And this shows 81 PS vs the 112 PS that is mentioned for Aspire. So, waiting for someone to post the reviews

Originally Posted by noopster

The Ford website still lists the specs of the now-discontinued Fiesta AT:

Attachment 1403347

It's the same engine-gearbox combo in a significantly lighter car, so am thinking the performance should be way up there. Besides I haven't heard complaints from Fiesta AT owners (Khan_sultan is one) about the car behaving laggy when pushed.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by witwiky

Thanks for the feedback from the TD. Though I have booked the diesel T+ version of Aspire, I also have i20 Active as a contender. Any thoughts on which of them are better?

Which car is always a tricky question to answer, specially since they belong to two different body shapes. I'm not familiar with Aspire variant nomenclatures but I assume the T+ is the fully loaded variant? There is directly no comparison possible between i20 Active & Aspire, one is a luxury hatchback with best in class fit/finish & comfort - things like front armrest, rear aircon vents etc which are very useful on daily runs while the Aspire is a no-nonsense all-round car with decent space inside and in the boot. Engine wise the i20's diesel is no slouch while still being very refined+quiet & torquey, the Aspire on paper has more power on the higher rev range. Driving wise well the i20 while it has improved leaps & bounds over its older platform, they still have tuned the suspension for a gliding effect softness & the steering is also assisted by the motor to a large extent giving it extreme lightness during operation. This is not a defect, its just how Hyundai wants to make their latest cars. The result is that the Aspire will feel better across all speeds in terms of weight and will also prove to be more in control during turns while i20 would feel vague, disconnected at times and a little mushy on turns. Projector headlamps & DRL's in Active in my opinion aren't features you might find useful at all save for maybe marginally better light throw.

I'd say this decision is down to really which car appeals to you after test-driving. The i20 Active is the better looker & is more VFM than say the Verna, its also built well enough to endure Indian roads (190mm g.c, 195 section tyres, all-round skirt protection are some of its practical features worth their money) while the Aspire is a practical workhorse with an augmented SRS assembly in the top-end.

[The Observer]

Originally Posted by witwiky

Though I have booked the diesel T+ version of Aspire, I also have i20 Active as a contender. Any thoughts on which of them are better?

If you value better safety equipment then chose the Aspire T+, as simple as that. If you do not value that extra safety ( side and curtain airbags) but want to own a good looking, well proportioned car go for the i20 Active. The i20 Active at top spec is costlier than the T+ diesel.

Simple answer, if it was me i would chose the Aspire T+ Diesel over the i20 Active. Either ways wishing you all the very best, a hassle free buying experience and many many safe and happy miles.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by noopster

The Ford website still lists the specs of the now-discontinued Fiesta AT:
Attachment 1403347

Originally Posted by jetti

And this shows 81 PS vs the 112 PS that is mentioned for Aspire. So, waiting for someone to post the reviews

Its a typo on the site, they've switched the values around: its actually 81 KW, which is ~110 PS (see http://kwpsrechner.de/).

[heydj]

Why is it people never live in present and always think of future.Let me explain, today i tried explaining to co workers how Aspire AT is such a good deal and AT is much better than CVT etc. The first response I got was how much will be resale value, they had no desire in discussing driving dynamics etc.

Anyways any scoop on when will Tbhp review come out, last time I waited so eagerly for something written was last Harry Potter novel.

[The Rationalist]

Booked the Aspire AT in Ruby red, if Ford doesn't bring out the Fiesta AT before delivery, the Aspire will be the first car I'm buying and a new car after one and half decades!For those who think are there people willing to put 7 lakhs on Aspire , the answer is yes. Now the wait is only for the review, dear mods!

[d3mon]

Any pictures of the Ingot Silver or the Oxford White Aspire?

I have booked the Ingot silver 1.5 TDCi Titanium Plus, with the Ruby Red being unavailable until the end of next month.

[witwiky]

Went to Bhavna Ford today evening for test driving Aspire Petrol 1.5 AT and Diesel Titanium+ 1.5 MT

I was pleasantly surprised to find the AT Petrol waiting on the road. Especially, after so many TBHPians said there was no stock/ test drive cars.

Drove the car from Nerul to Sanpada and back, about 10 km, both on highway and road with potholes.
My feedback on both the versions is below:

Petrol 1.5 AT:
Please note the only other AT car I have TD'ed before is the Polo GT TSI.
- The ORVMs are quite small for my liking compared to my Figo
- The phone dock on the dashboard is neat and held my iPhone well throughout the drive. It has a USB port and Aux-in at the back to charge and listen to the music
- The audio system is decent. Same as the one in Ecosport
- The headlamp throw is nice and bright. Better than Figo. I was driving at 7 pm so it was dark.
- The door closing sound is unpleasant and not upto Ford standards. Esp. after hearing to Ecosport and Figo's door clickers. But you can get used to that
- The NVH levels are extremely low inside the cabin
- I flicked the accelerator for about 5 mm and the car lurched forward with a jerky motion
- Since it was a service road, I was just trying to concentrate on handling and comfort. Both aspects are top class, no doubt about that
- I found a patch of about 500 mtr to test car's acceleration. I completely halted the car and floored the accelerator. The car was hesitating a bit and revved a lot. Then moved with a bit of sluggishness till 70 kmph.
- On the highway (8 lanes), I was not confident to overtake trucks nor change lanes simply because the car was very unpredictable on how and when that power was transferred to the wheels. I just couldn't figure out if it was really DCT.
- In more technical terms, the power is not linear for the AT on straight roads, at any speed.
- There were times though when I could feel the 112 horses under the hood and that was a good feeling. But the SA sitting next to me was quite scared.
- I tried the S mode and D mode both and still I couldn't find that buttery smooth DCT effect that is expected.
- The braking, handling, steering feedback is all exceptional
- Compared to Polo GT TSI, this AT is far too unpredictable and non-reliable in terms of giving you that power and punch when you need the most.
- However, I think when driven for a while and after getting a little hang of it, it can be tamed

But, I was massively disappointed with the gearbox.

Diesel 1.5 MT:
- This was the Titanium+ version. The route I took was the same.
- I paired my phone with the SYNC system. No issues in setting it up with the iPhone.
- I felt that the sound quality of this car was a tad bit lower than the Petrol version. It had too much treble no matter how ever I changed the settings.
- The handling, steering and ABS was great.
- The engine NVH is lower than my current Figo so that was nice.
- Once I was about to hit the highway, I tried to rev up the engine. Same straight patch of 500 mtrs.
- The acceleration was way too controlled, predictable and in line of my expectations
- The last time I felt the joy in driving a Diesel car was when I TD'ed the Figo back in 2010.
- The engine is super refined and gear changes are smooth
- The gear-stick travel time is nearly the same as the Figo's
- Once the turbo kicks in at about 1450 rpm, it feels just amazing to drive
- I touched 100 kmph in no time and I did not notice it.
- The steering responds well on curves at high speed and while cruising over potholes. However, I feel the Figo's steering is better at high speeds.
- I tried braking over 90 kmph and I was uneasy with the way car behaved. This is not the way Figo reacts. Note: I have a Figo without ABS.
- With wider tires will be better grounded for highway driving
- Overall: The Diesel engine and gearbox combination was way way better than AT

Some other points:
- The SA claimed 60 bookings had been done till the day before prices were announced
- 15 bookings were done since prices are out
- Waiting time is not unreasonably long as there is a steady stream of deliveries from Sanand, Gujarat. 35 - 40 cars are scheduled to be delivered in Sept. apart from the ones already arrived
- Ford has provided 44 official accessory items for Aspire. The largest range for any Ford car so far.
- A couple of banks are offering 10% interest on loans specially for Aspire. Others are at 10.3 or 10.5%. The exclusivity of this deal I need to check myself from other sources as well.
- OT: The SA confirmed that Mustang will be built at Sanand plant and will be exported to other Asian and African countries. It is expected to be less than 30 Lakhs Ex-Showroom (he said this unconvincingly). He had seen it at the plant while he went for the training of Aspire and was quite impressed by the Mustang - which also made him feel proud that the Ford cars have it's lineage.

Thanks dark knight and the Observer, with your feedback on i20 Active, I think I made the right choice by booking the Diesel Titanium+ version and will stick to it.

Originally Posted by dark.knight

I'd say this decision is down to really which car appeals to you after test-driving. The i20 Active is the better looker & is more VFM than say the Verna, its also built well enough to endure Indian roads (190mm g.c, 195 section tyres, all-round skirt protection are some of its practical features worth their money) while the Aspire is a practical workhorse with an augmented SRS assembly in the top-end.

Originally Posted by The Observer

If you value better safety equipment then chose the Aspire T+, as simple as that. If you do not value that extra safety ( side and curtain airbags) but want to own a good looking, well proportioned car go for the i20 Active. The i20 Active at top spec is costlier than the T+ diesel.

Simple answer, if it was me i would chose the Aspire T+ Diesel over the i20 Active. Either ways wishing you all the very best, a hassle free buying experience and many many safe and happy miles.

[aeroamit]

On Ford India Website accessories for Ford Figo Aspire are available with prices. Rear View Mirror camera (without GPS) is good for 11+K.

[d3mon]

The Aspire diesel has a stonking 0-100 time of 11.5 sec as per Overdrive!
This matches the time set by the Rapid / Vento cousins. Also that of the S-cross 1.6!
This of course has got to do with the frankly amazing ~95BHP/Ton power to weight ratio in the Aspire.
That's better than that of the GT twins and even the S-cross!

Top speed is pegged at 190kmph on the speedo and 177kmph (GPS).
Just like the 6 airbags and leather seats, this is absolutely class-defying stuff.

Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASQA-g0T9HI

I had been lining up for the S-Cross 1.6, until Maruti announed the absolutely retarded pricing on those 1.6 engines. Happy to have found a really fun to drive alternative to the S-cross 1.6 and have saved a few lakhs in the process

Can't wait to get my hands on the car, finish the run in period, and transfer the RD box from my swift to the aspire!

[vijayvelprakash]

Originally Posted by witwiky

Went to Bhavna Ford today evening for test driving Aspire Petrol 1.5 AT and Diesel Titanium+ 1.5 MT

I was pleasantly surprised to find the AT Petrol waiting on the road. Especially, after so many TBHPians said there was no stock/ test drive cars.

Drove the car from Nerul to Sanpada and back, about 10 km, both on highway and road with potholes.

But, I was massively disappointed with the gearbox.

Thank you very much for the first feedback on AT variant. I am surprised to hear that the gearbox is not what was expected. I will have to wait for my TD before making any decision.

[deetjohn]

LOL! How the tides have changed after the price announcement by Ford. Some said, Ford peaked too early with the Aspire and compact sedans have lost all hope in this new world with love only for the compact UVs.

What wonder can a shock pricing do, right? People do sit up and take notice of the class leading virtues of the car. Safety, power, fun, FE, value, style all rolled into one. Well done Ford!

With additional capacity and no export commitments, the Aspire shouldn't see the logistics issues which affected both Figo and EcoSport in the initial days. Ford should move quickly to get the maximum number of cars on road ASAP, that's the key for success in this very competitive segment.

Very eager to see how the sales will be in a few months. Compact sedans is one category I have never been able to read.

[vibbs]

I ve never been a fan of Compact sedans. But got to admit, Ford has by this good pricing managed to make me sit up and take notice. Really appreciate the move to embrace safety too.

With that stonker 11.5 sec to 100 timing on a fun to drive Ford, must say I am really really interested. Wish Ford decides to bring a modern stylish premium Hatchback too to the market with similar qualities.

I dont think I ve more eagerly waited for a team bhp review of a CS.

[HVSC]

Wow! Great pricing.

But why do I feel betrayed by Ford after having bought the Fiesta T!? I love my ride but when I see similar and/or better car at a lower price point it does make me feel bad.

Now we all know the reason for Ford's close to zero responsiveness for Fiesta. I really really hope that Ford updates the ECU software and at least bring the power and torque figures at the same plane.