Ford Ikon 1.8 EXi

My last car was an Esteem which I drove for 7-8 years. I was looking for a fuel efficient 3-box car because the separate boot was necessary, plus thought that safety features are better in sedan.

I was almost compelled to settle for this car because I was looking for a car not wider than 1625 cm, given my parking space. Since Esteem had stopped production, I had to choose this despite everyone telling me, that buying an ikon is suicide: fuel guzzler, costly to maintain. But then I chose the IKON flair, which is  1.3L engine with ROCAM technology.

Ride quality is good, it handles Bombay's bad roads with remarkable ease, and compares well even with the Honda City that we own.

However, the best 2 things were:

1) pick up

2) fuel efficiency

Quite a responsive engine(though you have to take each gear to its peak to see the desired results) - ROCAM, whatever that means. The car has been returning 13 km with AC on a regular basis. I bought the car in April 2008 and have completed 11, 000 km. On highways, this improves by 4 km. This is much beyond the expectations I had set from the car. Additionally I like the strong body of the car.

Car's side mirros are small and poor, but are covered with a rubber channel, which gives it advantage over many other cars in Bombay Monsoon. Car did not come with an automatic boot release and I had to get it fitted later by paying Rs 6, 000. All parts of this car seem costly.

The dealer seems average. They seem straight-forward on what they promise and deliver. The problem is that they can't set right some things and are handling too many cars - Ford doesn't seem to be addressing this. A small problem, windshield waterjet malfunction has made me visit the showroom thrice, without permanent results. In contrast, some bigger complaints of mine, like noise from rear left, were identified and set right promptly. Again, the fuel indicator is faulty and got me stranded on a dark dusty road one evening. But the dealer's emergency number was able to identify the problem on phone itself and a can of petrol was all it needed. Now I plan to set it alright the next time I go. Funnily, the car takes in 12 litres after the fuel tank shows full or after auto-shut cut-off. And attendants at petrol pumps are aware about this problem.

Will have to see what happens as the car gets older.

I would recommend this car to others.

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WFord@ford.com

wcford@ford.com

write2md@ford.com

cargainz@ford.com

dbadrina@ford.com

akozlesk@ford.com

NWARK@ford.com

MBONEHAM@ford.com

SSANYAL@ford.com

custmail@ford.com

dbhaska1@ford.com

The emails belong to FORD global head, APAC head, india Head and other global leaders.  This the email I sent them today, I got a call in 2 hrs and lets see what happens next.

Hello everybody,

Hope this is taken seriously, I can only influence a few 1000 people not to buy ford for obvious reasons. This list might grow in future because its just been 2 months with Ford.

1. I lost original Key  the replacement keys cost you are asking is 2000+, auto-cops entire set costs 4500/- and they provide service at doorstep.

   
   




2. I paid 5000/- for rear spoiler, you gave me substandard quality(without light) and it took you more than 2 months to do the job(the promised rear spoiler is yet to be replaced)

   
   




3. As promised the Teflon coating was not done, it took you two months to do this job.

   
   




4. You charged 60/- for clip(water pushes water to the windshield) God knows how the clip just popped out while I was driving the car  and did not bother to give a bill.

   
   




5. You charged me 600/- for one wheel cap, 4 wheel caps in the market costs me less than 600/- and you did not give a bill.(please check if you are being robbed of your inventory – or is this a tactics to avoid sales-tax)

   
   




6. Today I have done 5000 kms. Called your showroom, they say technicians are on leave servicing cannot be done. I am traveling Anantapur tomorrow and would be adding 1000 Kms before giving it for 1st servicing servicing.

   
   




7. You are charging 250/- for pick and drop of the vehicle where-as Hyundai never charged me(my old car)

   
   




8. Other fiesta car owners have body colored side protectors free of cost and I have not been given.

   
   




9. ZXi model without music system / antenna / speakers  Cant compare with competitors.

   
   




10. I purchased the leather seats for 10000/- and antenna for 1000/- from your store, outside its 8000/- and 400/- respectively, moreover don't you think it should be part of standard accessories.

    
    




11. If 5 members sit in the car, mud-flap breaks on uneven-surfaces and I will have to pay for it, though the car is in warranty.

    
    

I buy new car every two years, well planning to stick to Hyundai for the next car. Its just been 2 months with Fiesta; I feel I am not being treated fair. Maintenance cost is too high compared to Hyundai / Tata.

though the points listed above are quite common and we as oridinary indian consumers just ignore it bear the brunt.   Its a good thing to make not of every tiny point and blast it through emails to all the stakeholders.

Also, we should take some pain to walk down to consumer forum to file complaints. You may not get immediate relief but on a long run other consumers will benefit.

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I ve been driving my ikon flair for last 5 yrs. Everythin is nice till it makes 40k kms. after that you really get surprised at the parts getting damaged. Let me talk on the gud side first.

Its really a josh machine. Nice pulling. It has a good handling. but the suspension is real hard and makes you feel each and every small undulations on the road. Also it gives a peculiar low frequency noise on negotiating small gutters. but take my word those are really really exceptional in negotiating large gutters and humps. No matter at wat speed you are hittin. youu wont feel anythin except a thud. I was getting around 14kmpl average on smooth driving and 10 to 12kmpl on speedy drives.i mean where I use lower gears frequently. Space inside is adequate. good boot etc etc.

No matter how good it is or how carefully you maintain ur car. various parts get damaged in course of time. its really hard to stand this coz the ford ppl dosnt kno to repair anythin. you have som complaint vth any part dey straight away replace it[of crse pnly after warranty s expired]. Actually I ve spent nearly another ikon's money on it till now on repair. You dont believeit.i had to reaplace even the entire ignition key set. The thing s dat all the parts are of poor quality and really really heavily overpriced. Everythin is plastic believe me. There lies the problem.

You ll really get shocked at the costs. I cant even remember wat all things were replaced.

There s a saying dat FORD means Found On Road Dead. I think its correct. I had to face 5 or 6 episodes of breakdown with my ikon.  The funniest thing is wen u call the service centre.she tells lik dis. "Sorry sir all our service bookings are full. You may get a chance next wk". how nice to stand on road and hear such an irrresponsible answer.just imagine.

But I must admit one thing. since they used to replace all the parts with the slightest problem. the car as good as new even now after doing 69k. But u shud keep in mind dat I ve almost every part changed in this time including the engine cam shaft. all suspensions. fuel pumps. fan belt. silencer. ac condenser. and many more that I might ve forgottten.

Actually I lik dis car to hit top speeds.dat too even in country roads. ac is nice. mileage is acceptable. So all is good but be prepared for the maintenance and the heavy costs of the spares.

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Bought a Ford Ikon Flair in July 2004.  Here is a 50, 000 kms review.

Good points: Reliable car, no let downs so far. Drive mostly in Delhi and take her on holiday trips mostly to Himachal/Uttaranchal twice a year (1000-1400 kms round trip each time).  Great car to drive around hill roads, hugs the corners and is not unruffled by bad roads. Good seat comfort both for deiver and passenger. Excellent steering control.

Problems so far: Air conditioning was throwing out hot air after about 25000 kms.  Took the car to South City Ford who suggested a change of cooling coil system- estimated expenses Rs. 20, 000. Not convinced, took it to Harpreet Ford: their diagnosis-a defective valve: replace the valve and coolant. Estimated expenses: Rs 4500.

Still not convinced, took it to an "outside" mechnaic who said this was a common problem with Ikons which is easily rectified by bypassing the heating system.  Took it to Harpreet for the "bypass surgery" and lo and behold! the AC started cooling better than even when the car was brand new.  Cost Rs. 250.  The downside is that the heater will no longer work.

Ignition coil malfunction at 40000 kms. Harpreet Ford replaced it for Rs. 4000.  Battery replaced around the same time for Rs 3500.  Suspension bushes replaced for Rs 3000.  Routine servicing at every 10, 000 kms for Rs 4000 (approx).

The parking light switch was not working.  As usual, Harpreet Ford suggested a replacement for Rs 6500.  I suspected it to be dust issue and sprayed the gap in the round switch with anti-rust. Started working perfectly again.

I was about to sell the car (best offer Rs 175000) in December 2007 but after the AC problem was solved, decided to keep iy for one more year.  I have pre-paid the bank loan and now feel light as a feather.  One reason for keeping it was that I took a test drive of the Honda City VTEC and when I got back into my Ikon, it drove and handled better than the Honda.

Average fuel efficiency is 10 with AC and 12 without in city.  Highway without AC is 15+ at steady speed of 80-100 kms.  I never exceed 100.

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Ford was the most preferred till you are a owner and you go to a service center. When I picked up my Ikon Diesel I really felt great as this ride was the most sought after. I loved each moment as it quiet let a style statement each time I drove around.  I was even more elated when the dealer offered me a discount as well as freebies.

Diesel engines are quiet an expensive affair to maintain. The ford takes you levels above in expenditure. I was getting a good mileage of 18 Kmpl with AC powered on. Since I was on the extended warranty, the service center was my only option. Each time I went to the service center which is every 5000 km, I would end up blowing up at least 10k. The cost of the parts and labor is so expensive that each time I came out from the service center I kept cursing my stars as to why did I make a mistake of picking up a Ford. At 40000 Kms I was told to replace my shocks.

I wondered if the life of it was only so less and what worried me more was the expense. Yes after I paid for my shocks replacement I swore that I had to sell this car and never pick up a car from Ford because it is bloody expensive to maintain. The trick is that you can never buy a part from a service center and get it replaced else where. I sold my car and was so relived that I don’t have to pay out of my pawn lenders pocket. I picked up a Honda City and I am so not pawning any more.

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I have been a proud owner of Ford ikon 1.6Nxt  Zxi model. Bought in April 2005,  lucky to have the product in the last stage of its evolution - since Ikon was discontinued later.

Its been a revelation driving this machine, being  a perfect driver's car.  I am a travelling freak ( usually travel with my family). During my stay in Delhi,  i have driven to the mountains of Manali, Dulhousie, Nainital, Mussourie etc. also on the desert of Rajasthan covering more that 3000Kms.  Frequent trips to Agra, Nimrana, Alwar and nearby places were very common.

Now that I am in Bangalore have taken the car to Hyderabad, Ooty, Pondicherry, Coorg, Kodaikanal etc.

Have driven more that 45000 Kms since 3 1/2 years of possession of this car.

Ikon is excellant to drive specially it generates high torque at low rpm. The AC is Koool . The new Rocam Engine is a real beast and can beat any cars of its class. The tubeless tyres adds to the convinience and comfort.

I would comment on the SMALL steering which is apt and very very comfortable. I feel every car should have the same small steering.

Mileage has been decent 10kmpl in horrible road condition of Bangalore, though on the highways it gives 13+kmpl.

It is extremely strong and stable car even at high speeds( Driven @170 kmph). Gives a great sense of security and comfort.

Services has been good, with OK spares cost.- certainly not the lowest priced.

I have test driven many vehicles like Baleno, Fiesta, Esteem  BUT IKON is the best.

However there are lacunas which needs to be corrected:

1.  Headlights are pretty poor.

2.  Back suspension is not upto the mark - needs to be upgraded.

3.  Interior can be improved.

*Readers:  PLEASE NOTE IKON 1.3 IS A VERY DIFFERENT VEHICLE AND DO NOT COMPARE AT ALL WITH THE 1.6 Nxt version.( DO NOT GET CONFUSED)

NOTE: Have heard Ikon is getting reluanched by FORD in Nov 2008.

Lets again catch up with a better version of the Josh machine.

Long live Ikon brand.*

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I have bought this car in October 2007 after many months of research. I am so happy with my choice. Nothing specifically negative about this car. Positives so many - LOOK, STYLE, COMFORT, POWER, SPEED, LEG ROOM, HEAD ROOM and the surprisingly BOOT SPACE.

One more thing I can add is it's body. The strongest, it covers SAFETY.

AC is no doubt is the best at any speed at any road. There is no effect on the mileage with AC on. Power steering is wonderful. Can go 200-250km with a single sit conveniently.

You cannot ignore this car at any point.

One thing bothered me was mileage but it is increasing month by month now and on highway with speed, it is best in the segment.

Earlier it was giving me 10km/l then it goes to11 then 12 & 13. On highway it goes up to16.

TOTALLY BEST VALUE FOR MONEY.

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After reading number of reviews about this car on MS, I felt like writing one about the one I own too, ford Ikon 1.6 nxt.

As named as a Josh machine and it is; undoubtedly it carries great power with 1.6 lt engine more than 90 BHP and maintain it properly and get the couple of changes in normal spares like K & N airfilter which will definately going to add 5 to 15 bhp more power depending upon the condition of the vehicle.

Reasons why to take this car  firstly the powerful engine which gives you the capacity to run upto 190 KM/hr if you will not remove your foot from the gas paddle. Trust me on that I've touched that speed on NH8 while I was on my trip to jaipur tho you will hardly find roads where you can actually retain that speed for couple of seconds.

Secondly, Phenomenal handling and control of the car even at very high speed and despite of being a sedan u actually dont need much of space to turn it as the Turning curve of this vehicle is Great. And, the sporty wheel is like a caviyar. and it gives you the perfect feeling of driving a sporty vehicle. Air conditioning is KOOOL. and power even after AC is on -ITS there

Top model comes  with sporty bumper along with fog lamps, four door power window, keyless central locking, de fogger, and music system in place with good speakers tho you can always get it replace with bass tube and changers according to one's choice the way I did it.

Let's get in to the little dark shades of this vehicle like milage, trust me people looking for mileage of 13+ , better drive other options as this will give you maximum average of 13 that too if you will drive it very carefully and not using its absolute power and being in the green zone. Else in city traffic nothing less than 10-11 km/l with AC on 100 %

Spares and Service- Spares for this vehicle are unimaginably expensive and its very hard to find original parts outside the authorize service station. Like everyone else Ford service engineers doesnt believe in repairing they believe in replacing.

Once your alignment is out and its because of camber fault, you got to get the shockers replaced as camber is fixed in this car and cant be aligned without replacing shockers.

Rear is too high in this car that you can hardly see anything .

If you are on a driving spree and your car breaksdown trust me possibilites are really remote that you can find a mechanic who can confidently says that he can touch this magnificent ford engine and catch hold of the fault.

Either get the service done religiously from the service station and experience a big dent in your wallet else try and find a good mechanic who can do service and uses the original spares( And, do let me know about that mechanic as well, if in delhi)

Pros and Cons all discussed but still this is a machine which can provide driving pleasure and people who loves speed will love this car in its own segment.

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Exellent  and realible car made by FORD in this segment Ford puts together 1.3 Flair as answer to criticism of its previous avatar. The advanced Rocam engine offers peppy drive and better fuel eficiency and the trims get better too.

The Ikon continues to be one of the better built cars available in the market and its paint coat is still impressive.The 1.3 Rocam employs the same gearbox as the earlier car but with a lower final drive ratio, which is a good move considering the better torque characteristics of the Rocam engineIndigo is nothing behind this car.

A better and more efficient engine leads not only to an increase in power and torque across the rev range but also better fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Although this is not as great in terms of fuel efficiency as some other engines of its displacement, the 1.3 Rocam is a big improvement over the earlier 1.3 Ikon.

The worst mileage that the Rocam 1.3 returned was 8.2kmpl when the car was undergoing performance testing. Under normal city driving the Ikon averaged 9.5kmpl which we think is decent enough. On the highway with the air con switched off the car recorded a figure of 16.5kmpl. Since this was a brand new car, these fuel efficiency figures should only get better as the car gets properly run in.

With a 45- litre fuel tank the Ikon 1.3 Rocam should be able to cover 585km before requiring a refill. People are foolish who running towards diesel cars.petrol engine is much more relible then diesel &run trouble free if take care and serviced on time

Kanwardeep singh

kanwardeeps@rediffmail.com

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I bought a second hand Ford Icon 1.3 Flair in Jan 2008 and till date don't have any issues. It was 2004 modal. Every one in my friend circle liked it and it's Panther Black color is really eye catching. If your price range is between 5-5.5 Lakhs Indian Rupee, then go for it. It's sleek and executive looks are the ones I like the most. It looks sporty too and compared to other sedans it have everything which other miss out.

Fuel consumption is as claimed and little maintanence is needed. Keep your car happy by driving it carefully and it will keep you get going for a long period of time. Get it serviced on time and there is no expiry date for your Icon Flair. Go grab your Icon now and take my words for it.

Its been a very good experience driving the car. It has a great pick up when ac is off but slightly become heavier when ac is on. But that issue is there with most of the Sedans.

They have fewer service centres and the parts are costly, so you need to take care of the car in that way, no careles driving please else you have to shell out big bucks. But overall it will win your heart.

Happy Driving.

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In this era of multiple cars for a

family, ours is no exception.

If I take into account, my family

(self, wife and daughter), and my parents, we own four cars between

five people. Now, before you go and accuse me of not using public

transport, I shall admit to it. I gave up public transport(as far as

possible), which basically includes buses within the city, and of

course, the suburban Mumbai rail, a number of years ago, as soon as I

could afford it. There are a number of absolutely logical reasons for

that, which can be the subject of another post.

Coming back to the subject of family

ownership of more than one automobile. If I add my in-laws to it,

then another two cars get added. Of which one is the Ford Ikon.

The story with the Ikon in the family

is a bit weird. My sister in law insisted that we buy the Ikon there,

though I was rooting for an Esteem, given the usual logical reasons

for owning a Maruti – serviceability at every corner, reliability,

fuel economy, and cheaper spares. To make a long story short, the

Ikon was bought, and came home a couple of days before Christmas in

2004.

At the time, I used to live in Noida,

and my wife was expecting our daughter, and was living at my in-laws

place in Gurgaon for the ease and convenience of having someone

around for help, given a workaholic corporate husband who “never

comes home”(sound familiar, anyone?). So, on one of the first

trips out in the new car, without number plates, the three ladies of

the house got pulled over by a Gurgaon traffic cop for jumping a red

light(you should see my sis-in-law at the wheel – if you aren't

religious, that will make you!). With no way out of the situation,

both my mom and sis-in laws pointed to my nine month pregnant wife,

who was being “duly ferried to the hospital” since it was an

“emergency” and hence the red light jump, and the humane side of

the constable came to the fore, who duly escorted the ladies to the

next available hospital, leading the way on his bike. Of course,

since my daughter came 15 days later, these ladies took the next U

turn after the cop went his merry way and went straight to the malls,

their original destination. I take this incident as a sign of good

luck, cause I never had as much luck with traffic cops, and over the

years have decided to avoid them through a more guaranteed route of

safer driving.

15 days later, my daughter arrived, and

was suffering for post-natal jaundice, a common occurrence amongst

newborn kids. Now, with the Delhi winter at its coldest, we were all

at our wits end to figure out how do we follow the paediatrician's

orders of exposing the little one to sunlight, which was the best,

natural cure. Until of course, I saw the Ikon in the car park.

Spanking new, and with non-tinted windows, the car was duly parked in

a sunny spot, and my daughter placed inside on the rear seat, nestled

comfortably in the sunshine, insulated from the 10 kmph chilling

winds blowing around Delhi on a cold winter day in 2005.

Who would

have thought an Ikon can be used to cure post-natal jaundice?

Not me,

until I had my daughter, that is.

Well, even now, when I travel to Delhi

twice a year, the car is practically at my disposal for the duration of my trip. All my trips out of the house, be it to

the mall, friends, erstwhile offices and colleagues, movies, to and

from the airport, are in the car.

And what a car too. Easily fits in

my in-laws, daughter who is now 3, wife, luggage for a twenty – odd

day trip, and yet comfortably get us around. And of course, when I'm

the only one in the car, it doubles up as a mobile jukebox between

meetings, events, and during waiting times in the markets of Delhi. The Ikon's suspension is infinitely superior to that of the Esteem for example(haven't got my hands on the Dzire yet, but I'm betting that the genetic trait of a bumpy ride in the rear of a Maruti will continue).

Driving wise it is quite fantastic – I personally love the way it

takes off the moment you so much as tap the accelerator; the feeling

of pulling away from the Delhi traffic is somewhat comparable to

'leave your worries behind', except for the fact that as in life,

they usually catch up with you at the next traffic light.

But the real clincher for me is the

fuel economy. When in the hands of our driver, the car has not ever

given more than 12 kmpl. However, when in my hands for that month, it

never gives below 15 kmpl. Maybe its the kind of music we play in the

car that makes it'eat more' when the other guy is driving, or it

could be the driving style. Though I am fairly non-aggressive, I do

like speed. And given my luck with traffic cops, I guess that's the

secret that gives me 3 kmpl more. For once, I'm not complaining!

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I had purchased Ford Icon Flair 5 months before and as of now no problems faced. The Car is good in pickup and driving. It gives me mileage of around 12 ltr/KM with AC on.I had completed my 2nd Service.

Ensure that you service the Vehilce at the proposed KMs given in the Service manual.

Regarding Service center, I have no comments since we are not sure on their activities since we deliver and take the Car at the residence.

Regarding Suspension, I am not comfortable with as I get lot of noise/jerks while driving. It is not smooth as compared to other Sedan cars.

I had purchased Ford Icon Flair 5 months before and as of now no problems faced. The Car is good in pickup and driving. It gives me mileage of around 12 ltr/KM with AC on.I had completed my 2nd Service.

Ensure that you service the Vehilce at the proposed KMs given in the Service manual.

Regarding Service center, I have no comments since we are not sure on their activities since we deliver and take the Car at the residence.

Regarding Suspension, I am not comfortable with as I get lot of noise/jerks while driving. It is not smooth as compared to other

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I have been driving my Ford Ikon 1.6ZXI since March 2005. I was pretty fortunate to get a new one that year because couple of months down the line Ford India discontinued selling this model. Ikon fans had heartbreak then - the same feeling Yamaha RX100 fans went through when that model was discontinued a dozen years back.

Why did I choose an Ikon while it was already having dated looks back in 2005? The reason is simple. As many call it – Ikon is a driver's car. All my driving years I owned cars with great drivability - I drove Maruti Zen(old model) in India and a Honda Accord abroad before choosing an Ikon back again in India. As I was not bothered about the mileage and resale value, I settled for this machine following my heart and passion than future monetary impact.

*A driver’s car and why?

*If you take a look from outside an Ikon looks pretty ordinary – probably only slightly better and bigger than a Maruti Esteem. But what you will immediately recognize is the ground clearance which is the highest in its class. The undertone therein is ‘I am ready for the dirt game’. Once you get in to the driver’s seat, you are suddenly in a world of your own; the reason being the so driver-oriented console which contours around the steering wheel and ending before your front passenger area making him more a spectator. The instrument panel is decently equipped and controls are easily accessible(except for the power window switches, to operate which, you need to move forward a little. Also, the wiper wash & turn indicator levers are oriented differently as it is borrowed directly from its left-hand-driven counterparts abroad).

Once you start the engine you will hear that sweet nice roar – The brake and accelerator pedals are small and sporty. So is the small steering wheel that gives nice grip – compare it with that of Hyundai Accent or Mitsubishi Lancer and you will realize what I am talking about. Shift the gear, give more gas to it and you will suddenly feel that power – not just in the first or second gear but in all gears. Even the 5th gear is well powered to help you overtake other beasts on the road. The stick shift is not exactly slick but still sporty and you can hear the click. The gear lever is a bit longer and that is probably the only aesthetic issue near the driver’s area.

Ford Ikon has tremendous acceleration and torque in any gear. Even with the AC on it’s a beast ready to beat anything. The 92BHP engine make you feel like a 100+ one due to carefully done gear ratios and being the lightest(972Kgs) in its class. However, in a 0 to 100 shoot out Ikon may loose slightly to Maruti Baleno as the latter can cross 100 in the third gear itself where as Ikon needs a shift just before it hits 100K mark.

The steering is excellent – it keeps giving you the feedback the right way. Unlike the Marutis the steering does not get softer at higher speeds. The lowest in the class turning radius(4.8 metres) allows you to drive it like a Maruti Zen in the city limits and crowded roads. You never need to go reverse to take a U-turn even in narrow roads! However, there's no tilt steering in Ikon though the driver seat height can be adjusted to cover up that shortcoming a bit.

The brakes are reasonably good – I would not say they are the best around but good enough for the thrill with safety. Suspension is again sporty and little hard – it doesn’t bother about those who sit behind:-)

*Maintenance, mileage and service quality

*In Bangalore where I mostly service my car, both Metro Ford and Kavery Ford dealers have excellent mechanics who are passionate about the Ikon. Every single time I gave this baby for service, I was not disappointed. The parts are slightly more expensive than Marutis but comparable to Hyundais and definitely far cheaper than Opels. I never had any major issue with the car now that it has run 30K kms.

I get a mileage of 10.5 Kmpl in Bangalore’s horrible driving conditions. In the highway where usually the speed is above 100, I get 13.5Kmpl. However there are a couple of friends of mine who get less than 10Kmpl in city conditions. By the way, you don’t need to go for costly high octane fuel for Ikon that is not going to add much value.

*The interiors

*This is where the Ikon is lagging a bit. The plastics are not the best you can get for the price and there should have been provisions for a decent can holder, bottle holder etc. However, the seats are excellent – they are not those cheap soft cushion stuff but decently hard ones(again drivers car – backseat is a little hard as well). The leg space behind is good enough – probably even better than an Octavia’s. The dual-tone - mixed with leather - seats look and feel good.

The A/C is not as good as that of Baleno or Accent – it takes 4-5 minutes before the interior is cooled sufficiently.

The boot is another major good factor about Ikon – it’s really huge and can accommodate quite some stuff.

*What I liked and what I quite did not

*The power, punch and attitude is excellent. The gear ratios and sporty steering wheel is amazing and drivability is unbeatable. Brake and gas pedals are of the right size to complement the steering and gear ratios. Lowest(4.8 meters) turning radius and highest ground clearance complete the drivers' requirements!

The power window switches, long gear lever and not having tilt steering are disappointments. The control levers around the steering are differently oriented but you will get used to it. Another thing I badly wanted was a headlamp leveling option and rear seat head restraints(when traveling with family). Also the headlamps are not good enough, you might want to align them once and even change to high wattage bulbs.

*Performance Tips

*. Adding a rear spoiler does not add much value to an Ikon due to its boot shape

. Get alloys if you bought one without alloy wheels – it looks good and feels good(reduce the weight further)

. K&N filters fitted on Ikon can get you close to 100BHP according to some of my forum friends - I have never tried it – it also adds some roar above 2000RPM

Overall I am extremely happy about my decision:-) Though I did not care about mileage and resale value initially, very recently I got a good resale quote(3.25Lakhs) for my 3 year old car for which I had paid an Ex-showroom value of 5.75L three years back. So it is not that bad an option in the long run.

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I Own used Ford 1.6 ZXI

FORN IKON is the best car in terms of design(look), size for Indian roads specially like Pune where Roads are narrow, rough and more traffic lights.This is the only American car I think best suit for India and can compare with Japanese cars. Diadvantage:Ford doesn't have own service centers so need to go to dealers and not in approachable distance. Fuel is again low in economy as it does good on pickup and after all its 1.6. Insurance goes high as its above 1500 cc. If you are buying old car you need to keep Rs.20000 aside for Suspension replacement. Overall I like this car

I really cant write much as I drive hardly 100 Kms a week

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Hi All,

I am 27 & working as a Sr. Project Engineer. After so many research and checking out many cars and depending on my pocket size, I became the owner of a second hand Ikon 1.6ZXI!

As I started driving my car, I started falling in love with my beast baby!  I have completed 11, 000 kms in my car so far in just 9 months.

Power.Yeah, I am calling it as a beast, because, I can rule the road in my Ikon. 92 horse power, 1600cc Ikon flies like a rocket on highways. I can confidently overtake any vehicles. Believe me, the way the engine responds to ur feet(foot on accelerator) is just mind blowing! Its very very powerful! And at the same time brakes are extraordinary! Once when I was going for a long drive with my family, I just asked my uncle to have a look at speedometer. And he was surprised and yelled "160!" Yeah, if you don't look at the needle, you'll never know the speed. The vehicle is that stable on road! So far I have touched 160 many times and reaching 140kmph in Ikon 1.6ZXI in highway is as easy as reaching 40kmph in our 2 wheelers!

Driving comfort. again I give full marks to my lovely Ikon! I drive in Bangalore! Everybody know the traffic in Bangalore. But I never had any problem in my Ikon. I can squeeze through gaps very easily, because handling Ikon is like handling a bicycle. Turning radius is small and steering responds just as we want. Sometimes I myself get surprised and ask myself." How did I do that?"  Driving in heavy traffic is damn easy. Accelerator is like a feather touch! Clutch release is also very easy(just need to rise your feet max by 1.5 inches), unlike TATA vehicles. When ever my friends drive my car say "this car doesn't need accelerator in city!" Its so powerful that, it starts moving if you just release clutch. Again, parking my sedan Ikon was not a problem at all.

Mileage. I am happy with the mileage. In highway, if you drive at a speed between 100 & 140kmph, the mileage would be 13 to 14 with out AC. If the speed is less than 100kmph, the mileage would be17 to 18! And in Bangalore city,  I am getting a mileage of 10 to 11. Ofcourse, it greatly depends on the driving. I say, for a sedan, this mileage is much satisfactory! What do you say?

Shock observers. Its awesome. I drive for hours but never got back pain or body pain even driving in worst roads!

Maintainence. I have given for service just once so far, and spent 9K! My mechanic said it had some minor problems and had to be fixed and previous owner hadn't bothered! My mechanic also mentioned that it will not exceed 2K from next service. So far, no problem. So I hope his words will be proven! And I am strongly suggested by all my friends not go to for Ford service station, as they mint money for no reason. So, I go to my reliable mechanic, who services even Benz!

Looks. Its stylish, passionate, great shape(good aerodynamically designed). I feel everyone agree with me. Its a car for young hearts. the car of youth:-) I agree that many good looking cars are around like Civic, Cedia etc. But still, Ikon is stylish!

Negative.

1. Road noise(below the chassis) can be heard inside the car so clearly that I get irritated! Even slightly uneven road can also be made out! Noise of small stones thrown by tyres etc are all very clear:-(

   
   




2. Shifting to reverse gear is always a trouble. It refuses to engage! I have observed the same problem in Fiesta too. Heard its a common problem in Ikon:-(

   
   




3. Power drops considerably when AC is on! Experienced same problem in Fiesta too and again heard it as a common problem in Ford by other owners:-( Haven't found any other problems so far(touch wood!)

   
   

Compared to pros, cons are nothing in Ikon.!

I recommend this car to all with great satisfaction:-)

Happy Driving!

Mahesh DJ

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UPDATE:

16 Dec 2011. 10 years old Safira(My Ikon). completed 1, 10, 000 kms

Am still not finding any reason to change my car. also, difficult to part with her!

Mileage: City: 11 kms in city and Highway: average 14 and max. 17(It's still the same)

Power: She loves plying at 160 km/hr. max. speed I could touch is 175 km/hr. but could never reach 180 km/hr even though I tried:-(

Just got left rear shock observer replaced and silencer 1 year back. Running on 3rd set of tyres(Bridgestone) and may have to change after max. 10, 000 kms. Can hear some rattling sound inside the car near dashboard which is negligible(I heard more than that in other new cars itself:-)

Overall, I can still scream and say. I love my baby. SAFIRA. u rock:-) muuuaaaahhh.

Happy driving!

Take care

Mahesh DJ

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I have been using my Ford Ikon for 3 years and till now no such complaints . vehicle is good in highways gives more mileage without changing gears freqently but cost u much in cities with frequent change of gears. I have changed the ignition coil of the vehicle which cost me a lot. wht I ve to say is that the spares are much expensive but service is upto standards. Reversing the vehicle is quite hectic as rear body is pointed a top from driver's point of view. so u cant make out a vehicle parked behind this huge elephant. The Car since its in the entry segment nows costs only Rs 450000 which is quite affordable compared to other cars in this segment. palio, swift, and like. The body is very strong

and a little knock wont harm u  much.

The car is quite spacious too with 5 on board. The peformance of Engine is quite stunning with Rocam Engine. The rattle sound reminds of the rattle snake. Great pick up in low gears puts u anywhere u want to . Air conditioning is very powerful . Wht attracted me was the price. The body has a sporty looks of Jaguar. After all, its fun driving my FORD IKON FLAIR

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I bought my Flair in August 2007. ...

I searched for a sedan in a price tag of 5-6 Lakhs and I found this car suited my budget. I test drove cars Like

Getz -  Expensive for a hatch back segment.

Accent - No Josh... looks like a dud car.

Indigo - quality....... you guessed it.

I like the Pickup... its very aptly called the josh machine. Its a stable car when driven at Top Speeds i.e. 110-120 KMPhr. The car makes very less noise at these speeds and braking is good at top speeds(Pump the break at these speeds). The suspension is good for those in the front and decent for those in the rear.

The more you drive the car.. more you like it. I loved this car....

Miileage : 11-12km with AC in City, 13-15 km on Highway.

Comfort: Spacious in the front, Decent in the rear. Boot is enormous.

I have bought the car with extended warranty. This comes handy.. on the other day AC valve is replaced. Because of this plan it saved me Rs 4000.00.  The parts are pretty expensive.

To give a competetive pricing many features which are available in a Santro are not present in this car.. Like the Remote Boot Release, Rear Wiper, Rear boot handle, Tubeless Tyres....(not on Santro, But it became a standard in nowdays cars).

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FORD IKON AT MPL DEALERSHIP

Years ago I wrote a review of the New Indica V2 – a sarcastic note to the nagging issues on the Indica titled, More noise per car than any other car.  A befitting epilogue to those periods of annoyance was never appended and so …The car ran and ran well before I sold her off to a fat merchant as I moved back to my home state of TN.  The Indica was only mildly problematic more like a nagging sick wife – noisy and annoying wherever we went.  There were never any major problems with her - all this in comparison with the next car I was to buy the FORD IKON!

It is only poetic justice that I have decided to borrow Shri. Rattan Tata’s phrase to call it “ an apology of a car”.  I wanted a car with a strong A/c and good performance not too heavy on the pocket as well.  I went for the Ford IKON 1.6 Nxt.  I fell for her as she rode well, responded well in traffic and made feel light and tipsy on the highway like cheap booze.  With time my fancy for her wore off.  She was high maintenance and fragile. With in months I had to replace her A/c coil and valve.  Now after three years of having her I have to spend 10 – 15k on her every other month.  She has become an expensive concubine that I want to get rid off.

The car started to fall apart after 2 years, first the A/c cooling coil had to be replaced. The next month, I had to replace the Wiring harness and ignition coil.  A couple of months later, I have to replace the rear suspension, power windows switch, and a lot more of parts.  A car that has run barely 40 K needs a new suspension I can’t believe this.  The power windows switch is completely malfunctional after  3 years of careful use.  This was probably a deliberate feature of Ford design so that the wails and moans of their customers are not heard outside.

When contacted their customer care reviewed the history of my car and mentioned that this sort of maintenance was normal for a car.  Not all cars but for Ford cars may be.  Another appalling feature of Ford is that they refuse to escalate the complaints with their superiors.   I have serious doubts whether their senior management knows that their vehicles have serious problems.

Looking at the pattern of faults and malfunction, as a quality management analyst I can deduce that low quality material was used and there is poor or no quality assurance in their manufacturing process.

Apart from all this the fog lamps of this car had always, since the first year always been in a state of disrepair.

Ford cars don’t run on gas, they run on hype.  Believe me you are better of with the Logan or the Maruti.  These cars are crap and cannot withstand the rigors of Indian roads.  They are made of cheap substandard material and have a high failure rate.  I advise every body not buy these Ford cars unless you have a lot of time, money to spare.  It is your choice after all.

I have already written a review for Ford Ikon here. How ever this also a review for their dealers MPL ford.  The misery of owning a ford is compounded by MPL. In the last three years I have witnessed progressive deterioration of service quality to downright cheating now. It would take a while for new MPL ford owners to notice the crap between the hype and show.

The last few services have not been carried out to completion.  Even worse some bolts have been left loose and my muffler was left un fastened after the service.  No recent service in the last year has been complete without at least 3 trips to their service center.

I have a strong suspicion based on facts and some sound reasoning that you will be asked to replace parts even before they become necessary.

The worst part is yet to come.  With something or the other going wrong in my Ford every often it is not practical for me to remove all the belongings from my car every time I hand it over for service.  After the last service I lost my CD in the CD player.

This time it was my perfumed deodorant spray.  When pointed out Mr Phillips started throwing things out of my glove box in an animated fashion.  Mr Phillip was kind to point to me that he did a big favour to me by servicing my car and that was a big deal.

Complaints to the service head Mr Rajiv Menon has been of no avail in the past and it is the same now.  There is not even the courtesy of an apology.  Buy a Ford car at your own risk.  Sudarsan

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Hello Everyone,

This article is perhap not for this section. But as its general Ford IKON section and Ikon 1.6 is already discontinued I am placing it here.

I am will not discuss too much about Ikon performance in here(although I have both 1.6 and current version flair)

Today I am going to tell you something which most of us indian tend ot ignore and focus mainly on Pice and Fuel effiency, in both the depatment IKON is not best in the market.

People here dont tend to give too much focus on Safety, but I am here sitting and wriiting this review after surviving a head-on collision at 105Kmph on the Highway travel along with my family.

Only major injury we sustained is by the rear passangers(my mom, and aunt) who were not wearing seat belt. My Moms head banged on the

back of my seat(driver seat) as the car spun after the impact and my Aunt cracked her ankle b'coz her ankle got twisted during the spin as well.

But belive me everyone walked out of the car.

The car took all the beating and absorbed the impact.

I am very thankful to Ford R&D team for there crash testing, and IKON is really a solid build car.

So go for it guys. Current 1.3 body build is same only power and engine has changed

Other details:

1.6 ZXI: Milage( City 10kmpl with 40-50% AC, Highway 15kmpl with 40-50% AC)

1.3 Flair: Milage:( City 10-11kmpl with 40-50% AC, Highway 15-16kmpl with 40-50% AC)

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I came back to India last year and looking at the Hyderabad and Bangalore traffic I decided to go for a second hand car. I wanted a C seg car as I never wanted a cramped hatchback or a costly sedan. I tried  Esteem, Baleno, Astra, Ikon(Flair, nxt and 1.6) and Accent. And finally zeroed in on Ikon 1.6 zxi. I bought a 2000 October model(total mileage done 35K kms before purchase, added another 7k in another 8 months).

I found this car( considering its age):

Pros:

• Sturdy Build

  
  




• Amazing pick up

  
  




• realtively lower humming of engine

  
  




• less vibration(unlike esteem and baleno)

  
  




• Ease of control(steering wheel is still very responsive)

  
  




• better interiors(less plasticky feel - so typical of Maruti models)

  
  

Cons

• hard pedals

  
  




• Gearshift not'makkan'

  
  




• Problems in gear positions 2 and 3 especially during shifting

  
  




• Expensive maintenance(could burn your pocket if you go for a normal servicing). Ford spares are exhorbitantly highly priced.

  
  




• Fuel efficiency is not great(11 kmpl on highways and 9 kmpl in the city)

  
  




• A/c sucks power(esp on Gears 1 and 2), slow cooling

  
  

I have recently done 580km with one stoppage and on a bad stretch of road from Hyderabad to Bangalore in less than 7 hours. No back aches for me so far and not much problems to the car.

I am contemplating on selling this off and get another one(preferably Ford Fiesta, but the Ford's exhorbitant service and spares costs prevent me from going for it).

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