''my other car is ....also a ford!''. Review on Ford Ikon

That's what a bumper sticker on the car I drive would say. We brought her home in early march 2004....because there was a lot of space in the driveway... AND the wagon R was feeling a little lonely!

(Oh! Did I say that my other car was also a Ford? Now I know why my nose was getting longer!)

She is silver in color, a 1.3 Flair, (the color white had a waiting period) which we bought for an ex-show room price of something around half a million Indian rupees. Plus the extra lakh on paper work and accessories (there's no end to this especially if you have a car crazy brother in the family!)

This review won't go into the technical aspects or specifications of the Icon. They can be had in the manual or any auto mag.

What I'd like to write about is a very simple opinion of a consumer. Remember, they don't give you any tools along with the cars you buy (other than the jack and the crank) because you aren't supposed to be greasing your hands under the hood! Neither do the Mantris who are driven around in their limousines know anything about the specs. So we'll leave that stuff to the experts. (The reviews already written have enough info on it;-)

What I Like About Her

She handles like a baby. (Whatever that might mean!) Turn that key and she is ready to rock and roll. It helps if you have a Blaupunk System (Don't get carried away with the cradle!) And talking about keys, it has a very uniquely shaped key that must be very difficult to duplicate. She responds well to your right leg. Maneuverability is wonderful. Besides, she doesn't fuss when you want her to stop. And there's no way you can topple this kitten. No wonder she is compared to cats..because no matter what, they always land on their feet! At 150kmph, she is as steady as a buoy! And for the more adventurous (and the well insured!) there's still more room for the pedal to go. After all those josh ads, the aura seems to be part of the package, or is it just that nutty feeling to test its limits!

The suspension is good. Especially for Indian roads.

It's definitely better than a ride with Air Deccan! We could save on asphalt if everyone rode a Ford! Recently, someone rode on a flat tyre for more than 2 kilometers without realizing it! Someone on the outside had to point it out to him! And all he noticed was a drop in pick up! (Don't stare at me!)?Please!!!

And it is quiet on the inside. Roll up the windows (OK, OK?. press up the windows!) and you might even claim you never heard the siren behind! ...Or that whistle;-)

The boot space is phenomenal. I wouldn't be delivering milk anywhere to tell you the capacity in liters! But in spite of the sub-woofer box, it can still accommodate a couple of cricket kits and the neighbor's brat! (Don't worry, he's alive.) Wouldn't want to try it with pets though, cause Maneka would be right there?.. replacing that pet!

The gearshifts are smooooooth. They just fall into place like a jigsaw! (Only, you are allowed to cheat......you dont have to search where the next piece goes!)

It's a pretty car overall. But I still have arguments with my bro over the looks. He says it looks better from the front and I say it looks better from the rear. Perspectives! I don't know about him, but its always been a she to me. So when he parks it in the driveway, he parks it head on...and me, I always back up!

For a bigger car the fuel efficiency has improved from the earlier versions. (Or maybe we got really lucky!) We get about 12-13kmpl in the city and between 16-18kmpl on the highway. Of course it's a different story when I driveJ

Coming to the instrument panel, it's a pretty impressive dashboard. How much vrooooom per gear can be seen on the tachometer. Hand brake warning light is an idea that other car manufacturers should use. (Especially when absent-minded professors are at the wheel) As far as legroom is concerned, the people in the back can usually play football! Now if that was exaggerated, the driver (and the copilot?!) have so much leg room (if he moves his seat back fully) that they will have to introduce field restrictions in football!

What I don?t Like About Her

Funny why no one has mentioned this in a previous review. Every time you take a turn, the wiper takes a swipe at you! And when you want to flash at an oncoming truck, she sprays you! The Indicator and light toggles are placed on the left side of the steering column against conventionally on the right. And the wiper? oh you don't have to guess where this one is placed...unless you have a third hand somewhere else! They haven't customized the steering column to Indian conditions and right hand driving.

Henry Ford had once very famously said that the customer could have any color so long as it was black! They must be importing the column from the US where left hand driving is the norm. So for those who have been handling cars with the indicator lever on the right...it will take a few scratches on the windshield to overcome that itch! But as far as people like me who drive both types of cars are concerned, we'll just have to change wipers AND windshields for BOTH the cars on a regular basis!

The air conditioning does take a toll on the performance of the engine. The car almost lurches ahead once you switch off the Ac. Now that is what I call a warm up!

So if you can afford it, go for the higher end 1.6 because then you wouldn't have to choose between a peppier engine and refrigeration!

Bottom line: A Ford....is a Ford..... Is a FORD!