The Hindu Business Line : Choose the Ford Fiesta

I am planning to buy a mid-size car in the Rs 6-8 lakh price band. The cars that I have in mind are the Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI, the Chevrolet Aveo 1.6 LT and the Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi ZXI (Diesel).

My priorities are mainly - running cost per km, maintenance cost, re-sale value, technology, safety and above all value for money. The fact is I am totally confused and would like you to suggest a good deal taking most of these factors into consideration:

If my usage is mainly going to be in the city, then which version (petrol or diesel) should I opt for?

What is the mileage per km I will get from the Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI (petrol) and the Chevrolet Aveo 1.6 LT (petrol) while running in the city (for an average of 20 km per day) with the AC on?

What is your opinion regarding the quality of the interiors, upholstery and dashboard in both the cars?

Can ABS be fitted to both the Fiesta 1.6 SXI and the Aveo 1.6 LT models later?

Dibyendu Mukherjee

We will choose the Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi ZXI diesel over the petrol versions of all the cars that you have short-listed. Yes, there are quite a few features missing in the single trim option in the diesel variant of the Fiesta compared to the Fiesta 1.6 SXI petrol. But the difference between the Fiesta 1.6 SXI and the TDCi ZXI in terms of price is low — Rs 22,000 only.

Choosing between the petrol and diesel variants of the Fiesta, or for that matter any car which offers these options, simply depends on the usage level. The price differential between the two (petrol and diesel) variants will pay back depending on the usage level. Additionally, in stop-and-go city driving conditions, the lower pick-up that has been the characteristic of older diesels has been the reason for petrol versions being more popular.

The Fiesta 1.4 TDCi ZXI's Duratorq engine features common rail direct injection technology. While this engine offers a relatively measly 68 PS of peak power, it's peak torque is a high 160 Nm and better still, it kicks in as early as 2,000 rpm, a key advantage in city driving conditions.

The long-term mileage numbers for both the Chvey Aveo and the Ford Fiesta petrol models will be close to each other, that is, 8-10 kmpl in city and 13-15 kmpl on highway driving conditions.

The quality of interiors is also quite similar, though the layout is more pleasing in the Fiesta. In terms of maintenance costs, the Fiesta 1.4 TDCI ZXI could be more expensive in the long-run, going simply by the fact that the engine is completely imported and spares may, relatively speaking, be more pricey.

Choosing the factory fitted ABS option may be the better option instead of attempting to retrofit the feature. Though possible, considerable alterations would be required for fitting ABS later to a non-ABS car. Reliability is a big issue here, and so getting a pre-installed ABS will be the option to choose.

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