Demand for cars is steadily rising as people tend to be leaning more towards personal vehicles and away from public transport. If you have been driven by the norms of the new normal and are in the market looking for a new car, there are a few manufacturers that hold the torch. However, we are not here to talk about them. What we are here for is an American brand that has given us some of the best cars in the Indian market.
Ford, after suffering for quite a while in our country, announced a joint venture with home-grown manufacturer Mahindra, which will own a controlling 51% stake. The JV will develop, market and distribute Ford branded vehicles in the Indian market. This helps to firm the brand’s foothold in India. Having said that, Ford has some of the most well-packaged products to offer in India and quite a few of them are priced below INR 10 Lakh*, a price-tag most buyers prefer to go for.
Hence if you are looking for a Ford car under INR 10 lakh* in the Indian market, here are your best options.
Ford EcoSport
In its new avatar, the Ford EcoSport came with more features over its predecessor. The car is available in six trims – Ambiente, Trend, Titanium, Titanium+, EcoSport S and the Thunder Edition. The newly introduced Thunder Edition is based on the Titanium variant and it replaces the Signature trim. The updated model is available in both petrol and diesel engine options.
In terms of mechanicals, the new EcoSport continues to be powered by the 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engine options. There is also a 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine that continues to be offered in the EcoSport S trim as well. Transmission options include a five-speed or a six-speed manual transmission along with a six-speed automatic transmission option in the petrol version.
On the outside, the EcoSport gets automatic HID headlamps, daytime running lights, electrochromic mirror and rain-sensing wipers. Also on offer are distinctive highlights like dark inserts on the headlamp cluster and a prominent black treatment to the fog lamp bezel. Additionally, it gets 17-inch alloy wheels, and a dark theme throughout the exterior, which includes black-painted front grille and rear-view mirrors; dual-tone bonnet and decals on doors.
Apart from the entry-level variant, all other variants get a touchscreen-based infotainment system with embedded navigation. The Thunder Edition uses abundant use of cognac accents across multiple surfaces – from front seats to door inserts as well as centre console and instrument panel. Ford Ecosport is one of the most well recognized Ford nameplates in India.
Ford Figo
The Ford Figo has a firm ground among the competent hatchbacks in India and is also the most affordable Ford you can buy in India. Ahead of its transition to BS-VI emission norms, the car had undergone a midlife facelift that made the offering more appealing. Instead of substantial changes, Ford decided to give the car small updates that made the car look fresher and more modern.
The changes came in the front with a new grille that is more protruding than before and makes the front look a bit bolder. At the sides, Ford has retained the silhouette and was largely similar except for the new chiselled bumper. On the inside, the car comes with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. However, it is not the Sync3 unit that you will find on the Freestyle and the Aspire. It is to be noted that the touchscreen infotainment system comes as standard in all three variants.
It does miss out on features like LED headlamps, daytime running lamps and phone mirroring features on the infotainment system which is offered on rival products. But it more than makes up for it, with a best-in-class 6 airbags on the top variant. Mechanically, the car comes with 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. The petrol powertrain outputs 95 bhp and 119 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the diesel variant delivers 99 bhp and 215 Nm of torque. Transmission option is a sole 5-speed manual gearbox.
Ford Freestyle
The Ford Freestyle is a rugged version of Figo and is touted as a CUV. The design of the Ford Freestyle is similar to that of Figo with additional body cladding, roof rails and skid plates. While the petrol-powered Freestyle is available in five variants: Ambiente, Trend, Titanium, Titanium+, and Flair, the diesel-powered Freestyle comes in four: Trend, Titanium, Titanium+, and Flair.
Under the hood, the Ford Freestyle comes with two BS-VI engine options including a 1.2-litre petrol unit that outputs 96 PS and 120 Nm and a 1.5-litre diesel unit that delivers 100 PS and 215 Nm. Both engines are mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and the Freestyle continues to miss out on an automatic option.
In terms of safety, the Freestyle gets up to six airbags, auto headlamps, auto-dimming IRVM, rain-sensing wipers, Ford Pass connected car tech, and push-button start/stop, among others, six airbags, Active Rollover Protection, and ABS with EBD. In the domestic market, the Freestyle goes up against the Renault Triber, Maruti Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, and Ford Figo.
Ford Aspire
The Ford Aspire is the compact sedan version of the Figo hatchback and goes up against cars like Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Aura and Honda Amaze. The BS-VI Aspire comes in the same variants as the Figo including Trend, Titanium, and Titanium+. The petrol-powered Aspire is the only one to be offered in the entry-level Ambiente trim being available with both petrol and diesel engines.
Ford's sub-4m sedan is powered by a BS-VI-compliant 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol that outputs 96 PS and 119 Nm and a BS-VI-compliant 1.5-litre diesel engine that delivers 100 PS and 215 Nm output. Both engines are only available with a 5-speed manual.
Notable features in the Aspire comes in the form of up to six airbags, auto headlamps, auto-dimming IRVM, rain-sensing wipers, Ford Pass connected car tech, and push-button start/stop.
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*Ex-showroom
