It was designed by the Germans for their army, their police forces and even their fire services. So it was designed to be rugged, no-nonsense and practically indestructible, like the Land Rover Defender, so when the Germans got tired of it, they handed it over to the Indians, who have done conceived every possible contraption for it. From a loading bay to a long wheelbase people carrier that can carry entire Bihar on its chassis, the Trax is India’s people carrier where the sumo and Bolero are virtually absent. Comfort isn’t a priority, the ability to lug humans and humanoids is. The Gurkha does that job brilliantly, but if you want a bit more personal space and explore the wilderness, try out the Judo that looks every little bit like the G-Wagen and is a genuine off- roader too. Motive power is achieved by a turbo diesel that produces between 80 and 90bhp, but there is also talk of a common rail diesel.
Probably the best selling car from Ford India to date, the fiesta has made a name for itself. The diesel is well appreciated by fleet services and individual customers alike for its refinement and frugality, but it’s the petrols that have helped it again the performance tag. A facelift in mid-2008 gave it a new nose, clear lens tail lamps, better quality interior trim and the 1.6S.The latter is one of India’s best handling cars with dedicated suspension, steering, chassis and tyre setup that make it a driver’s delight. The rorty nature of the 1.6 Duratec also adds to the driving pleasure. The 1.4 petrol has been discontinued, with the base versions of the 1.6 now filling up that void. A good family car at one end a great driver’s car at the other, the Fiesta now straddles two distinctly different segments that give the car the sort of universal appeal others can only dream of. Competition however has caught up and the fiesta’s lack of rear legroom and new-age features is making even the face lifted fiesta feel a generation old. A new fiesta salon has hit China, and we expect it to be here in India as well, hopefully sooner than later.
