Background :

The Ikon is a brand new car designed specifically for India. The platform has been derived from the Fiesta. This chassis, which has spwaned cars like the Ka and Puma, is one of the best in Ford?s stable. What Ford has done is increase the wheelbase by 40mm and from the B-pillar backwards, redesigned the whole car to give birth to the Ikon.

Design And Engineering :

The Ikon is a pretty good-looking car. The front-end styling with the cat-like headlights, which have shades of Ford?s ?new edge? design, looks great. The Ikon?s overall proportions, despite the long rear door, are superbly balanced. The all-new rear end styling makes the Ikon look like it?s doing 100kph even when standing still.

Engine And Transmission :

The Ikon comes with a made-in-South Africa engine that is strong enough to make the wheels of many in the upper mid-size segment go wobbly. It?s on-papre figures of 91bhp at 5500rpm feel deceptively conservative. This 1597cc ROCAM (for roller-bearing camshaft) is one of the best performers in its segment. What?s amazing is that Ford has managed to achieve this with a simple two-valve, sohc layout. The key here is that the new ROCAM engine is the most modern around, launched just four months ago in the South American market.

Interiors and Convenience Features :

The Ikon?s interiors clearly reflect that there has been some serious cost-cutting going on. Though the dashboard is extremely well-designed down to the flattened glovebox area to liberate more legroom, a sense of cheapness pervades. The quality of plastics and door pads covered by fabric looks very downmarket. Minor conveniences like a remote boot release, height adjustable seat, flip-down rear seats, remote boot release and boot light have been quietly skipped. What saves the show is passenger comfort. Despite useless head restraints, the rear seats are the most comfortable in its class thanks to a well-angled back rest, generous under-thigh support, a high seating position, ample headroom and above all, miles of legroom.

On the road : Steering and Suspension :

Ford has made no bones about placing the Ikon squarely in the enthusiast?s sights. Its handling complements its staggering performance to truly make it the ultimate driver?s car. The suspension has been set up with driver appeal in mind but at the expense of ride comfort. In fact, the low-speed ride of the Ikon is too harsh. You can feel every pimple on the road and the suspension feels thrashy, drumming up unwanted noise on any surface that is less than smooth. The Ikon?s stiff front set-up is in part to compensate for the lack of an anti-roll bar which has been removed, we suspect, in the interests of cost.