<p>Ford, one of the big 3 from Detroit and a global giant, entered India with help of Mahindra &amp; Mahindra and launched now defunct model : Ford Escort. Initially powered by a modest engine, Escort made a name with its build quality, fit and finish which rivaled the then benchmark, the Opel Astra. Later, Escorts was made available with more powerful Zetec engine, but it was too late for the product to make a comeback,specially when Honda City was about to arrive in Indian market.The times for Ford India changed with arrival of &ldquo;Josh Machine&rdquo;, the Fork Ikon. Powered by a 1.6 ltr engine, the razor sharp throttle response and excellent dynamics made a mark on Indian buyers. Lower Fuel Efficiency was noted, but ride, handling and engine made up for it with rather ease. Maruti Baleno and Honda City were faster, but Ikon was known to be almost equally good which helped Ford become a strong dot on Indian buyer&rsquo;s radar. Later on, after learning from Ikon, Ford launched Fiesta with more than one engine option. The diesel, specially with its spectacular efficiency made Fiesta a success. It was on sale until last year, and still the diesel commands reasonable value. Fiesta was joined by Figo in later years which once again was a success for Ford. Ford could only get limited success with its full size SUV, the Endeavour. Majority of its prouducts are known for their fun to drive nature coupled with composed, comfortable ride. Fast forward, the current line up is of smart and very practical cars, offering good Value-For-Money package in its segment. The diesel range, specially is strong with good efficiency. The service and spare costs are brought down and dealer plus service network is expanding and improving. Ford makes for a pleasant and practical option in market which now has multiple products and brands.</p>
