Hello folks. Ford has just started sales promotions on the Ford Focus Titanium+ and Sport+ models. These models get a RM10,000 rebate off the retail price. Then you have rebates (discounts) on the Ford Fiesta 1.5L and the Ford EcoSport mini SUV too. These two cars are offered with a rebate of RM8,000 off the sticker price.



In addition to that, the cars will come with Ford's Extended Service Plan. This is a three-year or 60,000km maintenance programme that covers parts and labour. Meaning you just put petrol in these cars and drive them for the period mentioned above. And do note that the Ford cars mentioned here, even the EcoSport are actually fun to drive, filled with tons of equipment and are distinctively styled. I do like Fords these days. They've evolved into something better.



Press Release











For more information, please visit www.ford.com.my.

The Ford Fiesta ST was officially launched by Ford in 2013, a good two years after the Concept ST car was first shown in 2011 and this was another three or so years since the Ford Fiesta first came out in 2008. It finally arrived in Malaysia in November 2014 which was a year since it was first showcased at the Kuala Lumpur International Motorshow in 2013. I suppose you may think that the Ford Fiesta ST is based on a chassis that has been around for about five or so years. You could be right as it is based on the current, sixth generation Ford Fiesta. I finally got to drive it recently and you have to read on and see whether the car it worth its weight and worth the time its taken Ford to build it.




The Fiesta ST is based on the facelifted Ford Fiesta Mk6 in three door hatch form. This means that it gets the same large gaping front grille as the normal Fiesta but with a honeycomb mesh instead of that Aston Martin-esque grille. There is a sportier front bumper/splitter, side skirts, a tailgate spoiler and a diffuser-like rear bumper with twin tailpipes. 17 inch wheels and 205/40 series tyres finish up the looks. I have to say that the overall look is quite understated. Not many people would take a second glance at the car as it just looks like a slightly sportier looking Ford Fiesta which already looks sporty as it is. I know as I drove it in traffic, to shopping malls, to places where people hangout and you don't really get the heads turning if you know what I mean.

A 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost engine powers this car. The 1.6-litre turbocharged engine churns out 180hp and 240Nm of torque. The power is channeled to the front wheels via a 6 speed manual gearbox and according to Ford, the drivetrain features Torque Vectoring Control that is essentially an electronic LSD (Limied Slip Differential) that will actually brake either or both front wheels in order to aid traction and to feed its power to the road efficiently. According to Ford, the Fiesta  does 0-100kmh in 7 seconds and a top speed of 219kmh. This engine also features "overboost," of up to 197bhp for a maximum of 15 seconds according to specs.

Inside the Fiesta ST you get Recaro front seats, a slightly nicer looking leather wrapped steering wheel, different gear knob and aluminium pedals and kickplates that raise the bar slightly. Not much. Only Slightly aside for the superbly comfortable Recaro seats. You get Ford SYNC multi-media system for entertainment but no sat-nav. All of the above for RM149,000 or thereabouts.

Inside the Fiesta ST.

The 'ST' monkier. This is the most important thing about the Fiesta ST. The ST moniker is all about being the enthusiast's car. You get in and press the start button to start this car and once you are comfortable you'd notice that the driving position is quite good although I would like if it were at least an inch lower for that proper race-car, steering to the chest driving position. But I can't really complain as the view out of the cabin is good with no really noticeable blind spots and that the seats hold you comfortably and snugly but not super snug like some Japanese cars with their sports seats. There is a nicer looking steering wheel in this ST compared with the bread and butter Fiesta and the gear knob of what is now a manual gearshift is a nicely polished item. But like the outside, it is not vastly different from the Fiesta S which sits below this model in terms of price. This is much like the exterior. It is a sportier Fiesta, but it does not really turn heads or is vastly different in terms of looks. The exterior is understated too.

The quality of plastics are very, how shall I say, still supermini in terms of quality. There is a soft touch dashboard top but the rest is the same sort of quality most superminis have. Nothing unusually grand here. I have to also note that the smallish infotainment unit screen could be made larger and the function menu made simpler. I do like the system, which sounds fabulous in other Fords like the EcoSport and Ranger but in something that costs almost RM150,000 or in something that is supposedly the range topping variant of a car, it deserves a larger infotainment screen. Maybe with built-in SatNav so that the system actually matches the price Ford wants us to pay for the Fiesta ST.

Ingress to the rear seats are adequate, the Recaro seats are able to tilt and also move forward on its rails. The boot size is like normal Fiestas. Things can go into it.

Driving the darn thing

But I stopped whining right after I first started to put it through its paces. The car has 180hp and 240nm torque. It actually does 0-100kmh in around 7 seconds on most of the timed runs I did (here, the torque vectoring system helped as no visible torque steer was present most of the time). The 6 speed gearbox is slick and accurate. Its been a while since I had tested a brand new car that had a manual transmission unit and it is a breath of fresh air. Or was it nostalgia as most manufacturers do not sell manual cars here in Malaysia these days. The manual shifter is crisp and slots in and out of gears easily. The clutch is light and easy as heck to modulate. Being stuck in traffic on the Federal Highway during rush hour did not get me leg cramps. Easy to drive in traffic due to its supermini size too with no apparent blindspots.

The overall feel of its performance is that it is adequate for its class. The exhaust note is rorty and sporty. It feels slightly manufactured but makes the car feel slightly special. The note is not droney or irritating at all speeds with just the right amount of bass to it and there's a decent level of cabin refinement at speed. No adversely loud tyre roar or road noise or wind noise too.

Power delivery is smooth and linear. There is only a little hint of turbo rush when it hits 3000rpm but its a smooth power unit with little lag. 160Kmh is quickly seen on the speedometer if you gun it. But being a supermini hot hatch, it feels adequately fast, not crazy fast. Much like the other cars in this class. But its the interaction between car and driver which makes this ride a special one.
This car somehow has the right amount of everything. The steering, at 2.4turns lock to lock is very quick and accurate. It actually has some feel to it. Turn in is fast and actually reminded me of the steering turn in of a Lancer Evo VII. In terms of steering weighting and speed, the ST's one is one of the best I've had my hands on recently.

The suspension may just be a modified version of what underpins normal Fiestas but it does not feel pedestrian at all. The ride is hard, with a certain solidity towards it. Everything moves in cohesion yet there is still tolerable levels of ride here. The car is actually so well balanced that I reverted to being a sort of a hooligan attacking roundabouts and high speed bends so that I can feel its front end grip and a slightly less grippy rear end wag its tail a little at speed. You just drop a gear, aim for the apex feed the power in and then at the apex gun it so that the tail actually comes a round a bit to make it a helluva lot of fun whilst exiting. The car is crackingly fun. It is not nose-led and you feel that the pivot point of the car is somewhere in the middle of the car. Just right behind the front seats.

This is also a rare front wheel driver that could be persuaded to enter into a four wheel drift in a high speed bend if there is enough road to allow it to do so. This car is balanced, agile and fun. On a tight B-road, that 180hp is more than enough to put a smile on your face. It is not a car for the straights, although I did see speeds of over 180kmh on the highways but the fun is at the bends in this car.  This car bloody engages you in art of driving. More than a Golf GTI in some ways. Imagine that.

Dammit, it made me feel twenty one again and now memories of me in my second generation souped up Honda Civic are flooding back to me now.

Conclusion: A nice car to interact with. Entertaining and adjustable at its limit. Examplary handling. One to bring home.

Pros: Handling, overall performance, agility, interaction with driver, complete driver's package in a junior hot hatch sized car, makes me feel twenty one again

Cons: Exterior whilst more aggressive than standard Fiesta could be more aggressive. Interior aside from the seats look very Fiesta S. Infotainment screen a tad too tiny for what's being charged for the car. Not many twenty one year olds here can afford this car (maybe that is a good thing)


Price: RM149,901.50 OTR (check with your dealer for any rebates and the latest GST prices)
Engine: 1.6 turbocharged
Power: 180hp
Torque: 240Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Performance: 0-100kmh in 7sec (tested)
Top speed: 219kmh
Fuel: 9.7liters/100km (tested combined figures - but hey, I have a heavy right foot)

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The Fiesta ST and its competition

The Ford Fiesta ST may be what a purist wants. It has a manual transmission, enough performance and fantastic handling. A complete package for those who want ultimate  car and driver interaction at under RM150,000. Well, maybe the current Swift Sport for something coming in around RM100,000. But that is more warm hatch than a hot hatch due to its simpler normally aspirated 133hp engine. 

The Fiesta ST's local competitors are the likes of the Volkswagen Polo GTI, Peugeot 208 GTI and the Renault Clio RS 200. Only this and the 208 Gti offer manual shifters. Both the Polo GTI and the Clio 200 are dual clutch gearboxes. This car is priced at RM149,801otr. The Polo comes in with prices from RM154,888, the 208 GTI from RM,139,888 and the Clio RS 200 from a whopping RM172,000. In terms of price all could be had at a discount if I am not mistaken.

The Renault may be the fastest of the lot. But the price is also RM30,000 more than most of its closest competition. Discounts may have to be massive before one considers this car over the others. The Polo GTI in isolation feels great, but you compare with the Fiesta ST is feels all bark and no bite at all. There is more sophistication in the Fiesta ST. I cannot say much about the 208 GTI as I haven't driven it yet but I do not quite like that funny smallish steering wheel and that meter cluster viewed from above the steering wheel type of design as when I drove the basic 208, the view was slightly obscured. But then its a manual like the Fiesta ST. So I have to actually try the 208 GTI before making a proper assumption.

So there you have it. It seems I like the Fiesta ST more over the others mentioned at this moment.

The Ford Ecosport is based on the current Ford Fiesta B2E platform and was originally launched in 2013. We got it last year and I got to drive it at the end of last year. I tested the Ford Ecosport 1.5L Titanium recently and this here is the long delayed review of the mini SUV.

The Ford Ecosport is Ford's global product. It is sold in is most continents and is specced and tuned with each market in mind. We Malaysians get the one built in Rayong, Thailand and gets a 110ps, 142Nm 1.5liter 4 cylinder petrol engine that is coupled with a 6 speed dual clutch gearbox. We don't get a manual option and it comes in front wheel drive only form too (there is a 2.0liter all-wheel drive variant elsewhere). This last note makes sense as it is marketed as an urban SUV and I doubt anyone who buys this Tonka toy cute little car to go off roading in it. Maybe some flash flood wading, but that's about it.



The Ecosport Titanium as tested comes with a pretty long list of gadgets to keep the occupants occupied.  Externally, it gets 16inch alloy wheels on 205/60 series tyres to complement its chunky looks. The Ecosport does not look offensive from any angle and since it is based on the Fiesta, you do get some of that car's styling cues but wrapped in a SUV body. You get that large toothy lower grile  instead of an Aston Martin look single grille and more upright rear pillars and roof rails to give you that SUV look.


You also get 200mm of ground clearance as well as up to 550mm of water wading capability. I put this to good use as when I was handed the keys to the Ecosport, the heavens opened up and it poured. It poured so much that as soon as I entered Federal Highway from the Ford Auto Connextion showroom heading towards Subang Jaya, water was quickly rising on the overtaking lane (the right most lane is called the overtaking lane okay...if you drive slowly, DO NOT drive there), traffic was beginning to form and cars were signalling left to avoid the rising water. I did what high riding mini SUV testers would instinctively do. Signal right and plow right through the wheel high water. No fuss whatsoever from the Ecosport. So from the start, I told myself that I was going to enjoy this little SUV. Check out the pic above from the incident.

The Interior

Anyway, back to the details. The Ecosport Titanium gets Smart Keyless Entry with Push Button Bluetooth & Voice Command with SYNC entertainment system. No Navigation but this is expected in a B segment or compact car segment vehicle. I have to mention that if you buy any Ford vehicle, including this Ecosport, the sound system is provided in conjunction with Sony. It may not say Sony anywhere but trust me it is. This is why if you play music in the Ecosport it does have ample bass and  clarity to it unlike some other mid-tier brands out there. You also get 7 airbags, a tilt/slide sunroof, a glovebox that can act as a cooler for drinks, enough space to shove in a front loading washing machine. The rear seats do not fold flat though, but they fold, and then lift towards the front backrests to make more space. I would personally prefer a flat loading floor, but this approach does work especially with the tall roof. And how many of us do carry washing machines or stuff from Ikea on a daily basis?

So when you get inside the Ecosport Titanium you note that it does remind you of the Fiesta, and the Focus and the Kuga and the Ranger. You get my point. There is a similarity in design in all and you get the same fashion forward styled dashboard in all those cars. Materials used are what you can find in a B or C segment car but you do get a nice leather wrapped wheel. Ergonomically wise, I can't seem to complain much about switch, button and gear placements. The layout is all okay. So is the overall space utilization - front and rear. So, you get comfy by adjusting the seat and steering (which tilts and is telescopic too) and press the start button (the lower specced Ecosport does not have this) to....obviously start it up.

Driving the darn thing

At low speeds the Ecosport is easy to maneuver, the steering is light and the size of the car is just right to squeeze through traffic infested roads around the city. It actually allows for some over the curb parking too. The suspension, MacPherson struts front and a Twist Beam at the rear works well in soaking up the pot holes and ripples on the road surface. No unwanted clonks and suspension clobber too at city speeds. And the view through the front windscreen is pretty good. Pretty good as the A pillars are quite large and it also has a smaller little pillar blocking the view to the sides. This is the case when designers want that extra rake in the A pillars in a compact car. However, that being said, the ones on the Ecosport aren't as extreme as the ones in the Peugeot 308 or the Suzuki SX4. Still very tolerable.

At highway speeds, the Ecosport feels stable and predictable up till 150kmh. Above that it gets noisy with extra wind noise and you have to concentrate more than usual. It ran up to 170kmh but it felt out of its element. On the twisties, it managed to handle corners and bends quite well even for a mini SUV. The car does not roll that much and it does act like an overly tall hatchback instead of a mini SUV. Ford does know how to set up car suspensions. The steering may lack ultimate feedback (most cars these days are like this) but placing the car where you want it is easy. Not as sharp as the Fiesta it is based upon but better than some Korean based compacts out there despite being taller than most out there.

As for engine performance, the 110ps 142Nm 1.5liter engine is nothing to shout about. It gets its job done and  going up Genting Highlands would make it complain a little. A friend and I did just that and while it's engine was complaining, we could still overtake quite a few cars on the tighter and steeper parts of the ascend. I would love having a 2.0liter in the Ecosport, but then again, who wouldn't when you're going up Genting.

I have to say that the dual (dry) clutch gearbox is in the right gear most of the time. It is quite intelligent and in 'S' mode, knows what gear to be in for spirited driving. There is still that typical dual clutch transmission issue though. It still is quite unsure at low speeds, particularly in stop and go traffic especially where there is a slight slope or gradient. Aside from that, it performs as it should and is fun when you're going for it.

The Conclusion

So aside from all of that, what else is there to say about the Ford Ecosport Titanium? The drawbacks are the slightly jerky low speed issues with the DCT, the fact that the rear seats don't fold flat and that it isnt as quiet as a Fiesta or that it doesn't corner like one too.

The last two issues are obviously coming from a guy who likes driving normal cars over SUVs, MPVs or trucks so it does not really count if you're in the market for a mini SUV. As Mini SUVs go, the Ecosport Titanium has all the bells and whistles and is actually quite refined for one too. It is as quiet and refined as a mini SUV could be at this price point (RM103,888 otr as tested).  And it is actually  more useful that a Fiesta when mother nature throws you those flash floods in and around the Klang Valley. This happens quite a lot and do remember the incident I mentioned earlier in the article about going through one in the first place. Oh, I have to add when the cars were pulling left at speeds below 20kmh, I was ploughing through the water at around 40kmh and splashing water at all the other cars on the left of me. I think that feeling is priceless. Cruel but priceless.

So that being said, the Ford EcoSport isn't that bad to have after all.


*Note - One question that was asked recently was whether a RM100,000 mini SUV like the Ford Ecosport is worth purchasing over one that is almost half its price. My answer would be that it is so much more refined than what a RM55,000 mini SUV can give you (the Great Wall M4 Haval comes to mind). Better plastics, better handling, slightly better ride, better interior space and packging as well as a better engine comes to mind. Styling is subjective so there is nothing wrong with buying the cheaper M4 but it is built to THAT price. The Ecosport is better in almost all aspects bar the price.



1.5L Ecosport Titanium
Engine type
1.5L (1498cc) Ti-VCT, I4, DOHC, 16V.
Petrol (Minimum RON 95)

Maximum Power (Ps (kW)/rpm)
110 (81) @ 6300
Maximum Torque (Nm/rpm)
142 @4400
Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres)
52

Fuel Consumption        9.0l/100km Most would get better than this. We were up Genting Highlands and belting it you know.

The Ford Fiesta that wad displayed at the recent KL motor show is not the actual car we Malaysians will be getting. And this is a good thing. Surprised? Those that have been taking extra attention would know what I'm harping on about.



Firstly, the car on display has some alloy wheels by MAK. Or 'mother' in malay. I doubt Ford will sell you a Ford with aftermarket MAK wheels (they should have just pinched some wheels from a Fiesta ST or something to give it a more family look to it).

Secondly, the steering wheel is a hard piece of plastic instead of something leather wrapped (those two grooves you see at the 10 o'clock and at 7 o'clock on the wheel is just grooves added to plastic). And they're supposedly charging more for this car than the 1.5 Fiesta already being sold here.

And lastly, it has manual winders for the rear windows. Yes, you have to operate the window all by yourselves. This is 2013 and even Proton gives you power windows all round. Unless your car is a Suzy Alto imported from India (which is what my mum runs...we bought it just because she thinks it is cute and the heck with the rear passengers).

So since the Fiesta Ecoboost will be supposedly sold at over RM96k, a price higher than the current Fiesta 1.5, I can safely assume that the show car isn't exactly what we Malaysians will be getting. So imagine a Ford Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost with Ford looking rims, a leather wrapped steering wheel and power windows on all doors. Oh, and also delete those unflattering decals too and wallah, a car that befits its close to RM100K pricetag. Something like the photo below. Or is that so? A 1.0liter car costing that much regardless of how much power it makes? Hmmm.....

See? You have to pay attention to  the details, folks.