Welcome Change

It may look virtually identical to the model it replaces, but the 2018 Ford Aspire comes with a new petrol motor and many other changes that bring it back in the running in the compact sedan space.

- Ravi Ved

Change, it’s said, is the only constant. Trends and technologies today change faster than a speeding bullet. And it’s true not just for fashion and mobile phones but also for the automobile industry. With the rate of change getting more rapid, the lifecycle of a product is getting shorter. And Ford has experienced this first hand with the Aspire.

Launched in 2015, the Aspire was easily amongst the most feature-rich, safe and well-rounded sub-4 metre sedan on the market. But, within three months of its launch, Maruti brought in the new Dzire, Hyundai introduced the refreshed Xcent and Tata launched the Tigor. Each of these cars took the sub-4 metre class a notch higher in their own way. Keeping that in mind, along with the absence of a significant update, it became evident that the Aspire had lost substantial ground. It’s a classic case of ‘if you aren’t moving forward, you’re going backwards’. Now, a face-lift of the Aspire is clearly an attempt by Ford to catch up with its rivals. But the question remains – has their latest shot hit the bull’s eye, or have they missed the target altogether?

Good bedfellows – honeycomb & chrome