Ford Ikon

Ford Ikon Overview

American car-maker Ford's second sedan offering in India, Ikon, has been in the market since 1999. One of the most popular notchbacks in the Indian automotive market, Ikon car helped Ford India in establishing an excellent reputation across the country. One of the most successful models ever presented by the company, Ikon went through several upgrades over the years.

One of the first 'foreign' cars to adapt to the requirements of Indian buyers, Ford Ikon gained popularity among the masses. Within a period of 6 years since its launch, Ford had sold over 100,000 Ikon cars in India. Ford Ikon in India had a product cycle up to April 2011, when the car was discontinued.

Ford Ikon Introduction

Ford Ikon car was introduced as the 'Josh Machine' in India in ad campaigns. It enjoyed a high level of popularity among buyers who regarded this vehicle as a 'sporty' sedan. Ikon cars came with multiple engine options during the product cycle, including a 1.6 L petrol engine and a 1.8 L diesel engine.

Ikon car was highly localised over the 12 years that it was sold in India. It was one of the first foreign cars to be modified to suit the needs of the average Indian buyer. One of the most successful cars produced by Ford in India, Ikon saw several variants and editions.

Ford Ikon Launch History

After facing poor public response to the Escort sedan launched in 1995, Ford needed to rejuvenate its image in the Indian automotive market. Subsequently, Ikon car was launched in 1999 and it did the trick for Ford in India splendidly. Ford Ikon became an instant hit among buyers who appreciated the car's ride quality and fresh looks. The company started to focus on the requirements of Indian consumers and consequently made changes in Ikon cars.

In 2005, Ford introduced its new sedan Fiesta, which resulted in decreased sales popularity of Ikon cars. In 2006, Ford introduced Ikon Flair with several changes to the looks of the original model and added many new features. Apart from that, Ford Ikon saw a few more revamps over the years, including the one that had been on sale from 2009 till April 2011.

Ford Ikon Variants (Models)

Ford Ikon car was last offered in 5 variants that have been briefly described below. Among these variants, three had a petrol engine – RoCAM (Rolling Finger Camshaft) and two had a diesel engine – Turbo Diesel Common-rail injection (TDCi).

Ford Ikon Pricing

In India, Ford Ikon price was in the range of Rs. 4.75 lacs to Rs. 6.75 lacs. The new Ford Ikon car price depended upon two factors – which model was bought and where, as different states have different tax regimes.

Ford Ikon Review

During the 12 years it was available, Ford Ikon in India continued to receive positive reviews from the media as well as general public. This was evident with Ikon cars selling in decent numbers even in the last months of its product cycle. So much so, the news of Ford ceasing production of Ikon car came as a surprise for many people. Ford Ikon was always regarded as a sporty sedan and it was related with power owing to its highly popular ad campaign referring to the car as the Josh Machine. Even though the company launched its new sedan Fiesta in 2005, it could not match the popularity achieved by Ikon.

Ford Ikon Used Car Market

Ikon car gets good resale value in the used car market courtesy its good overall performance. However, the car having been discontinued and Ford Ikon in India might see a decline in demand in the used car market.

Ford Ikon Specifications

Technical specifications for all the variants of Ford Ikon in India have been described below.

Ford Ikon Exterior

Ford Ikon Exterior Appearance

Ford Ikon car had a kinetic design which made the car appear as if it was moving forward even while standing still. It came with stylish clear-headlamps that added quality to the looks of the sedan. Ikon car came with a well-designed front bumper that enhances its sporty characteristics. In addition to that, the front fog lamps added to the overall appeal of the car. Even after being revamped several times, the basic design of Ford Ikon car, which was first seen in 1999, was evident in the last Ikon model on sale in India.

Ford Ikon Exterior Measurements

The exterior measurements of Ford Ikon cars have been described below.

Ford Ikon Interior

Ford Ikon Interior Appearance

Ford Ikon came with two-tone beige interiors that were a treat for the eyes. Chrome inserts on the gear knob and parking brake button added richness and opulence to the interiors of Ikon car. Buyers could select optionally available leather seat covers with vinyl of camel beige colour with dark parchment to give Ikon a premium look.

Ford Ikon Interior Comfort

The seats in Ikon were very comfortable, even for long journeys. Sitting inside the Ikon car was quite comfortable courtesy its air-conditioning with heater that came handy in all types of climates. Passengers could open windows automatically with power windows for all 4 windows. Optionally available for added comfort in Ikon were pillows, neckrests and seat belt pads. In addition to that, buyers could choose to have an optional reading lamp with a long stalk for reading inside Ford Ikon cars.

Ford Ikon Interior Measurements

Ford Ikon had a decent seating space for 5 adult persons. Ikon car offered generous headroom of 982 mm for the front seats and 968 mm for the rear seats, with comfortable legroom of 1036 mm and shoulder room of 1325 mm. The boot space of 430 litres in Ford Ikon cars came handy while travelling out of town.

Ford Ikon Mileage, Average and Fuel Economy

The fuel economy of Ford Ikon cars had always been excellent. While the 1.4 L DuraTorq model provided 17 kmpl on highways, it managed 15 kmpl on city roads. On the other hand, the 1.3 L RoCAM petrol variant gave an average of 10 kmpl within the city and 12 kmpl while driving on highways. This decent average coupled with a fuel tank capacity of 43 litres made Ikon a good highway car.

Ford Ikon On-road Drive

Ford Ikon car drove very nicely on the road, because of factors like powerful engine and excellent suspension, among others. The suspension layout in Ikon car followed the extremely successful Ford McPherson strut configuration, which had lower A-shaped arms that improved running refinement as well as dynamic control. The twist beam rear suspension design in Ford Ikon cars was matched to the front suspension to provide well-balanced handling.

The stiff body structure of Ford Ikon played a key role in isolating ride comfort and running refinement. The rigid supporting platform of Ikon was helpful as it kept noise, vibrations and harshness at minimal levels. Stability and instinctive controllability had been engineered into the chassis system to provide the maximum possible vehicle control in Ikon cars.

Ford Ikon Power

Ford Ikon derived power from either a 1.3 L petrol engine or a 1.4 L diesel engine. The RoCAM petrol engine was ideal for urban usage as it was a spirited performer while the DuraTorq diesel engine was turbocharged and gave excellent torque to Ikon. Both the engines provided enough power to Ford Ikon so that the car did not feel out of power on full air-conditioning or while overtaking on the highways.

Ford Ikon Acceleration and Pick Up

Both the engines used in Ford Ikon used to give the car sufficient acceleration while revving from naught. The acceleration as well as low-end peak torque in Ikon cars provided excellent pick-up to the car. This good pick-up capability was particularly helpful while overtaking on highways as well as moving Ikon from a complete stand-still on traffic signals. Even the first Ikon car launched in 1999 came with a 1.6-litre petrol engine that had decent pick-up capability.

Ford Ikon Safety and Security

Among the most important aspects of a car, safety and security features were pretty good in Ford Ikon cars. Complying with European anti-theft protection strategy, Ikon used a multi-faceted approach to vehicle security. Ford Ikon had high security lock sets for all 4 doors and the boot lid, along with a steering column lock. The central locking system made Ikon car more secure, and added to the convenience factor of the car as well. Even the fuel filler cap was remote locked as it was connected to the central locking system. Child safety rear door locks prevented doors to open from inside, thus ensuring the safety of children sitting on rear seats.

The structure of Ikon had been designed in a scientific manner to absorb energy in case of a collision. Ford Ikon also had structural reinforcements that gave the car high level of protection for passengers. The soft-feel rim of the steering wheel reduced injuries to the head in case of an accident. The collapsible steering column in Ikon car reduced intrusion distance at the time of a collision. Ford Ikon cars came with individual seat belts for all passengers; the seat belts for front seats came with 'grabbers' that prevented uncontrolled movement during an impact. Anti-Submarine seats in Ford Ikon were helpful in saving the passengers during accidents. These special seats prevented the passengers from slipping between the seat and lap strap in case of a frontal impact.

Ford Ikon Comfort and Convenience

Ford Ikon cars had plenty of features for the comfort and convenience of its passengers. Power Steering made Ikon car easy to drive, especially in city traffic conditions. The front as well as rear power windows in Ikon were highly appreciated by passengers while the electric boot release enabled them to load / unload luggage conveniently. Ford Ikon car had air-conditioning with heater, which helped in regulating cabin temperature in all types of weather. Moreover, the Ikon car in India came with an easy to read LCD display odometer. The front passenger sun visor came with a vanity mirror in Ford Ikon cars. MapmyIndia GPS navigation system was available as an optional accessory in Ikon to add to the convenience factor of the car.

Ford Ikon Wheels

All the variants of Ikon car had wheels of size of 13 inches. Except the base petrol and diesel models, rest of the variants had alloy wheels. All Ford Ikon cars came with tubeless tyres of 175 / 70 R 13 size.

Ford Ikon Stereo and Accessories

Certain variants of Ford Ikon came with an mp3 player with 4 speakers. However, the company offered optional stereos as well as accessories for other variants of Ikon cars. Ford used to provide an optional Bluetooth mp3 player of its own make for Ikon cars. In addition to that, certain dealers offered Kenwood music systems for Ford Ikon cars.

Ford also offered optional rubber and grey carpet floor mats for this car, while a boot mat was also available optionally for Ford Ikon. Moreover, optionally available were 13 inches and 14 inches alloy wheels, wheel locks, rear wing spoiler kit, handle tailgate for Ford Ikon cars. In addition to that, car cover, mudflaps kit, exhaust trim, body side skirts kit and Autocop anti-theft alarms were also available optionally.

Ford Ikon Dealers

Before being discontinued in April 2011, Ford Ikon in India was available only in Tier II and Tier III cities. Ford had stopped selling Ikon car in metro cities after Bharat Stage IV emission norms were made compulsory for all new cars.

Ford Ikon Company Quotes

Speaking about the new Ford Ikon in India, in August 2009, Nigel Wark, Executive Director, Marketing, Sales and Services, Ford India, had said, “The Ikon iKool is a fun to drive yet economical car. Its new feature rich persona along with legendary driving characteristics will appeal to the customers.”

When asked about the status of Ikon car in India, Michael Boneham, Managing Director, Ford India, in April 2011, had said that the company had ceased production of the car in India. The manufacturer had been producing Ikon cars only to cater to non-metro cities, where up to BS III norms were applicable and the vehicle was selling in good numbers. Upon being asked about that, he had further added that Ford India was not producing the model any more at its plant near Chennai.

Ford Ikon Competitor Analysis

Swift Dzire, the entry-level sedan offered by the country's largest car-seller, beats Ikon in terms of peak torque despite having smaller engines than Ikon. In addition to that, Dzire has 3 variants for both petrol and diesel models, providing more options than Ford Ikon cars.

Hyundai Accent is considered as the direct competitor of Ford Ikon car as both were launched around the same time period. Overall, almost similar features are present in both the cars, though Ikon car had a stronger and more secure body. Accent is not offered in a diesel model, while Ikon was available in petrol as well as diesel versions. Presence of an LPG version of Accent was countered quite effectively by a CNG version of Ikon car.

Mahindra Verito, the re-badged Logan car, is wider and higher than the Ikon car, thus providing better legroom and headroom to the occupants. However, Ford Ikon had a shorter turning radius than Verito despite being longer, thereby making it more manoeuvrable.

Well-known for its huge interior space, Tata Manza lacks the build quality of Ford Ikon car. Etios, the latest sedan offered by Toyota, has lots of features on offer, though it is shorter than Ford Ikon car.

Ford Ikon LPG/CNG Version

Ikon car was offered in a CNG variant called Ikon RoCAm CNG that was highly appreciated owing to its high reliability and low running costs. It was introduced as a relief to customers reeling under the pressure of rising fuel costs. Ikon CNG was also popular among commercial passenger vehicle (taxi) operators as it provided the style of the sporty Ikon car with the economy of CNG fuel.

Ford Ikon Pros

Comfortable seats, dual-tone interiors, excellent ride quality and handling and several convenience features were some of the plus points of Ikon car. In addition to that, option of an economical diesel engine, apart from a powerful petrol engine made Ford Ikon in India a lucrative option.

Ford Ikon Cons

High maintenance costs, lack of storage space within the car, left hand drive orientation of indicator stalks were some of the negative factors of Ford Ikon cars.

Ford Ikon Conclusion

Ford Ikon was one of the best entry level sedans in the country. It had all the basic features as well as several optional extras. In addition to that, Ikon car was known for its excellent handling and stable ride quality. However, Ford’s decision of not upgrading Ikon to BS IV emission norms led to the car being withdrawn from metro cities in 2010. Apart from that, introduction of other new cars by Ford, led to the company ceasing production of its very successful Ikon car in April 2011.