The 2018 Ford Aspire compact sedan has been launched with prices starting at Rs. 5.55 lakh for the entry level petrol Ambiente going up to Rs. 8 .14 lakh for the range topping diesel Titanium+ trim.

The updated Aspire comes with three engine options. On offer is a 1.2 litre three cylinder petrol motor from the Freestyle that develops 96 horsepower, the existing 1.5 litre four cylinder diesel engine putting out 100 horses and a 1.5 litre three cylinder petrol engine that develops 123 horsepower. The engines come mated to a new 5 speed manual gearbox while the 1.5 litre petrol comes with only a six speed torque convertor automatic transmission.

On the exterior the Aspire gets a new Aston Martin style front grille, new 15 inch alloy wheels, smoked headlamps and redesigned front bumper.

On the interior, gets a new dashboard from the Freestyle. There is a 6.5 inch touch screen featuring Ford’s SYNC3 infotainment system. Additionally there is beige upholstery, engine start/stop button, auto climate control, steering mounted audio controls and USB ports up front.

Safety features include dual airbags and ABS with EBD standard across all four variants. The top end variants get six airbags. The automatic also gets the Hill Launch Assist feature.

Ford is offering a first in class 5 years / 1,00,000 kms warranty on the Aspire. This includes 2 year factory warranty and 3 year extended warranty.

Rivals of the Ford Aspire include the Maruti Suzuki DZire, Hyundai XCent, Honda Amaze and Volkswagen Ameo.

Ford Aspire prices: ex showroom India