2018 Ford Aspire facelift bookings start; India launch details revealed

After three years of launch, Ford India is gearing up to introduce a face-lifted version of the Aspire compact sedan. The American carmaker will launch the 2018 Aspire in on October 4. Meanwhile, the company has started accepting bookings for the new avatar of the Aspire for a token amount of Rs 11,000.

Ford India has also released first images of the Aspire facelift. The new version's exterior has taken inspiration from the Freestyle crossover which Ford India had launched early this year. The cosmetic tweaks on the exterior include new chrome-bathed honey-comb front grille, tweaked bumper with C-shaped bezels around the fog lamps and newly designed 15-inch multi-spoke Alloy wheels.

The side profile of the new Aspire is carried over while the rear gets an edgy bumper with black inserts. Since there is demand for chrome embellishments among Indian customers, thick strip of chrome across the boot lid will be retained.

Inside the cabin, the new Aspire has been spruced up with new 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports SYNC3, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The higher-spec variants will flaunt premium additions like push-button start, two USB ports at the front, steering-mounted audio controls and an automatic climate control system. The new Aspire carries over beige and black themed interior.

Under the hood, the 2018 Ford Aspire facelift is expected to get the new 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine that also does duty in the Freestyle. The new mill develops 94bhp of power and 115Nm of torque.

The existing 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine will be carried over as well. Some reports also claim that a CNG model with older 1.2-litre petrol engine will be offered to target fleet market. Transmission option will include a 5-speed manual gearbox and possibly the new 6-speed automatic torque converter.

The 2018 Ford Aspire will go up against the refreshed rivals like Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Xcent and Honda Amaze.