2009 Ford Ikon diesel review, road test
While the jury is out on whether the styling works or not, you cant get away from the fact that the ten-year old Ikon is pretty long in the tooth
Published on Dec 09, 2009 08:00:00 AM
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By Staff Writer
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The talking point of the Ikon is what’s under the bonnet — the 1399cc Duratorq motor is one of the best small diesel motors around. This all-aluminium engine has won huge accolades with the Fiesta, so can it perform equally well in the Ikon?
Fire the engine and you realise that refinement levels are not as good as the Fiesta’s. It’s largely because of the way the engine is mounted. For reasons of cost, this engine uses cheaper rubber mounts instead of the more expensive hydraulic mounts found on the Fiesta.
The Ikon uses the same gearbox with identical ratios to the Fiesta TDCi but with a longer final drive to compensate for the Ikon’s smaller 13-inch wheels. The rod-linkage actuation of the Ikon feels nice and direct and though the cable-operated system of the Fiesta’s filters out vibrations, it’s the Ikon’s shift that feels better.
The Ikon has a massive 144kg weight advantage over the Fiesta and that translates into much better acceleration. The Ikon is about as quick as the Dzire diesel and Indigo DiCOR, both of which post sub-15 second 0-100kph times. Where the Ikon really scores is in city driving. The Duratorq is the most responsive compact diesel motor around and the way the Ikon leaps forward with a tap of the throttle is proof enough. Want more? Check out the in-gear acceleration times; the Ikon scoots away faster than any other mid-size diesel.
The impressive performance ties in well with the Ikon’s fun-to-drive character and unlike the Dzire or Indigo, the near absence of turbo-lag adds to the pleasure.
The diesel motor is well suited to the car’s weight, and only below 1500rpm do you feel any lag. Once past this point, the motor really starts to pull and there’s a nice surge all the way to 4500rpm, giving you a wide powerband to play with.
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