I bought the 2.0LS in March, 2011. I have clocked about 4500KMS and my first 5K service is due next month.
After a lot of deliberation, checking Fiesta, Linena & Accent, I narrowed down to this - style wise, value wise & money wise and I have not yet got a chance to regret about the decision. Just then was the SX4 Diesel was also getting launched, but I ran away kms after checking the interiors of the car, probably I was expecting more. I am 6.1 and to my height in the rear and driver seat, I find it really comfortable to sit.
Anyways, like everyone’s observations, I am extremely pleased with the car. The first 1000kms I found that at 2nd gear the car wont move. In the 1K Reassurance checkup, I checked with the technician about the correct speed-RPM-gear change equation. He pointed that, if I will be perfectly good, if I change gears at near 1900-2000RMP. While following the advice, I noticed that in 2nd gr @ 1900RPM reaches 35-40km speed on the odometer - good to change to 3rd gr, 3gr @ 1900 reaches 50-60km - again good to change the gear to 4, and @ 1900 reaches 80km - good for 5th gr. This worked out very well, exteremly good control, no knocks, nor large turbo lag and above all a good KMPL - I am getting anywhere between 12.5 to 13 on a full tank.
Earlier I was driving a petrol car and this learning was important for me to control this beast.
On the HW, I had did Bangalore - Bellary. Did hit 170 on the Blr-Anatapur HW. Did not feel the speed that I was driving until at 170 heavy when wheel noise inside the cabin forced me to deaccelerate. The noise is really heavy, it was like sitting in a plane at 35000ft - infact louder than that and I got about 17KMPL for the entire travel. Its was an amazing ride I experienced @ high speeds - to have a good brake/steering/turning control. I was really pleased with my decision. I have no complains on the cars behaviour/control in Blr city conditions, just that I am not able to rev it up, with so many many speed breakers all thro the city, even late night drive I can hit 100.
However, I find the vechile drifts to one side of the road and it requires some extra attention. I did check this on one another car and it too seemed to have the same probs.The owner of that car said it was due to wheel alignment problem, I was not ready to agree to it. I did report this to the dealer, but he too has brushed this off, saying its due to road slant. The reason why I feel hard to agree is, I did not find this prob in my previous car(Indica-Petrol) on the same roads. I will check this with GM and update.
Apart from this I have no complaints. I wish they could have illuminated the car audio system controls and the added a bit more electronics in a better way - seems very naive.
If you are planing to get a car check this one - LS @ 9.85 on-road, Blr this is a far better value for money.