Ford achieved an all-time sales record of 13,938 units in Malaysia last year, up 31%. Not surprising, as it was announced in November that 2013’s sales figures have been surpassed with two months of 2014 remaining. The Blue Oval proceeded to end the year on a high by breaking monthly and quarterly sales records.
December 2014 sales jumped 52% year-on-year to 1,432 units, capping off Ford’s best-ever quarter with sales increasing 22% to 3,721 units in Q4 2014.
The biggest contributor to sales is the Ranger T6, the second best-selling pick-up truck in Malaysia after the Toyota Hilux, with sales soaring 49% to 8,577 units. Next up is the Fiesta with a 24% jump to 3,119 units. The B-segment hatchback is available here in three variants – 1.5, 1.0 Ecoboost and the ST hot hatch.
Ford’s Ranger is the second most popular pick-up truck in Malaysia after the Toyota Hilux
In the SUV department, the Kuga did 882 units while 353 units of the EcoSport, launched in August, were registered. The C-segment Focus, available as a sedan and hatchback, contributed 939 units to the cause. Last year also saw Ford start local assembly of the Transit van and launch a network of nine commercial vehicle centres.
To support a growing customer base, Ford’s local partner Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) and its dealers will invest a total of RM140 million over the next two years. The money will go into adding new facilities (including land acquisition costs), upgrading to 3S centres and renovations to meet Ford’s global standards and corporate identity.
By 2016, there will be three new outlets added to the current network of 49 dealerships, and a 70% increase in service bays. SDAC says that by 2018, at least 90% of Ford’s dealer network will be 3S outlets.
A new flagship outlet in PJ will further ease traffic with its 22 service bays. The new facility, located on the other side of the Federal Highway from the current outlet, is expected to begin operations by mid year. More Quick Lane outlets will also open in 2015 to provide customers with quick, convenient and high quality service, adding to the nine outlets introduced in 2014.
A couple of exciting new products will be coming this year. Look out for the new Mondeo (first half), the new Everest SUV and the sixth-generation Mustang in the final quarter. Full story on Ford’s 2015 models here.
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City sales is much better than these junk.
City performance is much better.
Superb cvt.
Fiesta gb always faulty.
You suffer from CSS (Car Salesman Syndrome). Get a doc, or a life.
This is a Ford, not Proton. You sure you comment on the right page, Matrix?
Ford Ranger can defeat your city in mud plugging event. Have fun with your sleepers!!
Hate to say it but the Matrix bloke is quite rite. I made a mistake for choosing Fiesta for my wife. We fell in love with its interior and exterior. Our Gearbox issue not resolved until now. Sime Darby has taken the “noble” initiative of extending my warranty up to 300k solely on the clutch/gearbox. But until now not replaced as no stock yet. Hell, i guess they also dunno exactly what part to replace. Maybe also they’ll replace whatever to replace once my mileage reaches 299k. Then i just hope for the best for the remaining 1k mileage warranty. Anyways if we were to decide on other cars don’t think we’d go City…its “butt ugly”
Hi Yazeed. May I know what kind of gearbox issue you are facing? I’m thinking of getting the 1.0 EcoB Fiesta. TY
PMen: Problem with dry dual clutch gearbox. Depends how you would consider it a problem, you will notice loud sounds of gear shifting at low speed. Also might experience shudder. It seems the latest seal type F used in 2015 FoFo or FoFi has sorta reduce this problem. No issues at higher speed on highway. Because msia’s road full of traffic lights and jam, u will most likely experience this..
I am a Fiesta Ecoboost owner. Before buying the car, I’ve heard about many negative comment about the Powershift gearbox.
However, after test driving virtually all B segment cars on offer in M’sia, I still put my money on the Fiesta. Here are some of my thoughts and how to drive the Powershift gearbox:
1) About the gearbox: First of all, you gotta understand that the Dual Clutch Transmission is not an conventional auto transmission (with torque converter) in strict mechanical terms. Anatomically, it’s A MANUAL GEARBOX with two computer controlled clutches. It drives, shifts and behave just like a manual gearbox, you need not press the clutch pedal because the computer did it for you. Hence, the Ford Powershift gearbox should give you the linear power delivery found on a manual gearbox while giving you the convenience of an auto gearbox. Sounds great isn’t it? But here’s where the problem come, in an very uniquely M’sian driving environment.
The computer configure clutches are meant to give you the best fuel efficiency, hence, it upshifts at the earliest possible engine rev. However, with so many stop-go traffic, speed bump, traffic jam found in KL, the Powershift tend to up-shift and down-shift too many times in a short pace of time, hence, it shudders. It feels exactly like a novice driver who just got his driving license struggling to shift his gear and balancing the clutch in a typical slow traffic condition.
My solution: After much experimenting and researching, I have come to the conclusion that the best way to drive the Powershift, especially in a typical KL traffic environment is DRIVING IT ENTIRELY IN S MODE and DOING ALL THE SHIFTING BY YOURSELF, through the small rocker button at the side of the gear leaver. Since it’s a anatomically, a manual gearbox anyway, why not just treat it like one?
I am used to, and like driving manual car, so it’s not a problem for me at all. Since abandon the D drive mode and doing all the shifting manually through S Mode, my Fiesta comfort riding, and the gearbox suddenly just “got it right”. Even my wife also notice it and ask me, “Why no shudder at slow traffic today ar?” Well, I reply her, “That is because I have took over the computer’s job and do the shifting myself” :)
Maybe some of you may argue, what’s the point of getting an auto car and still having the trouble of shifting the gear manually? Well, it depends how you look at it. For me who used to drive a manual car and controlling the gear, that is not an issue at all. If you are accustom to driving a manual car, you will find it easy to “tame” the Powershift gearbox in no time.
Just to give you an example, My Fiesta Powershift upshift and downshift 20 times over a short journey of 3 speed bumps and a traffic light near my house in D Mode. When I manually control it in S Mode, 2 upshift and 2 downshift is all required because I drive it in gear 2 and 3 all the time in slow traffic condition.
2) About the loud noise of gear shifting: If you have drove a manual car before, you will know that mechanical sound during gear shifting is unavoidable. Since the Powershift is a de-facto manual gearbox, it behaves the same. To be frank, I kinda like the sound of the gear shifting, I don’t find it annoying at all. The “kaching” sound gives me the distinctive analog “feel”, it feels mechanical, it feels human, unlike the “lifeless” CVT found on many cars today. It all depends how you look at it too.
What I like about the car:
1) The power delivery and the amount of torque coming from this tiny 1.0 litre engine is simply… unbelievable! You will get pretty addictive to its driving dynamics and sooner or later, you will forget about the “eco” and indulge yourself entirely in the “boost” part. (Just like Harv did in Driven video, LOL) I never forget how I shook off a VIOS miles apart, who was trying to tailgate me in some uphill, twisty B road. NA 1.5 and 4AT is simply no match.
2) Fiesta rigid and playful chassis is simply the best among B segments available in Malaysia. If you love cornering hard and experiencing driving pleasure, Fiesta is the answer. (However, I heard the new Mazda 2 will give the Fiesta a run for its money in this aspect, gonna test drive it to find out soon)
What I dislike about the car:
The Powershift (also): I think SDAC should tell many of the potential FoFi or FoFo buyers about the peculiarity of this gearbox. Many Ford consumers out there just buy the car without doing proper research and understanding the gearbox. Hence, they just buy the car and drive it like a normal torque converter or CVT auto gearbox, and that’s where all the complaint about the shuddering and noise came about. The bottom line is, as long as your Powershift gearbox doesn’t leak oil or jammed up, you are perfectly fine.
Secondly, the idea of having a small rocker switch at the gear leaver for upshift and downshift is just simply STUPID! The designer who came out with this idea should be shot! (Like Hafiz said). It doesn’t feel intuitive at all.
Apart from that , I love every bits of my Fiesta Ecoboost. It’s a super fun car to drive with an awesome 1.0 engine that put a smile on my face everytime I start the engine. I think as a driving enthusiast, that’s matter most to me. If SDAC were to come out a manual Fiesta Ecoboost tomorrow, I will definitely trade in my Powershift version Fiesta and get the manual one without a second thought. That’s how good this car is, I could only imagine how it’s even better if it’s fitted with a proper stick and clutch paddle.
good write up… i think ford needs to put paddle shifters for convenience if the powershift is meant to be used that way.
Spot on! The Mitsubishi EVO X uses a twin clutch gearbox and it’s fitted with paddle shifters. Someone just have to tell Ford the small rocker switch isn’t a great idea.
Thanks for the tips, Ford User 87 and Gen2. After all that reading, I think I will go ahead with FoFi and test drive it.
Here are some of the additional tips of driving the Powershift (from my experience)
1) Never engage in D and brake the car to a complete stop for a prolong period (ie: more than 30 seconds – 1 minute)
As I’ve mentioned earlier, the Powershift is a manual transmission in disguise as an “auto”. When you stop the car, let’s say waiting for a long traffic light (more than 30 seconds), it’s best to engage to N, free gear and pull the handbrake. Why?
In a normal torque converter auto gearbox, the engine flywheel is NEVER IN DIRECT CONTACT to the transmission itself. The hydraulic fluid (your ATF oil) in the torque converter, act as a “buffer” between the engine and the transmission. Hence, when you stop the car in a torque converter, the engine never stall even if you’re still in D mode. That’s the reason why conventional auto is not efficient as compare to manual because the power transfer is done through fluid, hence its “converter” name.
In a manual transmission, the clutch disc is IN DIRECT CONTACT with the engine flywheel. Thus, when you stop a manual car without pressing the clutch, your car will stall. This is because in a manual transmission, the momentum are transfer between the wheel>transmission>engine in a linear linkage, so when the wheel stops, the gear, the flywheel, the pistons, the shafts… everything stops! and this is call a STALL. That’s the reason why, in a manual car, you need to press the clutch to prevent your engine from stalling during a complete stop.
If you drive a manual car long enough, you know that it’s a very bad habit to use the clutch “balancing” technique during an uphill traffic jam. If you are not using the handbrake to hold the car by doing clutch “balancing” for a prolong period, (by pressing the clutch and throttle simultaneously, using the clutch threshold bitting point and the throttle to “hold” the car), you are actually engaging the clutch disc against the turning flywheel and generating vast amount of heat and friction, this will wears out the clutch disc prematurely and causes clutch slip scenario.
In the same manner, by engaging D and pressing the break in a Powershift, you are generating lots of friction and heat between the clutch disc and flywheel. I’ve seen many FoFi and FoFo drivers pressing the brake for more than one minute during traffic jams and traffic lights waiting. Imagine what will happen in years to come… On the same manner, I believe the same happens to many VW DSG driver as well.
2) Use S mode to upshift and downshift as much as possible, especially in an urban traffic condition.
Like I mention earlier, using S mode and doing all your shifting will “tame” the Powershift by not shifting excessively during stop-go traffic, speed bumps and traffic light. Apart of giving you a smoother ride, using S mode and manual shifting actually prolong the life your clutch disc, this is because less shifting is done compare to FoFi and FoFo which drives in D mode all the time. And to my opinion, many of the shifts done by the computer are unnecessary. Imagine you accelerate from gear 1 to 5 in a short pace of straight road, only to encounter a speed bump, the computer will decelerate from gear 5 to 1 and starts all the acceleration> deceleration all over again. Isn’t it best by just sticking to gear 2 and 3 to deal with the speed bump? In typical housing area with lots of corners and speed bumps, you don’t need gear 4 and 5 anyway.
Apart from that, you may lower the possibility of transmission overheating or clutch slipping in a super hot weather traffic jam situation.
Less unnecessary shift = Prolong clutch disc life = Less possibility of transmission overheat.
*For pre-facelift FoFi owners, there’s nothing can be done in this aspect because pre-facelift FoFi are not equip with S mode and manual override function.
3) Always use the MOST RELIABLE HILL HOLD ASSIST IN THE UNIVERSE – YOUR HANDBRAKE!!!
I’ve once encounter a FoFo lady driver complaining to the SC about how her car slip backwards when she launch her car in an uphill situation. I later found out that she HAD PRESS THE THROTTLE TOO EARLY BEFORE THE CLUTCH IS PROPERLY DISENGAGE AND THE TRANSMISSION TAKES OVER.
Now let’s go back to the fact that the Powershift is a manual box in “disguise” and it doesn’t has a torque converter, remember? I’m sure anyone who has driven a manual car or still vividly remember their driving lessons in a manual Kancil (or older drivers in a 1.3 Dutsun Sunny) will get what I meant.
Never launch the Powershift too fast from a gradient by releasing the brake pressing the throttle too early.
Instead, some old school driving tips comes in handy: Always use your handbrake, free the gear while waiting for an uphill traffic light or jam. Engage the gear, press gently on your throttle, feel the momentum of the car, release the handbrake and you’re ready to go.
My FoFi is actually equip with a Hill Hold Assist system. However, for me it’s just a gimmick and I never bother to try it out. To me, the handbrake is the BEST HILL HOLD ASSIST SYSTEM IN THE WORLD! It never breaks down, it’s 100% reliable and it works all the time, everytime! (unless your handbrake kaput lah! LOL)
Well, that’s all for some tips which I think will be helpful for drivers with a Powershift vehicle. To be frank, Powershift it’s not perfect, it has its drawbacks. But since SDAC don’t bring in manual trans, the Powershift with S mode is the best compromise for driving enthusiast like me seeking to strike a balance between driving pleasure and market reality which deprive drivers like me who yearn for a manual, who don’t mind pressing the clutch in a traffic jam.
With the prevalence of auto trans everywhere on our M’sian road, manual trans are a dying breed, hardly any major auto suppliers bring them in nowadays, except a few hot hatches, and some super low-spec variants, “kosong” car.
Driving a manual actually brings great pleasure and to some people, that’s the essential 1,2,3 of learning and appreciating the mechanical characteristic of a car, for example, how to downshift and upshift during a cornering, balancing the clutch, learn to judge the engine rev meter in relation to the transmission behaviour…etc.
Let’s hope that this will slowly change in the future, so that manual trans lover still have decent options to choose a car from.
Mr Gen2,
Don’t be so happy with your new Ecoboost yet. What is the mileage of your car?
wait till your mileage reached 20K, then you won’t be so happy with your DCT already.
I’m a ex-Fiesta owner. Clutch changed 3 times in 90K.
Spoken like a true manual driver. Bravo!
The only reason why people don’t know how a manual car behave cos they’re bunch of lazy bums with no left leg and pass driving licence with kopi o license and then drive an auto car after that. They’ve no basic understanding of how a car tranny works at all.
Oh Man…..thanks for your inputs, makes sense BUT if your typical driver has to take note of so MANY things and precautions…then Ford is not going to sell a lot Fiestas….coz the target market is for drivers who want simplicity and a no fuss/brainer drive.
No New Ford Focus this year?
I am actually disappointed with Ford/Sime. The Fiesta ST was heavily promoted and won many top 5 finishes as car of the year in 2014 BUT when I when to the showroom to see, “only available at the PJ branch, you need to either make an appointment an appointment or put down a deposit for a test drive” WTF? This reminds me of the arrogance good old days when there’s less competition but this is 2015!
Its not like I am requesting a test drive for a Ferrari 458 Speciale? Its a puny Fiesta and showroom cannot get a test drive car ( I am talking about a key showroom in KL)? No longer interested…darn. What happened to Marketing and Selling 101?
Well, to be fair, Pug has the same position for test drive of the 208 GTi. They rotate the car around several branches and you may need to go to that branch or have to make an appointment.
Having said that, they don’t have any “put a deposit down to test” nonsense. Just go and drive it.
Same thing with the Clio RS – just register and go for a spin. The Renault guys are even better as they will let you go for a really long test drive if you’re really keen.
I agree, the Renault boys are great. Even bring the car all the way to my house for my test drive….Having said that if Naza is equally as bad ( I was told to wait 3 weeks…only one car to go around), its no excuse for Ford to follow suit. 2 wrongs doesn’t make one right.
Exactly what i hv faced in ford ipoh
Bring in the new S Max! Bring in the new S Max! Bring in the new S Max! Maintain the specs and innovatons. Check it out on U tube… kill the overpriced Estimas and Vellfires…
Makes sense cos ford only manages to sell the previous year models at big discounts. I own a ford i know they are garbage, fanboys come at me!