The Ford Aspire subcompact passenger car was manufactured by Kia Motors at a plant in Seoul from the beginning of 1994 to 1996, and the engine of the car and the main components were made in Japan by Mazda. The result of this symbiosis was also almost completely identical to the model of Kia Avella, sold, unlike its North American "twin" in the Asian market. The predecessor of the Aspire / Avella was the Ford Festiva. Under this name, Aspire was offered in Japan and Australia as a second generation Festiva. The Aspire was produced in a 3- or 5-door hatchback, was 5-seater and had front-wheel drive.
The dimensions of the car were 3881/1669/1412 mm with a wheelbase of 2304 mm (in the 5-door version - 3960 mm) and a track gauge of 1435/1435 mm. The curb weight of the 3-door car 909 kg, 5-door - 931 kg. Aspire had two trim levels: the basic and more comfortable SE, which included improved trim materials, a blue backlit tachometer, fog lights, a rear spoiler and alloy wheels. In 1997, as a result of a facelift, the car received a new oval grille, round headlights, modified front and rear bumpers, as well as a number of other minor modifications.
The car was equipped with a transversely-located in-line 4-cylinder 8-valve gasoline engine with distributed injection and a 1.3 liter OHC gas distribution mechanism with a capacity of 63 hp. (at 5000 rpm) and with a torque of 100 Nm / 3000 rpm. Aspire with such a motor developed a maximum speed of 145 km / h. The engine is aggregated with a 3-speed automatic or 5-speed manual gearbox. The front wheel suspension included suspension struts, wishbone and transverse stabilizer; in the rear, linking levers, trailing arm, transverse stabilizer and helical springs were used. The front brakes were disc, rear - drum.
In addition to ABS, which was installed optionally, the Brake Assist system was present in the basic equipment. Standard tire size 165/70 R13 S. Ford Aspire was the first subcompact car in the North American market, having in its equipment 2 airbags and ABS for all wheels (optional). This agile hatchback was notable for low consumption of low-octane gasoline, which made it a good choice for economical travel over long distances.
Independent front suspension MacPherson and rear with vertical struts and torsion bars provide a fairly comfortable ride and safe, predictable control. It should be noted that during the years of release, Aspire did not receive any particular popularity, having at the same time been mentioned in the review of “worst cars”: complaints were caused by insufficient corrosion resistance, weak brake lights, chassis flaws and a pale design. 1997 was the last year for North American sales, which to some extent can be explained by the collapse of the Ford-Kia-Mazda triple alliance. Under the Kia brand, the Avella model was replaced by the Rio, which is currently being released.
