Experience the Freedom of Joyful Driving with Automatics

Cars with automatic transmission are having their moment in the sunshine. Sales for automatics have increased dramatically in India over the last few years, which is why we now find many cars in automatic variants. Although a coveted transmission choice, their higher cost and lower fuel efficiency initially made them less popular. However, thanks to the steady rise in demand for the automatic gearbox cars, manufacturers have now managed to make them more affordable while ensuring they deliver optimum fuel efficiency.

And while cars have long been symbols for personal freedom, the automatic technology just takes it up a notch higher. This Independence Day let’s take a moment to celebrate the technology of automatic transmission and its capability to provide the liberating, stress-free and joyful drives.

Freedom For Your Left Foot

In automatic cars, the transmission takes care of the gear shifts. That means no clutch pedal in the driver-side footwell. By eliminating the need for a clutch pedal, automatics free your left foot. On long drives or while crawling through slow traffic, constantly pressing and releasing the clutch pedal can take a toll on your left leg, foot, calves, and knees. An automatic means less foot-work. And this is what makes the Ford EcoSport automatic the perfect choice for urban settings. It comes fitted with paddle shifters, which gives you the liberty to decide when the gears need changing without having to bother with the clutch or gear stick. It is compact yet roomy, peppy and efficient, and its 6-Speed Torque Converter Automatic Gearbox ensures ease and comfort when driving on crowded, bumpy city roads.

Freedom From Negotiating Inclines

When it comes to inclines, automatics can be your best buddy. Negotiating steep inclines on a manual needs some skills. The delicate balancing act between the clutch and the accelerator can be exhausting for your left leg, not to mention, it can put a strain on your clutch system. With an automatic car, this struggle is eliminated. Automatics come with a feature of hill-hold that stops the vehicle from rolling off if you come to a complete halt on an incline. Hence, an automatic gives you the freedom to drive up any hill at any pace without breaking the lightest of sweats. If you drove a Ford Endeavour, you’d know that the SUV is particularly adept at this — its wide-ratio 10-speed automatic gearbox includes some really low ratios – which when coupled with the Hill Launch Assist (HLA) feature, allows it to tackle any incline with absolute ease. Also, the recently launched Ford Figo AT comes equipped with HLA. The feature takes out the worry of rolling when your car is on an incline.

Freedom From Distraction

Automatic cars give you the freedom of worrying about certain functions while dealing with various driving conditions. You don’t need to press the clutch or disengage one hand from the steering wheel to change gears. As such, you can focus more on the road for a safer drive and on the driving for a more engaging journey. All of this helps make the overall experience a more pleasurable one.

Freedom From High Fuel Consumption

Built with the latest technology, modern automatic transmissions are incredibly fuel-efficient. Moreover, automatics eliminate the impact that worn-out clutch plates can have on fuel efficiency. When clutch plates wear out, usually due to poor usage habits, there is insufficient contact between the clutch and pressure plate – a phenomenon known as Slipping. In a slipping clutch, some of the engine’s output is lost as friction. Since all the engine’s power output is not being sent to the wheels, fuel efficiency takes a hit.

Automatics don’t face this problem because they take the clutch element out of operation. In fact, today’s automatics comprise of new classes with much more efficient transmissions, like the torque converter transmission. A good example of this would be the recently launched Ford Figo AT. The hatchback from Ford offers segment-best six-speed, torque converter automatic transmission that is paired to Bharat Stage 6 compliant three-cylinder 1.2L petrol engine, delivering fuel efficiency of up to 16kpl.

Freedom From Sluggish Performance

For the longest time, automatic cars have wrongfully been thought to be less powerful. However, modern variations are engineered for versatility and performance. Take, for instance, the Ford Endeavour; this 4×4 is the perfect choice for adventure seekers and avid travelers. The Ford SUV, equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission gearbox – first-of-its-kind anywhere in the world, delivers responsive, faster and facilitates smoother acceleration in all driving conditions. Fitted with a Terrain Management System that adapts the gearbox, traction control, and other systems to the terrain mode selected makes off-roading, crawling over rocks and cruising on highways a pleasure.

Freedom From Expensive Maintenance Cost

Today’s modern gearboxes defy the general perception of cars with automatic transmission needing extra maintenance. The new automatic gearboxes are robust things and are designed to not just take a beating but also sustain it for a significant length of time if necessary. Hence, by eliminating the clutch pedal, an automatic transmission substantially reduces wear and tear.

As mentioned earlier, given the increasing demand for automatic cars, manufacturers have now managed to make them more affordable and are pricing the vehicles more competitively than before. A great example of this are the Ford cars. The Ford Figo automatic, for instance, is priced from INR 775,000, and the Ford Figo owners spend as low as INR 1,313 for scheduled service in the first year while the 100,000-KM or 10-year service is surprisingly affordable at just INR 4,097.

In the 2020 Edition of Autocar’s Annual Vehicle Maintenance Study, Ford cars & SUVs have been rated as the most affordable to maintain in their respective segments, for the third year in a row. Ford Figo, Ford Aspire, Ford Freestyle, Ford EcoSport, and Ford Endeavour – boast the lowest ownership cost in their respective segments, both for spares and service/labour. At Ford, we marry performance and economy so that you can have the best of all worlds. Check Ford’s Service Price Promise to know our surprisingly affordable maintenance costs.

With Ford’s automatic vehicles – performance, comfort, and ruggedness are all available in one exciting package. Don’t take our word for it – just Dial-A-Ford at 1800-419-3000 to book a test drive at home and confirm this for yourself.

From increasingly congested roads to better driving experiences, there are several reasons to adopt automatic cars. But the truth is that this liberating transmission choice offers so many benefits. Modern automatics are robust, reliable, versatile, smart, and fuel-efficient, making for safer and more comfortable drives and simpler, easier car maintenance giving you the freedom to experience joyful driving!