Ford Figo Review
Car tested: 2012 New Ford Figo Facelift Titanium
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 5.99 lakhs (petrol), Rs. 7.27 lakhs (diesel)
The Ford Figo was launched in 2010, offering a lot of value to buyers. The aggressive pricing, good economy (diesel version) and Ford driving dynamics immediately won the Figo a slew of car of the year awards (including the MotorBeam COTY). The Figo has changed Ford’s India story, prompting the American automaker to take the Indian market more seriously, subsequently announcing a massive $2 billion investment. The new Ford Figo is a minor update to the vehicle, to keep things fresh as the competition gets intense in the hatchback segment. Ford claims the new Figo has close to 100 changes. We take the new Ford Figo for a spin at midnight to find out, what really is different.
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Ford has made several changes to the Figo, including 10 new styling elements. The headlights are different than the old model with a larger reflective surface, resulting in much better illumination at night. The front bumper is new too and incorporates a new trapezoidal grille, while the fog lamps gets a new bezel treatment. The alloy wheels / wheel covers get a fresh design while the tail lights are now different with a new design. The dimensions of the Ford Figo remain the same and the minor exterior updates give the vehicle a refreshed appearance.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/8100192554/[/flickr]
Ford has discontinued the squeeze color on the Figo and added two new colors – Kinetic Blue and Bright Yellow. These new colors give the Figo a very youthful appearance.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/8100192728/[/flickr]
Step inside and you won’t notice many changes. The Figo’s dashboard layout has been unaltered but the interiors get new colors in line with making things fresh on the car. The coral color has been dropped and now you have the option (Titanium variant only) of choosing Riviera Blue on the instrument panel. The seats also get new fabric design while the head rests are now adjustable. The seats now offer better lumbar support than before but thigh support could be better. Ford has also added audio controls on the steering column. These don’t move along with the steering wheel and are not as convenient to use as audio controls mounted on the steering wheel. The audio system now gets USB connectivity. The use of double bulb weather strips on the doors has reduced NVH levels inside the cabin marginally.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/8100194008/[/flickr]
The new Ford Figo uses the same set of engines as before. The 1.2-litre petrol motor produces 71 PS of power at 6250 RPM and 102 Nm at 4000 RPM. The more popular fuel of choice is diesel and the 1.4-litre DuraTorq engine is a gem. The 1399 cc oil burner belts out 69 PS of peak power at 4000 RPM and 160 Nm of peak torque at 2000 RPM. Both engines are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Ford claims performance of the new Ford Figo is slightly better owing to improved engine calibration. The company states the pickup and pedal response has improved.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/8100191434/[/flickr]
However the improvements to the performance of the Ford Figo is very minor. The vehicle does feel slightly peppier than before but not by much. The diesel Figo is splendid to drive and the engine has very little turbolag. The diesel motor responds quickly to throttle inputs, making the car very fun to drive both in the city and out on the highways. Even with just 69 PS of power on tap, the diesel-powered Figo doesn’t feel out of breath easily. The gearbox has improved too and the short throw shifts are smooth and precise.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/8100193542/[/flickr]
The right blend of good ride quality and sharp handling has always been in the Ford DNA and the Figo is no different. There are no changes to the driving dynamics of the new Figo, which are identical to the old model. The Figo handles brilliantly, inspiring confidence in the driver to throw it around corners. Ride quality is very good and the Figo absorbs most of the bumps on the road with sheer confidence. The suspension does get a bit noisy on extremely bad roads but that is not much of a bother. Braking performance is good with adequate bite from the pedal.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/8100194350/[/flickr]
The Ford Figo might have quite a few changes but the way the vehicle drives is almost identical to the old model, which is indeed a good thing. The Figo now gets refreshed exteriors and interiors along with addition of new features. The best part however is the price, which has been increased by Rs. 3000-6000/- only, keeping the value proposition of the Ford Figo firmly intact. The Ford Figo continues to be an extremely value for money alternative in the B-segment, offering buyers splendid dynamics, good space, low cost of ownership (thanks to use of child parts) and a frugal diesel engine.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/8100186215/[/flickr]
Whats Cool
* Sheer value for money
* Cool new colors
* Excellent driving dynamics
Whats Not So Cool
* Steering column mounted audio controls don’t move
* Under thigh support could be better
Further Reading – Ford Figo Exhaustive Review