OVERVIEW

After tasting success with the first Figo, Ford has introduced the new-generation Figo. This is a fresh design, sporty, powerful and at the same time more powerful too. The Figo is known for its space, value for money and fuel efficiency. These characteristics are retained on the new-gen as well. The new Figo now shares its platform with the new Figo Aspire. This is made available with three engine options and six trim levels, giving buyer a lot of opportunity to pick and choose the variant. The Figo is manufactured at Ford’s new Sanand facility and it has been Made in India to meet our market needs and even to export to other car markets.

EXTERIOR AND DESIGN

The first generation Ford Figo had some quirky styling cues that were appealing to many but not so special to some. The new Figo though comes across as a fresh and complete looking hatchback. There are many appealing bits such as the huge and stylish front grille and swept back headlamps along with a smart bonnet bulge, these obviously remind one of Aston Martin. The side profile gets a strong shoulder line and blackened B-pillar for a sporty appearance but the simple alloy wheel design makes it look a tad old. Get On Road Price of Figo in Carzprice

Shiny diamond-cut alloys on the range topping variants with bigger tyres would have worked well on the Figo. Having said that, the Figo’s rear gets a neatly designed tailgate, beefy bumper and smart looking crystal clear tail lamps. The well proportioned overall profile of the new Figo along with the tasteful styling attracts some attention. The new model draws a lot of attention on the road as it’s fresh currently, seeing a ton of interest from other Ford car owners.

INTERIOR AND CABIN

The Figo always had a good reputation of being one of the spacious hatches in its segment and most of the consumers quite frankly prefer a spacious cabin which easily can accommodates five persons while the dash should have a fair amount of gadgets and accessories which could come in handy.

Nothing much is actually different inside in the hatch than the compact sedan which was launched here previously. The cabin looks young and sporty while the black dashboard with the silver accents surely looks gorgeous. The Figo has an impressive wheelbase of 2491 mm which actually has helped in create generous amount legroom and knee room for the passengers seating at the rear bench.

There are number of interesting features as well available on the higher trims of the hatch which includes automatic climate control system which can actually bring the temperature inside the cabin to below 25 degree Celsius in less than 15 minutes. It also gets the MyFord Dock system as well which can actually help in storing mounting and charging mobile phones, MP3 players, it also has got a satellite navigation system which helps in integrating this system with the cars entertainment screen.

Ford for the first time is also offering the Ford MyKey technology which actually allows the owners to programme the Figo’s restricted riving mode which actually includes increasing seats belt use and limiting the overall top speed of the vehicle and even regulating the audio volume of the car.

ENGINE AND GEARBOX

As mentioned, the Figo will be available with three engine-gearbox combinations. There’s a 1.2 petrol with a five-speed manual, a 1.5 diesel with a five-speed manual and a 1.5 petrol with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. The dual-clutch auto version first. This one’s 1.5-litre petrol engine makes the most of its twin cams and variable valve timing architecture to produce a healthy 110.5bhp. The power figure makes the Figo automatic the most powerful of the mass market auto hatches in India. In town, the engine’s good bottom end responses help this version of the Figo build speed smartly. However, in slow-moving city traffic, you can feel the clutch engage, so shifts aren’t super smooth. But once on the go, the gearbox settles into its rhythm and responds well enough to changes in throttle position. It’s not lightning fast as the VW Polo’s twin-clutch unit, but it gets the job done.

At light loads, the gearbox will upshift at about 2,200rpm, but drive hard and it will hold to about 6,300rpm before shifting to the next ratio. Unfortunately, the gearbox’s Sport mode won’t let you hold gear beyond 6,300rpm (at which point the engine sounds thrashy) either, but does well to downshift and keep revs right in the heart of the powerband. Those driving on hilly roads will particularly like the engine braking effect of Sport mode. Drivers also have the option to shift gears manually in Sport, but only via the small ‘+/-’ buttons on the gear lever; there’s no traditional tiptronic function or paddle shifters on the steering. The gearbox is responsive to manual inputs, so you will find yourself making use of the buttons when conditions permit. Performance on the whole is good. The dash from 0 to 100kph takes just 11.1 seconds – the VW Polo GT TSI does it in 11.02 seconds – and in-gear timings are decent as well.

But good as the auto Figo is, it’s the diesel that really impresses us. The engine is the latest version of Ford’s 1.5 diesel you’d find under the hood of the pricier refreshed EcoSport and Aspire, but the good news is that it’s not been dulled down for use in the cheaper hatch.That means power is a solid 98.9bhp! Couple that with a body that weighs all of 1,041kg and you are guaranteed excellent performance. 100kph comes up in 10.5 seconds, which makes the Figo diesel quicker than all the mass segment diesel hatchbacks, bar none.

Real-world performance also feels better than lower-powered rivals from the moment you set off. Responses are good right from idle, with a gentle surge speeding things up at about 1,600rpm. Thereon, there’s an even spread of power right till 4,000rpm. The engine’s not quick revving per se, but remains responsive throughout, even in fifth gear. The diesel engine also runs relatively quiet, though you can feel a buzz on the steering. Also worth mentioning is that gearshifts on the Ford IB5 gearbox are a touch notchy and aren’t suited to quick shifts. Driving in town, we also noted the diesel car’s clutch to be well weighted if springy in action.

RIDE AND HANDLING

The suspension set-up in the Ford Figo 2017 is well balanced and offers a good riding experience by making the occupants comfortable. The Ford Figo 2017 is based on the new B572 platform and this has well tuned for Indian road conditions. Ford have increased the ground clearance of this car to 174mm. Handling is one of the best you will find and the car rides very well over potholes, though you can feel a few ones. If you have driven a Ford earlier, you will find a typicality in handling, which is precise. The steering is light for city condition as and weighs up well at higher speeds. The Ford Figo 2017 remains planted under hard cornering and the brakes compliment its overall handling. High speed stability is also impressive.

BRAKING AND SAFETY

Braking duties are performed by disc brakes in front and drum brakes at rear. On the safety front, Figo hatchback gets a number of equipments such as six airbags, anti-lock-braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution, among the prominent ones. Besides the aforementioned safety features, the hatchback also feature engine immobilizer and driver seatbelt reminder. Some features are exclusive to automatic version like electronic stability control; traction control and hill start assist.

CONCLUSSION

Although this update is a bit late to join the party, the new Figo ticks all the right boxes in terms of features, engine and gearbox options as well as ride and handling. To add as icing to the cake, it has been priced extremely well too. And for those who worry about after sales, Ford has reduced its service call times as low as 48 hours. Wish there was some more shoulder room for passengers at the back. But as a product, the new 2015 Ford Figo repeats what its predecessor managed to achieve and that itself is quite commmendabl