Ever since its launch in India, the Ford Figo struck all the right chords for the American manufacturer. It was an instant sales success, it transformed Ford’s fortunes in India from being a fringe player to a mass-market brand, boasted mature ride, handling and composure that was a rarity in the small car segment and was spacious than some sedans we know. Half a decade later, Ford is trying to replicate all that with the launch of the all-new Figo hatchback.
Sharing its styling, platform and underpinnings with the recently-launched Figo Aspire compact sedan, it is immediately clear that the new Figo is nothing but the Aspire with its boot chopped off. That’s not a bad thing at all, given that the Figo Aspire comes with pleasing styling and appreciable proportions for a compact sedan.
As with most new Fords, the most striking design element sits up front in the form of the Aston Martin-inspired hexagonal grille with subtle chrome highlights. This, combined with the sculpted hood with power bulges and peeled-back headlights, adds a lot of character to the new Figo. The silhouette is equally sporty, thanks to the flared wheel arches and the prominent character line that runs the length of the car cutting across the door handles. The rear is a bit underwhelming compared to the rest of the car but the nicely-shaped taillights and two parallel lines cutting across the boot-lid ups the ante. The new Figo is worlds apart from the dated and boxy styling of the car it replaces but still can’t hold a candle to stylish premium hatchbacks like the Hyundai i20 and Honda Jazz.
Inside, it’s the same Aspire story all over again. We guess the Ecosport’s interior layout and design had received an overwhelmingly positive feedback as Ford has adopted it for all its subsequent launches. The dashboard and center console are lifted straight off the Aspire sedan with a major difference being the absence of beige in the Figo. The glossy black garnishing in the Aspire seems to have been given a miss too, with the hatchback getting light grey inserts instead. Just like the Aspire, Ford has loaded the Figo with a long list of equipment with the top Titanium+ variant featuring segment-redefining six airbags along with notable inclusions like automatic climate control, keyless entry and a 4.2-inch infotainment system with SYNC, voice control and AppLink, Ford MyKey and Emergency Assistance.
If the exteriors and interiors haven’t interested you yet, this surely will. Powering the new Figo would be the same engine and transmission options from the Figo Aspire. The 1.5-liter TDCi diesel engine churns out 99 horsepower at 3750 rpm and 215 Nm of torque between 1750 to 3000 rpm, figures that are amongst the best in the hatchback segment. Two petrol options are available - a 1.2-liter TiVCT engine generating 87 horsepower and 112 Nm of torque mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and a 1.5-liter TiVCT unit with 110 horsepower and 136 Nm of torque paired to an advanced 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). While the 1.2-liter petrol is nothing to write home about, Ford has nailed it with the diesel and petrol automatic options that should see good acceptance in the market.
Prices for the 1.2-liter petrol variants start from INR 4.29 Lakhs for the Base and go up to INR 6.40 Lakhs for the Titanium+ variant. The 1.5-liter automatic is available only in Titanium trim and retails for INR 6.91 Lakhs. The diesel options are priced between INR 5.29 Lakhs for the Base variant that extends up to INR 7.40 Lakhs for the top-end Titanium+ variant. All prices are introductory and ex-showroom Delhi.
With the Ecosport continuing unthreatened by the Creta and S-Cross, the Figo Aspire compact sedan comfortably doubled Ford’s sales tally last month. Will the Figo hatchback make it a triple for the American brand and hit jackpot? It certainly has the potential to do so. Let’s wait and watch.
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