The Ford Figo was first launched in India exactly a decade ago. Since then the car has seen a big generational change that was done in 2015. And now four years later the hatchback gets a mid-life facelift that apart from cosmetic changes also sees the introduction of a new engine and gearbox. The company has been quite busy in the last one year with the introduction of the Freestyle along with Aspire and Endeavour facelifts and the new Figo becomes the latest Ford in India to get a refresh. We were in Jodhpur on the invitation of the American car maker to sample the car.
Design
The big change on the new Figo when compared to the pre-facelift car is the new mesh grille, similar of the one we saw on the Aspire facelift. The grille gets a black treatment on the top variant and chrome on others. Speaking of top variant, Ford has introduced the Titanium Blu variant with the new Figo which gets black 15” alloy wheels, blue accents around the car and a dual tone roof. Chrome surrounds near the fog lamps also add a nice touch. The dual tone bumper and the spoiler complete an attractive looking rear.
Interiors
Inside the Titanium Blu variant gets an all-black treatment both on the seats and dash. The latter sees the usage of a new touch screen system along with a fresh layout of buttons. The system is responsive and comes with navigation while also providing rear camera feed. However, the Apple car play and Android Auto are missing from this system. The graphics on the instrument cluster too look dated and a refresh here would’ve certainly made a difference. The car also gets a start/stop button, automatic headlamps and rain sensing wipers which are welcome features. Boot space stands at a decent 257 litres.
Engine
The big change on the updated Figo is the introduction of the new 1.2 litre petrol engine from the dragon family. 95 PS of maximum power and 120 Nm of peak torque make it one of the most powerful and fun to drive car in the segment. The new 3 cylinder Dragon petrol engine makes you forget the earlier 4 cylinder engine in a hurry. And that is the case with the new manual gearbox as well. The 5-speed shift does a good job and as a driver you do enjoy the drive in the new Figo. However, if you want an Automatic option you’ll have to pick the 1.5 litre petrol engine variant. Here a 6-speed torque convertor has replaced the 6-speed DCT seen on the earlier car. The tried and tested 1.5 litre diesel engine continues to do its duty on the car. With 100 PS and 215 Nm at your disposal this engine remains as responsive as it ever was. Fuel efficiency is impressive with Ford promising over 20 kmpl on Petrol and more than 25 kmpl on the Diesel engine.
Ride & Handling
One of the highlights on the new Figo is impressive handling characteristics. The new 15-inch alloys do a lot of good to the car both in giving a comfortable as well as a planted ride. The electric power steering too is extremely responsive and provides good feedback. The auto variant also comes with ESP, traction control and hill launch assist that just means a more reassuring ride on the car. NVH levels are good too till you reach extremely high rpms.
Verdict
The updated Ford Figo has been launched starting at Rs 5.15 lakh (ex-showroom). That in itself is a significant drop from the previous model. And the price drop has been across the range. The top diesel priced at Rs 7.74 lakh (ex-showroom) while the Automatic variant is priced at Rs. 8.09 lakh (ex-showroom). That tells you Ford’s intent of providing you a car that is more value for money than earlier. A 5 year unlimited kilometer warranty just makes the Figo so much more appealing and with Ford promising a very affordable service cost of 1500 rupees for the first year, the package becomes even more attractive.
Shams Naqvi is an anchor/producer for the News X motor show Living Cars