Ford Figo 2015-2019

The Figo enters it’s second generation, taking over the reins from what was Ford’s most successful hatch in the country The 2015 iteration is more powerful, safer and looks as modern as it should. Let’s take a quick look at what the little Ford has to offer.

The older Figo was termed ‘boring’ by the majority, purely because of the way it was styled. This one however, isn’t boring in any sense of the word. The front gets large swept-back headlamps and a gaping grille that might remind you of certain Aston Martins. The foglamps are tucked away on the lower half of the bumper, but they look a size smaller than what would have suited the Ford.

The side sees a distinct shoulder line running across the length of the car and a large window area. The window line swoops up as it passes the rear door and ends into a rather thick C-pillar. The turn indicators are placed neatly on the wing mirrors, which is a neat touch. The only aspect that let’s the design of the Figo down, have to be the puny 14 inch alloys. The hatch could’ve definitely done with a bigger and better set of wheels. 

The large bumper takes up most of the real-estate at the rear. It is minimalistic to say the least. The reverse lamps, rear fog lights are integrated into the tail-light assembly itself which ends up freeing a lot of space on the rear end. It could’ve done with a pair of reflectors on the bumper to break up the bulk.

Dimension wise, the Ford is the largest car in its class. It also gets the largest wheelbase. Surprisingly, the ground clearance is better than the ‘micro SUV’ aka KUV1OO.

Exterior Comparison

The Figo won’t be winning any design awards. At the same time, it wouldn’t draw polarising opinions either. It is available in seven different colors and has the right mix of straights & curves. We can say that Ford has definitely played its design cards safe.

Boot Space Comparison

Amongst the first things you notice is how the low the car is. Elderly folks will most definitely have a problem getting used to the low slung seating. The interior is a very familiar place to be, especially if you’ve been in a Ford recently. 

The Figo ditches the black and beige theme that the Aspire carries for a cleaner all black layout. There’s a splatter of silver on the centre console and some chrome around the AC vents to break the monotony of black. The seats are upholstered in good quality fabric. Although we would have loved to see leather interiors from the Aspire, the Figo does just enough to justify its price. 

The front seats are a nice place to be - they are really supportive. That said, a little more cushioning wouldn’t have hurt. The driver’s seat gets adjust for height as well as reach, whereas the steering can be adjusted only for the tilt. Inspite of the lack of reach adjust on the steering wheel, getting into a comfortable driving position isn’t too much of a task. 

The rear bench is flat, and could certainly do with a little more cushioning as well. The seats will accommodate  2 people at best, the 3rd passenger will be a bit of a squeeze for the Ford. Lastly, unlike the Grand i10, the Ford misses out on rear ac vents and a central armrest, but it isn’t a major deal-breaker. 

The top-spec Titanium+ variant of the Figo comes all that you could ask for in a hatch from this segment. It gets automatic climate control, which is an absolute boon in the sweltering heat that our country is known for. It also gets a button that is marked MAX A/C that chills the cabin down very quickly. Talking of entertainment, the Figo gets an integrated music system with bluetooth, AUX and USB connectivity as well. It also gets Ford’s SYNC system that lets you use voice commands to place a call or play music. 

The steering, is borrowed from the Ecosport and houses buttons for the telephony and the calls. It has a grainy texture which lets the driver have a firm grip. However, the steering is a bit too light by Ford standards - more on that later. 

If you opt for the Titanium variant; you will miss out on the screen for the system and Ford’s SYNC system. In place, you get a dock for your phone instead. The arrangement, dubbed MyDock is a super-convenient place to dock the phone while playing music or using navigation on the device. 

The Figo offers all that you need in a hatch from this segment. It has enough space for seating four, a lot of cubby holes around the cabin for the knick knacks and gets a fairly large 257 litre boot for the luggage. The only flaw has to be the build quality, which isn’t as plush as the Grand i10 or even the Bolt for that matter. Overlook that, and the Figo is amongst the most cleverly packaged hatchbacks in the market today.

On the safety front, the Figo is the only hatch to get six - airbags in the top-spec Titanium+ Variant. Dual airbags are standard across the range. It also gets ABS with EBD; and with the Automatic the Ford is equipped with Hill Launch Assist and ESP as well. 

Safety Comparison

The Ford Figo is available with a choice of two petrol engines and one diesel. While the large petrol engine is available only with a 6-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox, the other two engines come mated to a five speed manual gearbox.

%performanceComparision-Petrol%

1.2 litre Ti-VCT

The 1.2 litre petrol engine, is best suited for the city. Out on the highways it definitely lacks punch. The motor needs to be revved really hard since the meat of the power is at the top of the rev range. Another peculiar thing we noticed was how audible the engine was at high revs. When driven sedately, it does return decent fuel economy. It is nothing more than a commuter class engine, that does it’s duty well. The benchmark petrol engine in the segment, continues to be the 1.2 litre K-Series motor harbored in the Swift’s engine bay. 

1.5 litre Ti-VCT

This engine is available only with the 6 - speed dual clutch automatic transmission, in the Titanium trim. While it might make the Figo look like a hot hatch on paper, the 1.5 Ti-VCT fails to deliver on counts of performance. There just isn’t enough torque for the gearbox to exploit and deliver. Where the engine and gearbox combo do score however, is in terms of sheer convenience. When driven with a light foot, the automatic keeps the wallet happy too. The engine and gearbox combo is definitely miles better than the only other petrol automatic in the segment - the Hyundai Grand i10.

Performance Comparison (Diesel)

1.5 litre TDCi

The diesel engine is the one to pick if you enjoy driving. The 100PS power figure, coupled with the light body and compact proportions make it quite the pocket rocket. Low end torque is impressive and the engine pulls cleanly as the revvs climb. Issues with this engine remain the NVH levels inside the cabin, but that is a something that can be overlooked due to the immense potential the engine possesses. The diesel Figo is amongst the rare cars that can be fun and frugal at the same time

Ride and Handling

The suspension is noticeably softer than the Swift. The suspension is tuned for comfort which lets the Ford soak in the bumps easily. That said, the rear passengers get thrown about quite a bit over broken roads. The electronic power steering is almost too light by Ford standards. Compared to the old gen Figo’s hydraulic unit - this one fails to deliver in terms of feel and feedback. While it is an absolute boon in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but can be slightly unnerving whilst doing triple digit speeds on the highway. Throw the Figo into a fast corner and it doesn’t upset. However, we would recommend getting some fat rubber before doing so. The stock tyre profile does not do much in terms of grip. 

Braking duties are handled by disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. The Figo holds it’s line under harsh braking. Also, pedal feedback is very good. We didn’t have any issues with the brakes even after multiple rounds of testing. 

The Figo is offered in a total of 5 variants. The base variant is a no-frills hatch which has essentials such as air-conditioning covered. The Ambiente version gets Dual Airbags as standard. It also gets a passenger side mirror, front power windows and silver detailing on the grille. If you are on an absolute budget, pick the Ambiente since it has a basic safety net in place. 

The trend variant gets some convenience features like remote unlock and a four-speaker audio system with steering mounted controls. It also gets indicators on the wing-mirrors and all four power windows. The Titanium spec sees the Figo get front foglamps, rear defogger and climate control. Most importantly, it gets ABS with EBD. The top-spec Titanium+ variant is full loaded, getting goodies such as a side and curtain airbags, a 4.2 inch screen for the music system and voice command as well.

The Ford Figo makes for a nice city commuter. In different guises, it offers convenience, frugality and is fun to drive too. There are certain inconsistencies in quality both on the inside and out; but it isn’t a deal breaker in any manner whatsoever. The Figo is a well - rounded hatch for the city.

The petrol engines are refined and will lap up the city commutes with ease. If ‘Fun To Drive’ is a must-have on your checklist for the next car, the diesel is the one for you. Overall, the Figo comes across as a really competitive alternative to the Grand i10, Bolt and the Swift.