Car of the Year: Ford Figo

Ford's big Indian comeback story this year was the much-anticipated and extremely well-marketed Figo hatch, and as it turned out - it has also made the biggest news right here at ZigWheels by winning the coveted Car of the Year accolade. The funky big hatch had some really stiff competition to face too - the Volkswagen Polo, Nissan Micra and Chevrolet Beat, all with their eyes on not only the segment trophy but also the overall award.

The Figo's elegant and palatable design struck the right chords with the jury, with its balanced proportions and butch curves.

But as the Figo had proved earlier in our comparison tests with both petrol and diesel engined premium hatchbacks, it surged ahead of the other hatches yet again and went on to fight the likes of the WagonR, Volkswagen Vento, BMW 5 Series, Skoda Yeti and the Tata Aria, emerging as the big winner in the end. It was not only the Figo's young design that appealed to the jury members, but also its superior cabin. A detailed drive through the earmarked test route also saw the judges evaluate the cars for performance and ride quality - the latter being an area where the Figo excels beyond comparison. And then there was also the aspect of build quality and if Ford doesn't build 'em like tanks, we don't know who does!

A dynamic ride combined with great steering feel makes the Figo a feel-good drive. The comfort however has not been compromised for this.

What also added to the Figo's appeal was the presence of competent diesel and petrol engine options. a great balance of ride quality and handling prowess thanks to the proven last-gen international Fiesta chassis only added to the complete package. The complete story however was made up by the cabin space, an elegant and palatable styling for most Indian tastes. The cherry on top for the Figo though remains a smart rehash of the platform and engines already available with Ford India which allowed the company to place the car at an unbeatable price point. Put together in this sort of a package at the said price, the Figo has become one of best value-for-money cars currently on sale in India.

The stylish cabin is once again a smart mish-mash of parts from Ford India's current inventory, which has helped to keep the price point competitive.

Performance on the road may have been one area that could have upset the small Ford's strong standing, but as far as being a city-car is concerned, it does its job with relative ease. Performance on the sales charts is a different matter altogether though, and that's where the Figo really shot ahead - with a strong marketing initiative, Ford has managed to back up a good product with excellent exposure to the masses and that has rewarded the Blue Oval with a big spurt of sells throughout the country in the initial months before settling down into a consistent figure. Testimony to that fact is the number of Figos you see plying our roads already.

That said, the Figo did make a whole lot of sense to the jury - especially considering its super-competitive price that shocked the world when it was announced. That doesn't mean Ford has cut any corners while making the Figo and if anyone still had any doubts about the car's value for money in the case of the 'should I buy it' question, it's now also got the ZigWheels vote, stamp and trophy for the 2010 Car of the Year!