New Ford Figo: First Drive

A drive around a Mumbai is always a special one thanks to the never sleeping cities eclectic and cosmopolitan nature and not to mention a host of amazing sights and when you have a convoy of Ford Figo’s stirring up the night, it gets even more special. Now the Figo has always been a special car since its inception in 2010 in more ways than one. For one it was our Car of the Year back in 2010 and not without a reason. With more than 2.35 lakh Figo’s on the road it has gained global acceptance and how. The new Figo then, while aiming to keep all its award winning virtues intact has just made what was good even better.       

Figo gets a fresher face and then some…

Two years is a long time and in the wake of some very stiff competition, the Figo needed a facelift pronto. At first glance it is very difficult to absorb the changes. With Ford calling it the enhanced Kinetic Design, the new Figo now features a new look front fascia with a hexagonal grille and redesigned headlamps. And its not just the looks, the headlamps now have a larger reflective surface which has improved visibility.

The fog lights also get bezels in them making them more effective against the dark. Moving on to the side you will notices the 14 inch alloy wheels which add a lot more character to the car. The tail lamps haven’t been left out and get minor updates as well. There are two new colours as well, Bright Yellow and Kinetic Blue, the former as you see in our picture which looks especially good. While the changes are not as substantial, the minor exterior changes have definitely added a year or two to the car before the all new Figo arrives.

Fresher insides too!

For starters, sitting inside the cabin is a much quieter affair now thanks to the Double bulb weather strips on the doors. All new fabrics which feature colour blocking technique which is basically combining different fabrics and seams to create unique one-of-a-kind garments. All said and done the new fabrics do make the interiors a much livelier place to be in. While the dashboard is pretty much the same, a welcome addition is the steering mounted controls which like in the Fiesta are located oddly behind the steering wheel.

The Figo was already a spacious car and now Ford have worked towards getting it more comfortable and as a result the front seats get all new headrests and improved lumbar support. Even though the drive wasn’t a long one, I loved the seating posture in the Figo which not cocoons you well but also gives a nice high perched view of the road which makes it a lot easier for new drivers as well.

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The Drive

A midnight drive meant, the empty streets of Mumbai could be utilized well behind the wheels of the new Figo. Getting in the petrol first, the engine feels just as refined. According to Ford, the engine calibrations have been worked on for both the engines to increase initial pick up, however, the petrol still feels a little sluggish and one really has to crack the whip to extract good performance. The diesel on the other hand feels way better. Torque on demand means very good drivability while initial acceleration is also very good. Good performance coupled with very good efficiency means the diesel is the easy choice between the two.

The roads around Mumbai weren’t so bad but then that’s not something to be worried about in the Figo anyways. Ford definitely has one of the best ride and handling packages amongst the hatchback group and throwing the little car around was an absolute joy. While it runs out of breath on the highways pretty quickly, as a city car its just plain brilliant this diesel.

A good buy then?

With prices starting at Rs. 3.85 lakh for the base petrol going upto Rs. 6.00 Lakh for the top end Titanium diesel, the Ford Figo now is even more value for money offering even more bang for your buck. Yes we still wish for more horses under that hood considering how well the car handles but apart from that, the Figo comes across as one of the best city slickers around. If it’s a practical family hatch that you are after, the ‘new’ Figo is a mighty strong contender!