Maruti Suzuki Ritz DDis vs Ford Figo : Comparison

Having bagged the 2010 Car of the Year and 2010 Premium Hatchback of the Year award, it’s only fair to establish right at the outset that we do infact have a softspot for the American ‘cool’ car, but on the same breath let’s not forget why Maruti continues to lead from the front, where automobile sales volumes in India are concerned, plain and simple TRUST.

But let’s take the two for a quick tech spec inspection and re-consider our judgement. The Figo is all said and done a great looking car with some of the best looking interiors in the hatchback space, but then again where the Ritz is concerned, the boot gets all the attention. And what begins with a raised eyebrow for most settles down with a gentle smile and acceptance.

Under the hood, the Figo’s 1399 cc four cylinder Diesel engine produces 69 PS of power and an adequate 160 Nm of torque. But even a lower displacement 1248 cc mill on the Ritz manages to overpower this with its award winning DDis engine churning out 75 PS of power and 190 Nm of torque.

Also on the check list for interested buyers is the fuel economy that is a paltry 13 km/ltr in the city and 17 km/ltr on the highway where the Figo is concerned. Outstanding is the word we use to declare the fuel economy on the MSIL Ritz that stands at a superb 20 km/ltr when driving in the city, and an even better return of 25 km/ltr when cruising down the highway in this car. 

FORD FIGO

On an open stretch, the two have similar credentials with both cars capable of the hitting the 150 km/hr mark with little trouble.  On our test run the Figo completed its 0-100 km/hr sprint in 18.33 seconds. 

Power Steering, front cupholders and great safety measures like ABS, EBD and dual airbags on the top most variant makes the Ford Figo (Ford Figo : First Drive) a value for money hatchback in India. However, though present on the Zxi petrol version of the Ritz, the absence of Dual Airbags on the diesel powered version of the quirkly stlyed hatchback is a disapointment considering all of its otherwise above average attributes.

So what is it that really sets the two apart? Compact dimensions and an enormous boot capable of taking 284 litres of luggage makes the Figo a very handy small car with great space accomodation credentials. To give you a better idea of the Figo’s superior boot space, you can compare it to the MSIL Ritz, which is by no means a tinier hatch compared to the Figo, however the rear luggage compartment is restricted to just 236 litres.

Prices of the 1.4 Diesel mill model of the Ford Figo range from 4.58 lakhs to 5.48 lakhs depending on the variant of your choice. The MSIL Ritz (Tech Features) on the other hand is priced between 4.84 and 5.39 lakhs with the highest price tag for a fully equipped ABS version.

Verdict:

Two multi-award winning cars in their respective year's of launch, both the MSIL Ritz and the Ford Figo bring a lot to the table for discerning Indian customers. If refined styling and phenomenal fuel efficiency are your top priorities then the MSIL Ritz is the one for you, but frankly speaking there aren’t too many hatches out there that can give you a better overall package than the Figo, and that too at a price that is far from burning a hole in your pocket.