Ford Figo Titanium Blu 1.5-litre Diesel
Having spent some time with the petrol, we hopped into the diesel version to get a taste of things. And I’m left impressed right from the word go. The 1.5-litre TDCi churns out 100 PS and 215 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful car in its segment. The diesel is also extremely refined with low NVH and delivers seamless power without any sudden surge caused by the turbo. The torque flows in gently right from low revs and the strong tide continues till just under 4,000 rpm. This ensures that the new five-speed manual doesn’t need to be worked upon too much. The ‘box, just like in the petrol variant, has a positive feel and shifts without fuss. This is the car that enjoys being on the highway and makes intercity travel exciting and makes the phenomenon something to look forward to.
Ride and Handling
The other thing to look forward to is the fine balance that Ford Figo manages to attain between ride quality and handling. The ride quality at slower speed is soft and comforting, something the occupants will appreciate. There is a shade of body roll, but not as much to raise any cause of concern. During fast pace driving, it remains firmly planted on smooth tarmac and remains composed even over bad patches of roads. The steering is communicative, provides good feedback and there’s this positive eagerness while negotiating a series of turns. The brakes too compliment the sporty character with their strong bite and progressive feel on the pedal.
Price and Verdict
All these changes, small and major, have given the Ford Figo the much-needed desirability which the outgoing model lacked. They’ve fixed the biggest chink in the armour by bringing in a peppy new petrol engine, which apart from being more spirited is more efficient as well. It still is among the better cars to drive in the segment with a top-class ride and handling character. The styling has gone up a notch, and so has the cabin design and features list. In spite of being better equipped, it still misses out on things like Smartphone connectivity which nowadays is a must. Ford hopes to draw in more crowd with its rather aggressive pricing that undercuts competition – beginning at Rs 5.15 lakh for the base-petrol, the Titanium Blu petrol priced at Rs 6.94 lakh and the diesel Titanium Blu demanding Rs 7.74 lakh (all ex-showroom). And the final ace to win the deck is the segment-best five-years warranty.
