Five years, one car, three lakh units popular. That’s the story of the Figo, which Ford first launched in 2010. But even best-sellers come with expiry dates and just when the Figo would have been left without charm, Ford launched a new Figo. Here’s what we think of it
Story: Aniruddha Mulgund
Photography: Aditya Dhiwar
The Figo and the Aspire share the same platform and the Figo is simply the Aspire minus the latter’s boot. The platform-sharing agenda extends to a common parts bin for both the cars. Given the fact that the Sanand plant is fully functional and the second shift is due for initiation, Ford have made sure they can address the prospective post-launch demand.
When viewed from the front, one can easily mistake the Figo for its elder sibling, the Aspire. The bumper houses the same chromed out, horizontally serrated, trapezoidal grille flanked by the pulled back headlamps which look far more proportionate on the hatch than on the sedan. The A-pillar melds seamlessly into the roof-line which is abruptly hacked off at the rear to make way for the wrap-around tail-lamps. A sharp crease running along the length of the car is contoured to meet at the tailgate and this lends an aggressive charm to the car. In profile, the bold lines and rakish shoulders lend the hatchback sufficient road presence. Overall design looks minimalistic and classy without the Figo trying too hard to impress. Better-looking rims wrapped in chunkier rubber would have been much appreciated, though.
On the inside, too, the Figo is reminiscent of the Aspire’s cabin, though the beige treatment in the sedan has been replaced with an all-black colour scheme in the hatchback. Step inside the cabin and Ford’s excellent build quality makes itself evident. The doors shut with a solid resounding thunk, the steering wheel feels nice to touch and the knobs and buttons on the centre console, too, lend a premium look. The Figo offers the best-in-class wheel-base of 4,791 millimetres and this translates into a substantially roomy foot-well in the front as well as the rear. Even with the front seats at their furthest position, the Figo accommodates second-row passengers comfortably. However, a third passenger in the middle will fit in with a pinch and the legroom is compromised due to the transmission tunnel. At the rear, the tailgate opens up to a storage space of 257 litres.
In terms of features, the Figo is loaded to the gills. The Titanium+ variant comes with 4.2-inch MFD screen which relays infotainment and voice-controlled SYNC information. The SYNC system allows one to make and receive calls by simply speaking the name of the contact. On the safety front, the driver airbag comes as standard equipment across all variants and the top-end Titanium+ employs a total of six airbags, including passenger and side curtain airbag.
