Introduction
The word ‘Figo’ means ‘cool’ in colloquial Italian. True to its name, the Figo has been the preferred choice of the cool and young, first-time car buyers since being first introduced as a brand by Ford India in 2009. Two years after its launch, the Figo was voted the Indian Car of The Year. And now, a decade since its launch and with over 320,000 units sold till date, the Figo is among the most selling Ford products out of the one million customers in India.
Earlier this month, the American auto giant has announced the launch of the 2019 edition of the Figo in India with ex-showroom prices starting from Rs 515,000. Redesigned with more than 1,200 new parts, the 2019 Ford Figo features a more stylish exterior and interior, an array of safety technologies and a new engine which promises more power and fun-of-driving.
The New Figo will be available in a simplified line-up of three variants across two fuel options and seven colour schemes. This includes a top-of-the-line Figo Blu with sporty cellular grille, new 15-inch alloys, dual tone roof, stylish blue themed interiors and a segment-first six airbags.
Befitting to its name, we went to the Blue City of India – Jodhpur to get up close and personal with the Ford Figo Blu. Read on to discover how it fared.
Design and Engineering
The new Figo sports a redesigned front fascia compared to its predecessor and feature a three-dimensional cellular grille which makes the car stand apart from competition and increase its style statement.
The fog lamps in the new Figo are aesthetically integrated into the front bumper and will come with a chrome and Blue touch, depending on the trim. Headlamps with a black encasing in the new Figo will deliver a sporty yet premium look while the side and rear decals in the Blu trim accentuate its visual appeal.
The top-of-the-line Ford Figo Blu will feature premium alloys and bigger 15-inch tyres to deliver confident inspiring and planted drive dynamics. This trim will also offer customers rain sensing wipers, automatic headlamps and electrochromic inside rear view mirror (IRVM).
NVH levels are well contained with minimum noise filtering inside the passenger cabin ensuring a quiet drive. Manufactured at Ford’s manufacturing facility in Sanand, Gujarat, the new Figo will be available in seven colours, including White Gold, Moondust Silver, Smoke Grey, Absolute Black Deep Impact Blue, Ruby Red and Oxford White.
Interior and Comfort
Step inside the new Ford Figo and you will be greeted with the familiar charcoal black interiors which looks pretty smart. The seats are well bolstered and provide good lumber support making your journey comfortable. There is adequate leg and shoulder room both in the front and rear. The materials used inside the cabin feel decently nice to touch and most importantly looks built-to-last.
The cabin also comes with a host of convenience features including a reverse parking camera, automatic climate control system, two USB slots, push-button start/stop, rain-sensing wipers and a myriad of stowage spaces (20 of them) to tuck away your daily essentials while driving to work. An ample boot ensures that there is always space for your bags during your shopping spree or a weekend getaway. The big addition in the interior, however, is the 7-inch homegrown infotainment system with touchscreen and built-in navigation.
Performance and Handling
New Figo is powered by Ford’s all-new, three-cylinder 1.2-litre TiVCT petrol engine that is small, light and fuel efficient. The naturally aspirated engine generates 96 PS of peak power and 120 Nm of torque while delivering an ARAI-ratified fuel efficiency of 20.4 kmpl. The engine is surprisingly zippy making it fun to drive. There is adequate power delivery on throttle input and accelerates well when you need to overtake or simply pull away from the traffic, making it an ideal city car.
For the diesel lovers, new Ford Figo comes with the tried and tested 1.5-litre TDCi engine delivering 100 PS peak power, 215 Nm of torque and fuel economy of 25.5 kmpl. The diesel engine is both powerful and responsive. On the move the engine exhibits very little turbo lag and the power delivery is linear making it a joy to drive. Even at low speeds and in high gear the engine doesn’t knock or stalls and pulls well from low revs. The drivability of the 2019 Ford Figo diesel feels light years ahead when compared to its staunch rivals – the new Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Hyundai Grand i10 – especially in city traffic.
Both engines are paired with an all-new, five-speed manual transmission that’s sportier and more efficient. The transmission is precise making it a pleasure to operate. Ford claims that this new manual transmission is almost 15 per cent lighter and helps improve fuel economy while reducing NVH. It requires 40 per cent lesser gear oil than its predecessor. Drivers will experience slicker, more responsive gear shifts when they get behind the wheel of the New Ford Figo.
Offering greater choice to prospective buyers, Ford is also introducing its latest six-speed Automatic Transmission on the New Figo. Paired to the three-cylinder, 1.5-litre petrol engine, the Figo Automatic delivers a peak power of 123 PS and fuel economy of 16.3 kmpl.
The suspension set up is well tuned to handle Indian road conditions with the New Ford Figo sailing over broken patches and uneven stretches will surprising ease resulting in a plush ride quality. Even at high speeds the Figo remains well planted inspiring confidence. The steering feedback is praiseworthy as well.
Safety
New Ford Figo will continue Ford’s leadership on safety, offering standard dual airbags across the variant line-up. For those looking for greater safety, it will offer up to six airbags on top Blu edition.
Going beyond airbags, the 2019 Figo will enhance occupant safety with Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), thus helping drivers with better grip and a smooth drive. The New Figo will also enable its owners to navigate through quick turns with the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) in the automatic variant.
Verdict
Ford India has earned itself an enviable reputation of hitting the nail on the head each and every time in the past few years. Their product portfolio is fresh, well-engineered, brilliantly packaged and offers great value for your hard earned money. The New Ford Figo ticks all these boxes making it a great choice, especially for first time car buyers.
It looks very contemporary and stylish and is sure to win admirers. Fit and finish looks built-to-last. The interior is adequately spacious for a hatchback and aesthetically done up. The Figo diesel is both powerful and responsive resulting in a pleasurable drive. The petrol proves to be surprisingly zippy on highways, offering a smooth drive and holds its own very well on busy city roads too.
Safety is one aspect that Ford has been laying a lot of emphasis on and the 2019 Figo comes equipped with a host of features that assures to keep you safe in the unfortunate incident of an eventuality. Additionally, ensuring complete peace-of-mind, the New Ford Figo is the only hatchback in India to come with a first-in-class five-year or 100,000 kilometre warranty, which includes 2-year factory warranty and 3-year extended warranty.
Ford also claims that the new Figo will continue to offer lowest scheduled service and maintenance costs in its segment – with the cost of paid service in the first year likely to be around Rs 1,300 and only Rs 3,500 in the fifth year of its product life. What is even more assuring is that you need to service your Figo only once a year.
The cherry on the cake is, that despite offering more features and innovations, the New Figo is almost Rs 60,000 cheaper than the outgoing model. So you pay less for more. What the team at Ford India has been able to achieve with the New Ford Figo is taking a good product and making it ever better. Kudos!
Variant-wise pan India ex-showroom price comparison with outgoing model:
Ford Figo (Petrol 1.2L TiVCT)
| Manual Transmission | New Price (INR) | Old Price (INR) |
| New Ford Figo Ambiente | 515,000 | 582,600 |
| New Ford Figo Titanium | 639,000 | 658,300 |
| New Ford Figo – Blu | 694,000 | NA |
| Automatic Transmission (Petrol 1.5L TiVCT) | ||
| New Ford Figo Titanium | 809,000 | 846,100 |
Ford Figo (Diesel 1.5L TDCi)
| Manual Transmission | New Price (INR) | Old Price (INR) |
| New Ford Figo Ambiente | 595,000 | 668,700 |
| New Ford Figo Titanium | 719,000 | 744,400 |
| New Ford Figo – Blu | 774,000 | NA |
Power Drive 