test drive & re

8/9/2019 Test Drive & Re..

1/35

SEARCH TEAM-BHP

Team-BHP > Indian Cars > Team-BHP Reviews > Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports

Ford Figo : Test Drive & Review

User Name Remember Me?

Password

Register BHP Garage Classifieds Team-BHP FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts Search

Test-Drives & Initial Ow nership Reports First hand enthusiast reviews of test-driving and owning (initial stages) an Indian car

Page 1 of 68 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 51 > Last

L inkBack Thread Too ls

25th January

2010, 08:25#1 (permalink)

GTOTeam-BHPSupport

Join Date: Feb2004Location:BombayPosts: 20,888

View My Garage

Ford Figo : Test Drive & Review

What you'll like:

Robust build and con struction Interiors more comfortable than chief competitors i10 & Swift

1.4 Diesel's proven driveability and fuel efficiency. No turbolag

Mature big-car-like ride quality

Ford's DNA in the on-road behaviour and quick steering

Class-topping 284 liter boot space

What you won't:

Lacks the modernity of recently launched hatchbacks Either engine is lacking in outright performance. Neither engine can exploit the car's dynamics

No true top-end variant (tilt adjustable steering, rear power windows, MID etc.)

Average backseat legroom. Not in the league of, say, an Indica Vista

Ford's sub-par dealership experience

NOTE: Click any picture to open a larger higher-resolution version in a new window.

HOME ABOUT US FORUM TEST DRIVES ADVICE MORE

Figo : Test Drive & Review - Team-BHP http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-r

5 3/18/2010


2/35

__________________

GTO

Work backward from your imagination, not forward from the past!

Please don't PM for support. Use the Contact Form instead.Please read the *NEW* Team-BHP FAQ section for all your queries.

25th January

2010, 08:26#2 (permalink

GTOTeam-BHPSupport

Join Date: Feb

2004Location:BombayPosts: 20,888

View My Garage


5 3/18/2010


3/35

70% of the Indian automobile market consists ofthe small car. The question isnt : Why small car? The rea l question

is : What took you so long, Ford? Consider the case of the only two American car manufacturers in India, both ofwhom entered our market around 1996 - 1997. Ford primarily u ses its European products (either as is, or as a base

platform) for the Indian market. GM only turned around their Indian operations after tapping into its Korean expertise

(thanks to Daewoo buyouts). Fords average market share for the year 2009 was a mere 1.6% (total 29,452 cars sold

last year). The Generals average market share for 09 was 3.8% (peaking at 5.5% in December) for a total of 68,808cars sold. The primary difference : GM has a presence in the small car segment which Ford didnt. Thats all about to

change with the Figo.

As the only American car manufacturer to post self sustainability (GM & Chrysler both declared bankruptcy and took

help from Uncle Sam) in 2009, Ford is expanding its reach in one of the few markets to register healthy growthnumbers - India. The Figo is so important to Ford India that Ford President & CEO Alan Mulally himsel f unveiled the

car in Delhi (Link to Figo unveil ing thread (Report and First Pics: The Ford Figo is HERE !! More in fo - Pg19)). From the

branding perspective, and Im not sure if they realize this, Ford has a distinct advantage. See, it's easier to move from

a more expensive market segment to a lower one, than vice versa (just ask Maruti or Hyundai). Ford has typicallybeen associated with 6 8 lakh rupee sedans in India. Throw in a 20 lakh SUV too. Now, they are launching a 4.5 lakh

rupee B segment hatchback. Ford could very well use this as a competitive advantage.

Its obvious that the Figo has been benchmarked against the i10 and the Swift. After all, the Swift & i10 are theundisputed kings (sales & popularity) of the B+ hatchback segment. Size wise, the length of the Figo is 35mm more

than the Swift, the width of both cars nearly identical (only a 10 mm differential), yet the Figos wheelbase is nearly

100 mm more than that of the Swift. That shows why the backseat is better than the Swift / i10. In fact, the Figos

wheelbase is even longer than the Indica Vista's.


5 3/18/2010


4/35

Compared to a futuristic hatch like the recently launched Beat, that wears all types of cuts and curves (some

unnecessary), the Figo is a clean well-proportioned design. No quirkiness. However, without doubt, many will find theFigo bland and lacking in contemporariness. Its after all based on the Mark V Fiesta platform, but more on that later.When viewed in person, its clear that the Figo wears understated clothes. It will please all and excite none, there is no

wow factor and this small Ford comes across as a rather neutral design. Its a trait that the Figo shares with the Indian

Fiesta sedan too. On a positive note, the Figo looks planted, well-proportioned and carries the Ford family look. Its a

design that suits my palette. The curvy large headlamps get your attention at first; the front is overall a nice design.Look at the side profile and youll notice how the roof tapers steeply at the rear. I like how the wheel arches are

integrated onto the design, they do bring some muscle to the stance. The Figo is noticeably lower than the

competition. Leave aside the tall boys, the Figo sits a full 103 mm lower than the Swift! The low waist line (side

window sills) seems straight ou t of the nineties. The rear end looks like a mini-Fus ion, but of course, with a shorter

stance. The untrained eye will in all probabili ty dismiss the car off as a Fusion. Fusion resemblance aside, its a prettytight looking hatch from the rear three quarter. However, I do think that xmas tree rear lights have gone out of style.

The build quality is solid and panel gaps consistent. There is an absolute lack of the flimsiness that we see in some of

its competitors.


5 3/18/2010


5/35

The Figo shares its platform with the Mark V European Fiesta (codenamed B256 for the 5 door variant from 2003). Youonly have to compare their profile pictures side-by-side to gauge the level of similarity. The Indian Fiesta as well as

the Fusion are based on the Mark V platform. Even the wheelbase of all three cars is a near identical 2486 mm (Figo =

2489). A team of Indian & Australian engineers have thorough ly reskinned the car. Whats new are the body panels,

doors, interiors , seats and dashboard etc. Reason? Cost, cost and only cost. The small car market in India is extremelyprice-sensitive. A competitive price can make a car, as much as an inflated price can break it (e.g. Honda Jazz). As

with most other recent small car launches, the Figo has a sub-4000 mm length and a 1.2 L petrol / 1.4 L diesel to avai

of excise benefits. Without meaning to sound clichd, again, pricing is everyth ing to this car.

My prediction is that the Figo will be priced straight in the "hot" segment. That is, bang in the middle of the Swift / i10

territory. The top-end variant that we drove was not kitted with rear power windows, tilt-adjustable steering, alloy

wheels or climate control. Then, there's the cost savings from using the Mark V platform and parts shar ing with the

Fiesta (including the engine). I'm willing to bet that the price will be extremely competitive. What the top variant did

have was an ABS + EBD braking system, front airbags, front power windows, driver's seat height adjustment, 4speaker MP3 / AUX / Bluetooth sound system, electric mirrors, keyless entry and rear wash & wipe.

EDIT in March 2010 : As I predicted, Ford did eventually launch the Figo at an u ltra-competitive price. Link to Figo

Pricing Thread (SCOOP : Ford Figo's pricing *leaked*. EDIT : Officially announced (Page 18 onward).)

Notice the low stance, low-set front window sill and tapering roof (toward the rear). Large windows lead to airy

interiors:

Fusion anyone?


5 3/18/2010


6/35

Neat headlamp design. Subtle smoke effect:


5 3/18/2010


7/35

175/65/R14 tyres on all variants (including base). No alloys on top-end. Fiesta wheelcaps:

I'm not a fan of the christmas tree light arrangement. They've gone out of style too:

Sweet wheel arches brin ging muscle to the side profile:


5 3/18/2010


8/35

Size relativity with the Ford Fiesta:


5 3/18/2010


9/35

While the front is curvy, the rest of the car wears sharp lines.


5 3/18/2010


10/35

__________________GTO


Please don't PM for support. Use the Contact Form instead.

Please read the *NEW* Team-BHP FAQ section for all your queries.

Last edited by GTO : 12th March 2010 at 16 :03 .

25th January

2010, 08:26#3 (permalink)

GTOTeam-BHPSupport


View My Garage


35 3/18/2010


11/35

You dont step into the Figos interiors as you do with some of its taller competitors. Rather, you sit down (refer to

my comment on the car's height in the previous post) inside. You'll see a lot of the Fiesta on the design front. Theoverall look is functional and, just like the exterior, rather straight forward. The optional clay red colour (top half of

the dashboard) is not to my taste at all. In fact, Id go a step further and say its possibly one of the worst colours that

could have been chosen for the Figo's dash. Thankfully, potential owners can opt for a full black dashboard instead.

The rest of the interiors are predominantly black in colour with touches of silver. Im just glad Ford didnt give greyinteriors, though I miss beige as an available option. While on colour, I particular ly liked the seat fabric of the top-end

variant. Extremely classy choice and seems hard wearing. The red baseball stitching is a nice touch too. Plastics onthe inside are Fiesta grade which is not a bad thing at the expected price point of the Figo. Several parts are a

straight lift from the Fiesta bin. While all parts are hard to the touch, they seem fairly durable with a focus on

functionality. Fit and finish are good on the inside and panel gaps fairly consistent. It doesnt feel too cheap and isages ahead of what say, an Indica Vista or Punto offer. The internal rubber door beading is of decent quality, and is

also fitted well. The parcel tray cover feels nice. These small things are sometimes an indication of just how much

skimping has gone into the car.

Space at the front is decent and the seats have a super long travel range. The front passenger, in particular, has

outstanding knee and leg room. Im 510 and could completely stretch my legs. Just like the Ikon, the glovebox i s

positioned further into the dash, releasing a substantial amount of knee room. Door armrests are perfectly positioned

and are wide enough, all the better to rest your arms on. The low window sill helps in giving front occupants a superside view and makes the Figos interiors feel really airy. The glass area, especially at the front, is generous. The

driving position is spot-on while the driver's seat height adjustment makes things better for the shorter amongst us.

The low-set dashboard gives you a clean view of the road ahead (in a way, reminds me of the Ol Honda City). The

steering is perfectly positioned and the three-spoke unit is nice to hold. The Fiesta-sourced steering also has contours

to park your thumbs. Sorry, no leather cover here. The extended horn pad means you dont need to stretch yourthumb too much to honk. Its a size larger than youd expect in a small hatch though. On the flip side, the top variant

Figo is not equipped with steering tilt adjustment, a clear cost cutting move. Further, I simply cannot understand why

Ford is unable to give us control stalks in a right-hand-drive orientation. The indicators & headlamp flasher are on the

left, while the wiper stalk is on the right. Headlamp controls are European style with a rotary switch on the RHS ofthe dashboard.

Space at the rear can best be termed as adequate. Not what you'd call spacious, nor cramped, just okay. Things are

better than in a Swift or an i10 , but nowhere in the league of the Indica Vista. With a 510 driver behind the wheel, Icould still sit on the rear seat, only just about. Shoulder room at the front and back is good. The car is wider, hence

you dont elbow the fron t passenger when shifting gears (as in some other hatches). I had my concerns over the

sloping roof eating away into rear headroom. Turned out to be a non-issue; I had about 2 .xx inches of space between

my head and the roof. Glass area at the back is better than in the claustrophobic Swift (and Beat). And, just as at thefront, the arm rests are perfectly positioned. Good thing that the backrest is not too upright either; the seatback has

just the right angle.


35 3/18/2010


12/35

The front seat's lateral support is excellent (bolstering holds you in place), upper back satisfactory, the lower back is

poor. It needs some more padding around that area (currently too flat). In fact, the Figo's rear bench offers better

lower back support than at the front; the rear seat supports the entire spine. The rear seat is short though, the

non-adjustable headrests only running up until my shoulders. Theres a decent number of storage spots. A cubiclebehind the handbrake, another spot right below the handbrake, th ree dedicated spots near the gearlever and all 4

door armrests have a cubicle each. Even the door pockets have inbuilt partitions. The glove box is medium sized. The

depth is good and width par for the segment. However, there is only one seat back pocket offered. The boot is

amongst the biggest from the B segment at 284 liters! Thats substantia lly larger than the Swift (232 liters), i10 (225liters) and even the Indica Vista (236 liters). Fu rther, the rear seat can enti rely fold away for when you want to move

home. No, it does not split into a 50:50.

I must make a special mention of the air-conditioner. Its an absolute CHILLER! The day was fairly hot, but within 5

minutes, the interiors were comfortable. I jumped onto the backseat and after about 20 minutes of driving, thingswere getting pretty cold at the back. Note that the blower speed was on position 2 at this time.

Picture of an all-black dashboard (Thanks to Crazy Driver for the PS job on this pic). Looks so much classier than the

optional red-top:

Nice steering wheel. A tad larger than youd expect in a hatch, yet good to hold. I think the Ford Ikons small meaty

steering would have been a perfect match here:


35 3/18/2010


13/35

Strange is the placement of the fuel gauge. Its where youd expect the odometer to be (and vice versa). A change for

the sake of change perhaps? Only one tripmeter and a distance to empty indicator. Instrument console feels built -to-cost. No redline marking:

4 speaker sound system is, well, just like any other OEM sound system. The mid-range and treble are alright, albeitbass is flat. MP3 & AUX ready, no USB (can be added as an accessory). Bluetooth + cell phone compatibility are

standard on the top end varian t:


35 3/18/2010


14/35

The positioning of the ORVM control works well. As does that of the electric boot release button. ORVM control feels

rich to use:


35 3/18/2010


15/35

Rotary headlamp on/off switch is typical of European cars:

Lateral support excellent, upper back good and lower back poor. Classy choice of seat fabric:

Driver's seat has height adjustment:


35 3/18/2010


16/35

Rear legroom better than Swift, comparable to Punto:

Rear windows roll down to only about the 60% level:


35 3/18/2010


17/35

Lock / unlock is standard Ford fare. Push the door lever in to lock, and pul l to unlock. Notice only two power window

switches. Armrest has a storage spot. Door pockets cannot hold a bottle vertica lly; a 1 liter bottle sleeps horizontally

instead:

Chunky handbrake lever. Storage cubicle behind the handbrake, and under it as well:


35 3/18/2010


18/35

Storage compartments ahead of the gear lever:

Glove box size is par for the segment:

The accelerator and brake pedal are positioned close to each other. Heel / toe practice anyone? No dead pedal:


35 3/18/2010


19/35

A deep Sigh to the colour choice. Again:

Big 284 liter boot. Obstruction from wheel well / suspension is more than in some other hatches:


35 3/18/2010


20/35

Rear seat can entirely fold away, for when you want to move house:

__________________GTO




Last edited by Dippy : 30th January 2010 at 13 : 1 2. Reason: Adding PS line to dash pic

25th January

2010, 08:26#4 (permalink)


35 3/18/2010


21/35

GTOTeam-BHPSupport

Join Date: Feb

2004Location:BombayPosts: 20,888

View My Garage

The Fiesta's 1.4 TDCi diesel finds its way into the Figo and is currently the engine of choice (over the 1.2L petrol).

This Duratorq unit is rated for 68 BHP (@ 4000 rpm) and 160 NM of torque (@ 2000 rpm). A key advantage of the1.4 diesel is that, it does NOT have the turbo-lag of the Fiat 1.3 MJD (aka our nationa l engine) used in several other

hatchbacks. Actually, the TDCi doesnt seem to have turbolag at a ll. I even attempted driving as an amateur who has

experienced only naturally-aspirated engines. Despite releasing the clutch pedal carelessly, I did not stall the diesel.

This absence of turbo-lag makes city driving in the Figo diesel substantially more convenient than in its 1.3 MJDcompetitors. Low end throttle response is excellent, making the Figo diesel well suited to our urban driving conditions.

The engine is immensely tractable and the driveability of a high order. The 2nd gear can pull clean from as low as 10

kph, and all the way to a notch below 80 kph. Mid-range performance is good, but the 1.4 doesn't have any top end

to speak of. The 1.4 TDCi revvs freely to 4,000 rpms. If you insist, the engine will revv on to 4,900 rpms. However,its best to work the torque and upshift earlier, even when driving spiritedly. You can feel it running out of breath

after 4,000 rpms. Again, the top-end is unimpressive. This engine will do well within the city, but expect dull

performance on the highway. NVH levels on the inside are just about average. The diesel is thankfully refined and


35 3/18/2010


22/35

doesn t really intrude with unnecessary vibration, including at idle. On the other hand, it can get fairly audible whenbeing worked. Ford says they have used double insulat ion on the diesel's doors. Maybe they need a triple?

The less impressive engine is the 1.2L 16V DOHC petrol. It's an all aluminium unit, der ived off the Fiesta's 1.4 petrol.

It's easy to tell what family the engine is from. The uni t sounds exactly like the other Ford petrols weve had in India.The Duratec petrol is rated for 70 BHP (@ 6250 rpms) and 102 NM of max torque (4,000 rpm). Both, the outright

power and torque ratings are lower than competition. The Ritz K series is rated @ 84 BHP / 112 NM of torque (soon to

arrive in the Swift), while the i10 1.2 Kappa churns out 79 BHP / 112 NM torque. Expectedly, outright performance is

strictly average. One advan tage, relative to the competition, is the low end throttle response (typical of Ford petrols).In thick traffic, it does not need to be revved as much as say, the 1.2 Kappa unit. The 2nd gear can work right from

10 kph itself. Thus, after crossing a speedbreaker, you can drive off in 2nd (no need to downshift to 1st). The third

only at 30 kph and above. Within the city, I dont expect you to downshift from 2nd to 1st as often as you will from

3rd to 2nd. Throttle response is decent, its not overtly sharp but neither is it too dull. Thanks to the power ratings,

and the Figo's European build, there isn't a doubt that you need to work this engine to make progress on the road.It's relatively free-revving up until 5,500 rpms, progress is rather slow afterward. You can stretch higher to over

6,000 rpms, but I wouldnt bother. Good thing tha t the engine doesnt feel coarse after 4,000 rpms. Ford claims a 0

100 kph timing of 15.5 seconds for the petrol and 15.8 for the diesel. If I were to rank the 1.2 L petrols in order of

competency, it would go thus : Ritz 1.2 > i10 Kappa > Figo > Punto > Fabia (3 cylinder). Either engine uses the same(IB5 Ikon) gearbox with slightly different final drive ratios. The gearshift has reasonably short throws and the shift

action is positive. The unit is a sure-slotting one and you wont choose the wrong gear erroneously. N ote that it isn't

an ultra-slick Japanese box and does require a little effort.

A USP of nearly all Ford cars sold in India has been that they are amazing to drive. Ford's DNA boasts of amazing

handling with an acceptable (not plush, acceptable) ride. This trait completely extends to the Figo. The suspension

behaviour is very mature, classic European stuff, and similar to the Fiesta. The ride quali ty is compliant; its not

plush, nor is i t uncomfortably stiff. The correct terms would be compliant and composed. We drove ratherspiritedly on Goas internal roads, some of which have all kinds of undulations. The rear stays planted. Its not bouncy

like the tall boys, nor is there unnecessary vertical movement. The suspension damping is perfect with the Figos

suspension staying composed even on uneven tarmac. Of course, the firmness will make those super large potholesharsh on the inside. Unsurprisingly, the ride is much like that of the Fiesta. The driving experience starts with the

steering : No electric steering rubbish here, the unit is pure hydraulic and the steering unbelievably direct. You canchuck the car in and out of gaps with a mere flick of the steering. The PS is very quick making the Figo one of the

rare cars that you can have fun driving at


23/35

View My Garagemechanical / electrical failures.

Fords absence from the Auto Expo (Mid-January 2010) is inexplicable. I mean, what better

opportunity to showcase your new small car to the masses in person?

Service interval = 10,000 kms.

Fuel tank capacity = 45 liters. Low fuel indicator goes on when distance to empty is less than 80

kms.

Kerb weights : 1040 (Petrol) and 1090 (Diesel).

Light controls, chuckable nature and good low end response (either engine) makes the Figo well

suited to the city. Turning radius = 4.9 meters.

Actually, this is Fords second hatch for India. The Fusion was the first. Problem was, everyone

including Ford was confused whether the Fusion is a hatch, or an SUV or..No wonder the Fusion was

lovingly called CONfusion on Team-BHP.

Ford claims that the petrol fuel filter has a life of 60,000 kms (same for diesel is 30,000 kms).

Timing belt change at 1,20,000 kms. Engine coolant life is 1,00,000 kms. Factory fill transmission oil

will last the lifetime of the vehicle.

I MISS the temperature gauge (link to related thread (Good 'ol Temperature Gauge : Yes or No?)).

Request to Ford : Dump the 1.6L Fiesta 100 BHP into the Figo's engine bay for the enthusiasts.They intentionally wont at the moment as 1.6 L powerful petrols can give the hatch a reputation of a

fuel guzzler (just ask Mr.Palio). It will come eventually. Even the speedometer is 1.6S ready (marked

optimistically to 220 kph).

Doors lock automatically once the speedo crosses 7 kph.

Under an emergency braking condition (at 60 mph / 96 kph and above), the parking lights will

automatically start blinking to warn traffic at the back.

Lane change indicators are useful, especially on the expressway / highway. Simply tap the indicator

stalk and the turn indicator blinks 3 - 4 times only. No need to push the indicator back into place

after completing your lane change manoeuvre.

What Ford needs to do is expand its distribution network. Maruti (and to a lesser extent Hyundais)

dealership coverage is unmatched. Ford has 111 dealers spanning India at the moment. This number

has increased by about a third in the recent past. 7 more expected soon. @ South Bombayites : Yes,

a new dealership to cover the area has been finalized too.

EDIT on 17/02 /2010 : Ford inaugurated 28 new dealerships on a single day. Link to Team-BHPReport

Pricing strategy has become even more important after Chevy set the cat amongst the pigeons withthe Beats VFM price tag! Note to Ford : Price it right from day one. Dont go the Escort / Fiesta way

where you start high, then massively discount, bring in special editions one after another and dilute

the brand.

Reason for the chiller air-conditioner = A 154 cc compressor (some hatches use 80 90 cc

compressors). I did feel that the diesels air-conditioner is punchier than the petrols.

Low stance may make ingress / egress inconvenient to the elderly (relative to tallboy hatchbacks).

Like most other European cars, the front seats have a long travel range. Useful.

1.4 TDCi = completely take your foot off the accelerator in 3rd gear, and the car wil l chug along

happily at 22 kph. Slot the car in 4th gear at 40 kph and it still doesnt labour. No vibrations at all.

I dont know which wise guy thought of this control, but hes gotten it all wrong. If you leave the

RHS wiper stalk where normal cars have the low beam headlamp mode, the rear wiper starts doing its

job. To switch it off, you have to leave the RHS stalk pushed beh ind (where other cars have their highbeam position). Expect to see a good number of Figos running their rear wipers on perfectly dry

days.

Even though the interiors are all black, its certainly not as gloomy as the Beat. Reason? Thegenerous glass area. Even at the back, you have the large windows as well as the quarter glasses

bringing light in.

If it matters, you can wheel spin away to glory in the 1.2. We tried

Ford equips the Figo with starter crank protection. When the engine is running, the key will not


35 3/18/2010


24/35

move further.

Official ARAI fuel efficiency numbers are 15.6 kpl (petrol) and 20.0 kpl (diesel).

The same team that worked on the Fiesta 1.6S and Ikon Diesel has been in charge of the Figo.

Control stalks (wiper, turn indicator) dont have a satisfactory feel. Their operation is more rubbery

than positive.

Fords pumped $500 million into the Chennai plant and has expanded capacity to 200,000 un its per

year. Its all about the numbers really. The upgraded Chennai plant will also serve as an export hub

to serve the needs of Asia-Pacific & Africa.

The Figo starts with a 75% (approximate) level of localisation.

If you shut both the center air-con vents, irrespective of whether the side vents are open or not,

they make a whistling sound.

Its been a long time coming, and no better opportunity Ford. With your hatch now running a 1.4

liter diesel, time to upgrade the Fiesta diesel to a 1.6? Or will it happen only when the all new Fiesta

arrives in India (expected toward the end of 2010).

The 1.4 TDCi engine weighs only 98 kilos.

All gauges are backlight in red colour.

Bluetooth pairing with your cell phone. Can redial, read your phone book and recent calls.

Wheres the Automatic transmission, Ford? Explore that USP. There i s a ready market for automatichatchbacks, especially those powered by a diesel engine.

When I saw the dash colour, I went What was Ford thinking? Youd actually have to try to choose

a worse colour. The negative impact is 3X when matched to the green exterior shade. Absolute Gujju

(Note, I am a Gujarati myself). A single positive of the clay red dash is that there is no dashboard

reflection.

The 1.4 TDCi Figo does everything that you would expect of a B segment diesel hatch. The steering

& mature road behaviour are a bonus. Importantly, the Figo diesel does not have any single major

flaw. The 1.2L is less impressive, for obvious reasons.

Disclaimer : Ford invited Team-BHP for the Figo test-drive. They covered all the expenses for this

driving event.

__________________GTO




Last edited by GTO : 12th March 2010 at 16 : 1 0. Reason: Since its launched, now updating with some specs that werepreviously unavailable

25th January

2010, 08:27#6 (permalink)

GTOTeam-BHPSupport


View My Garage

The Smaller bu t Significant thi ngs:

Long key. Boot release button too. These type of soft-plastic buttons break after 2+ years of use (based on my

experience of using a similar key in the Benz). Dedicated hard plastic buttons are better on durability:


35 3/18/2010


25/35

In case you go "no bottle holders?", door pockets are even marked one liter with an image of a bottle and the

direction it should sleep in:


35 3/18/2010


26/35

Fairly unrestricted front air dam:

Bonnet release positioned on the passenger side. Not cool:

Nice circular air-vents that swivel, thus you can adjust the airflow anyway you want. You can also shut any particu lar

airvent, though some amount of air still flows through. Notice storage spot right behind on top of the dashboard:


35 3/18/2010


27/35

Thick rear pillars. Medium sized rear windscreen and side glasses help matters whilst reversing:

When was the last time you saw felt lining on the door insulat ion? Sweet:


35 3/18/2010


28/35

The feel of the air-con switches is pretty rudimentary. They feel economy segment to use:

Rear hatch has a useful grab handle on the inside:


35 3/18/2010


29/35

No rear power windows. Door armrest has a storage spot:

Front foglamps:

Medium-sized ORVMs. Convex mirrors cover the road well.


35 3/18/2010


30/35

Top end variant = Titanium:


35 3/18/2010


31/35

Another look at the bulging wheel arches and the uniquely styled turn indicator light:

Have I spoken enough on what I think of the dash colour? Or should I start again .....A view from the passenger's side:

__________________

GTO





35 3/18/2010


32/35

25th January 2010, 08:43 #7 (permalink)

ajmatTeam-BHP Support

Join Date: Feb 2004Location: BangalorePosts: 6,754

View My Garage

Great review

My perspective is that Ford have clearly taken the middle road in terms of price and performance.

The 1.6 will be a cracker. I took a driver training course in a 1.25 zetec version. it was pretty goodand handled well. Even a bloke with an EVO VII thought it was good.

Front doors are the same as a Fiesta

That Ford key has a bad reputation for wearing out quickly.

__________________

Rice is cheaper than German Potato's


ghodlurBHPian

Join Date: Sep 2009Location: ThanePosts: 156

View My Garage

@GTO,

As expected right on target. Bang. What a review. Cou ld have come from GTO only. Crispy and to the

point. Hats off to you. Will expect more such reviews with so many cars to be lauched in 2010.

Finally Ford has come to its senses in launching the hatch which was so much missing in its Indian

Armoury. What was Ford thinking when designing the dash with Clay red. Eeeks . That really puts

off the seating experience. Couple of good feature which I feel of Figo are 1) Starter crank preventionwhen engine is running. 2 ) Parking lights coming ON when emergency braking.

What about the pricing and colour variants?? Hope Ford does a good job in this section .

__________________

Live Life King size

Ford Fiesta 1.6 ZXi 2009 -

Santro Xing XO 2005-2009

Maruti 800 2003-2005


theexperthandBHPian

Join Date: Oct 2008Location: BangalorePosts: 106

View My Garage

Superb Review, GTO! thanks for the low down.

I think Ford have played it safe, but for the dash color. As you have pointed out, I have not seen aworse color combo than the Green car color - red dash board.

Hope they will plonk the 1.6 sometime down the line. The car looks good, and should go well with the

Indian family - and I think that is the segment Ford is gunning for.

The parking breaks blinking under hard breaking is a nice feature. Hope they price the car sensibly

__________________

When the road ends, I make my own road

1984 Ambassador (Sold)/Indica Vista TDi/Bullet STD 350/Unicorn/FireFox Fusion

Last edited by theexperthand : 25th January 2010 at 08 :51 .


GunaBHPian

Join Date: Nov 2007Location: BangalorePosts: 847

Another superb review @GTOThe car itself is rather disapointing. No steering tilt adjustment and power window for the rear

pasengers, while competion offers ABS/air bags on their top end variants these days. That means

Figo top end competes with i10 Era (almost base version)

Most of the factors like tall seating poition, good GC, good performance, that made the Fusion a verypractical car have gone. This is no mini Fusion, eventhough it looks like one.


GTOTeam-BHP Support

Quote:


35 3/18/2010


33/35

Join Date: Feb 2004Location: BombayPosts: 20,888

View My Garage

Originally Posted by ajmat

My perspective is that Ford have clearly taken the middle road in terms of price and

performance. The 1.6 will be a cracker.

True. Ford has played a conservative card. The car itself does all you'd expect of it and has NO single

(major) flaw. Fun to drive too.

The 1.6 will come, I know it. They are only waiting for the 1.2 P / 1.4 D to give the Figo thereputation of being fuel efficient. And then, there's the 100 BHP for us petrolheads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghodlur

What about the pricing and colour variants?? Hope Ford does a good job in this section.

6 colours on offer. The green you see here, a red, silver, white, dark grey and black.

Expected price : Bang in the Swift / i10 territory (if not slightly lower).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guna

No steering tilt adjustment and power window for the rear pasengers, while competion offers

ABS/air bags on their top end variants these days.

The version I drove is equipped with ABS and airbags.

__________________GTO





AkMarBHPian

Join Date: Apr 2007Location: Mumbai

Posts: 167

Excellent review. To the point. Figo looks like a very competent car. Will Figo be the first car to have

ABS + Airbags but no rear power windows?


superveloceBHPian

Join Date: Jul 2009Location: MumbaiPosts: 73

View My Garage

Great review! Amazing and i do agree with you that the 1.6 would have made sense but then again

the trend now is the 1.2 mill. A lil more power to match the other 1.2l options in the market would

have done though.

When will this hatch hit the showrooms?And why no power windows on even the top end variant?


SS-TravellerSenior - BHPian

Join Date: Jan 2009

Great review, GTO.

Just one query: Is Ford going to persist with just the awful pink colour on the dashboard, or are they

planning to colour-match the dash with body colours? Wonder if your test car was a full production

model, or just for the test - which might explain a pink dash on a green car...

__________________


35 3/18/2010


34/35

Location: New DelhiPosts: 1,726

View My Garage

Two roads diverged in a woods,And I -- I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference. ~ Robert Frost


GTOTeam-BHP Support

Join Date: Feb 2004Location: BombayPosts: 20,888

View My Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMarbut no rear power windows?

Quote:

Originally Posted by superveloce

And why no power windows on even the top end variant?

On a lighter note : refer to picture n o. 10 from the interiors post. Rear window doesn't go down more

than 55 - 60% anyways, what's the point of having power windows

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Just one query: Is Ford going to persist with just the awful pink colour on the dashboard, or

are they planning to colour-match the dash with body colours?

Luckily, that pink / red dash colour is optional. You can choose a full black dash.__________________

GTO




Page 1 of 68 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 51 > Last

Fiat Grande Punto Multijet Emotion PK | The "I Booked my Car" thread

Similar Thread s

Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post

Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review GTO Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports 618 17th March 2010 11:40

Toyota Fortuner : Test Drive & Review GTO Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports 471 12th March 2010 17:38

All times are GMT +5.5. The time now is 20:17.

Contact Us - Home - Archive - Top

Powered by vBulletinCopyright 2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

Copyright 2000 - 2010, Team-BHP.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 13 14 15 16 1 7 18 19 20 21 22 2 3 24 25 26 27 2 8 29 30 31 32 33 3 4 35 36 37 38 39 4 0 41 42 43 44 4 5 46 47 48 49 50 5 152 53 54 55 5 6 5 7 58 59 60 61 6 2 6 3 64 65 66 67 6 8 6 9 70 71 72 7 3 7 4 75 76 77 78 7 9 8 0 81 82 83 84 8 5 8 6 87 88 89 9 0 9 1 92 93 94 95 9 6 9 7 98 99100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574 575576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609


35 3/18/2010


35/35

610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643644 645 646 647 648 649 650 651 652


test drive & re

Documents