FORD FIGO S
A Figo with improvements in handling and a bit more style
W‘WELL MARUTI Suzuki may be on to something here’. If that’s a thought that can nurture faster hatchbacks in the portfolios of other carmakers in the country, isn’t that a good thing? No one seemed to care when Volkswagen got the Polo GT models or Fiat launched the Abarth Punto, but when Manesar thinks it is time to reduce time between stop lights, that’s all the convincing needed to get on board the hot hatch train. Ford is the latest to book seats on this enthusiast train with the Figo, but unlike previous instances of more power, this one is banking on more cornering prowess.
Ford also did the Fiesta S. That didn’t have more power but revised suspension for better cornering – and when we lapped it against the Honda City back then, it was quicker round MMRT. So Ford has precedent on this front.
To give you a hint of its handling abilities, there’s S branding on the sides of this car. It’s Ford’s go-faster letter, but going faster in a straight line isn’t going to happen. There are no tweaks to the engine or the gearbox, but don’t be disheartened, this one’s a peach in the corners. Ford already has a good set of engines to power its hatchbacks that are sprightly off the line, especially in the diesel. It’s a 1.5-litre unit that makes 99bhp and 215Nm of torque with a very strong mid-range. To utilise the engine’s strengths, the Figo gets stiffer suspension and larger 15-inch wheels. Aesthetically, you will notice the big black grille, gloss black wing mirrors, black roof and black painted wheels. Inside, the Figo S gets a leather wrapped steering wheel and red double stitching for the seats. The S is positioned above the Titanium trim and gets all the features of the Titanium and a bit more to differentiate it as the better handling Figo.
Fords have always been fun to drive. The chassis, suspension and steering of Ford cars have always had an edge over their competitors
The balance of the Figo
S at high speed and the CONfiDENCE tO push harder is encouraging
when enthusiastically driven, but the new Figo wasn’t as high up the enthusiast’s scale as previous Fords have been. Ford recognises the reputation it has gained with this car’s predecessor and the Fiestas in the past and has trickled down the surefootedness of those cars into the new Figo. Dynamically, in addition to a stiffer set up, the anti-roll bar has been beefed up to get a pointier front end. With the wider 195-section rubber (the S gets 195/55 R15 tyres compared to 175/65 R14s on the stock car) and less roll, turn-ins are definitely fun and you will want to make quick direction changes in this one. Gujarat is full of narrow straight roads mixed with long sweeping bends from Ahmedabad to the Little Rann of Kutch where we drove to, and in these bends, the balance of the Figo S at high speed and the confidence to push harder was encouraging. It gets a nice squat stance and the wider tyres make the steering weight feel just right. We’d have to drive a regular Figo back to back to judge the extent of improvement but initial impressions indicate of a better handling car. While the Figo doesn’t get a bump in power, it is quick at turning in, and coupled with good high-speed ride, it will be able to munch miles at high average speeds.
The Figo S diesel we drove goes up against the Volkswagen Polo GT TDI. The Polo costs `9.21 lakh ex-showroom Delhi, a full `2 lakh costlier than the Figo S. The Polo feels better built and is placed about half a segment higher but on the performance front, these two run each other very closely. So if you want a fast diesel hatchback for a very good price, the Figo S is a top contender now. It feels very stable at high speeds, handles fast sweepers with poise and ride quality improves with pace. What’s still its USP is being great value for money, even with a `50,000 increase in price over the regular Figo Titanium. There’s more sport in the Figo now. ⌧