FORD FIGO (FORD KA)

OVERVIEW

Manufacturer: Ford India

Also called: Ford Ka

Production: 2010–present

• Body and Chassis

Class: Subcompact

Body style: 5-door hatchback

Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive

HISTORY

The Ford Figo, internal code name B562, is a subcompact hatchback manufactured by Ford India in its Chennai and Sanand plants. Based on the Mark V European Ford Fiesta hatchback, the Figo has been sold in developing countries since March 2010.

The model went offline midway through 2019 because of BS6 – Bharat Stage 6, which goes into effect in April 2020.

DESIGN

The inverse trapezoidal grille now forms the core of Ford’s design DNA and adds a premium appeal to its cars. This Aston Martin-like look makes the Figo stand out—making the hatchback look bigger than it is. The Titanium Blu variant gets a sporty-looking, all-black grille, black roof, and C-shaped fog lamp housings with blue accents.

Much thought has gone into space management, and the quality of plastics and switches is good. Because the Figo has a best-in-class wheelbase of 2,490mm, the legroom is exceptionally good, especially at the backseat. The stalks behind the steering wheel are the way most Indians are used to—indicators on the right, wipers on the left. The cabin has a black-and-grey theme. But the piano black finish on the centre console and steering wheel tends to show fingerprints and grime more readily than on a matte finish, and needs frequent cleaning. Also, while the visibility from the driver’s seat is good, the outside rear-view mirrors are tiny and, at times, you need to focus to properly see the road behind. And we wish Ford offered a better quality rear-view camera.

The top-end variants are well-equipped, and you get most features such as auto-folding mirrors, climate control, night inside rear-view mirror, and automatic headlamps and wipers. The 7-inch touchscreen is responsive, but it doesn’t get the company’s connected car technology—the Sync 3. So, you cannot ‘talk to’ the Figo, not do you get Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. However, the car does have Bluetooth connectivity.

SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE FIGO

• First generation (2010)

The Ford Figo was unveiled in Delhi in September 2009. It is based on the same small car platform used for the Ford Fiesta and resembles the mark 5 Fiesta but with revised front and rear treatments. It is smaller than the Fiesta Classic which Ford also sells in India. The name “Figo” is a colloquial Italian word meaning “cool”.

It was launched to the Indian market in March 2010, and by July 2010 there were 25,000 sales bookings across all variants. A facelifted model of the Figo was launched on 15 October 2012. This model has a larger hexagonal grill and redesigned head and tail lamps. It was released in South Africa in January 2013.

• Second generation (2015)

Ford India launched the second generation Figo in 2015, six years after the initial launch. The second generation Figo came with “Aston Martin-esque” front grilles. On the top end trims Titanium and Titanium+, the slats/bars and the grille surround are chrome plated. The lower trims get either Black or Silver painted grilles and grille surround. The second generation Figo is available in three engine options. The 1.2-litre petrol unit makes 88PS and 112Nm and comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Ford also has a larger 1.5-litre petrol on offer which is only offered with a 6-speed Dual-clutch transmission. This unit makes 112PS and 136Nm. And lastly, there is also a 1.5-litre diesel, churning 100PS and 215 Nm.

Engines

There are three options—1.2-litre petrol (95bhp power and claimed fuel-economy of 20.4kpl); 1.5-litre diesel (99bhp power and fuel-economy of 25.5kpl); and 1.5-litre petrol (121bhp power and fuel-economy 16.3kpl). While the first two are mated to a five-speed manual transmission, the third gets six-speed automatic transmission.

Drive

The Figo offers precise, agile and responsive steering, and stable and predictable handling. The power-assisted steering is a boon both for parking and manoeuvring in city-driving conditions, and also at higher speeds on the highways. The diesel, in particular, is a rocket on four wheels, and the 1.5-litre petrol, considering the power it produces, should be equally fun to drive.

Pricing

The 1.2 petrol starts at Rs 5.23 lakh, the 1.5 diesel starts at Rs 6.13 lakh, and the 1.5-petrol automatic is priced Rs 7.69 lakh. While the pricing is competitive, the real differentiator is Ford’s claim of low maintenance costs and a 5-year standard warranty.

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FORD FIGO?

Well there are several things they do to ensure that they are taking due care of their rides and that is exactly what we are expected to discuss here.

One thing am sure about is that you love your vehicle and doesn’t want to ruin it soon. You want to keep that long sought investment in its best condition. You are not alone; most of the people out there are doing the same.

• Prevention is Worthy a Pound of Cure

Maintenance and prevention are the first things that should be done to make sure that your ford mustang stays in its best conditions. The good thing is that there are several detergents and washers that are available in the market which makes it easy for you to take care of the vehicle. It is always a good thing to spray the vehicle with a waterless wash product and later wipe it off. This may not take a long time. It will probably take 10 minutes of your time and everything will be okay.

• Don’t Forget the Interior

One of the mistakes that most car owners make is to forget the interior every time they are taking any measures. If it’s a convertible car or a double Cubin, you also have to take some extra care to make sure everything is okay. The wisest decision is to go to the inside of the vehicle with an interior spray detailer. You should as well pay particular attention to the leather and vinyl. You also need to be repairing those small bruises in the car which may cause more mess at last.

• Apply Some Cleaning Products in the Towel

Any time you are wiping anything on the car you need to apply some cleaning products to the towel before you use it. Ensure you also don’t spray them directly on the surface. The main reason for this is to make sure you have control over the quantity of the product you apply. It also saves you time that you could otherwise use dealing with the surface.

• Wax Alone is Not the Best Thing

Most of the people think that wax only can give that high quality shine on a car. However, this is not the main thing here. When you are applying the wax, prep work is critical to ensure that you get deep, rich finish. It works the same as your house.

• Avoid Bird Droppings

One thing that most of the car owners don’t know is that bird droppings are enemies’ number one. There are several studies that have been done to show how bird droppings can really damage your vehicle. Bird droppings are acidic and for this reasons they may end up colluding your vehicle. If left unmanaged, they can start to etch the paint.

• Hand Wash is Not Always the Best Wash

To make sure your vehicle is cleaned the right way spooks recommends the use of microfiber with mitt. You also have to avoid some soap which may have side effects on the paint. Get soaps which are specifically manufactured to be used in car washing. Avoid the use of dishwashing detergents because they may not affect the paint or the car but may impact on the polish.

• A Little Goes a Long Way

When you are putting that layer of wax on your vehicle, you need to know that a little means more. If you slather your vehicle with too much wax, it may take a longer time to dry which directly impacts on the shinning capability.

 

Source: wikipedia, caranddriver