Ford Figo facelift 1.4 Duratorq Titanium - Performance Review

The Figo facelift continues to use its trusty old engines from the previous line-up – the 1.2-litre DuraTEC petrol and the 1.4-litre DuraTORQ diesel. Both the engines are mated to a five speed manual gearbox. The petrol engine puts out 71 PS of power and 102 Nm of torque while the diesel produces 69 PS and 160 Nm of power and torque respectively. The petrol version is the one we drove recently.

The performance of the engine is nothing new and no mechanical changes have been made to the new Figo. The 1.2-litre mill is still the rev happy motor that has a very good mid-range and a forgiving low-end. So in case the Figo is your first car, you’ll be comfortable with the low-end torque as it won’t surge-in every now and then and make bumper-to-bumper traffic a scary experience. The top-end grunt isn’t too strong but you can happily cruise are 120 km/h on the highway without taxing the engine too much. 

Ford India claims that the noise and vibration levels have been reduced in the facelift model. The doors also feature a new rubber beading to make the cabin quieter. However, we could only test the car within city limits during this review and the cabin felt as quiet / noisy as a Ritz or an i10. We would have to wait for a longer road test to see how the noise and vibration levels are when you hit the highway.

As far as the handling and ride quality is concerned, Ford is one of the few manufacturers who get the right balance between both. The Figo is the most economical example of this fact. The hatch offers a supple ride quality while being an exciting car for enthusiasts. Its low-slung stance, wide body and slightly stiff suspension setup make it a wonderful handler with minimal body roll. The steering has a tiny amount of play at the centre, but offers a good amount of feedback otherwise. The grip from the tyres is quite decent too.

On the safety front, you get ABS with EBD and dual airbags, but they are still restricted to the top end model only. These should have been offered as an option pack that can be had with any variant. Another new safety feature is the rapid deceleration warning, which will automatically flash the hazard light (both turn blinkers together) if you slam the brakes over 96 km/h. This is a preventive safety feature that warns the motorists behind you and could avoid a possible rear-end collision. This is a feature that is seen in cars that are at least a couple of segments higher than the Figo!

Overall, the Figo was always a good performer and the facelift version is no different. However, it now has sportier colours to match the performance as well and should appeal to the youth as well as matured buyers.

Conclusion

Now let's come back to the 'gyaan' that I gave at the beginning of this review. Being successful doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be arrogant or aggressive. Being successful also often means that you have braved the test of time and it is something that should make you more sensible and mature. The Ford Figo too seems to be one such car that has enjoyed a fair share of success and is now a matured car that knows what the customers like it for. There is very little to complain about but a lot to feel good about and that is why we feel that it is ready for yet another successful stint.