[goacom]

Hi folks,

Can people chime in on the Figo AT vs the Polo GT? Yes, the GT is a bit more expensive, but is it that much of a better car? Both will only be used for city driving by my dad who is 76 years young. I want to get him an automatic to help him extend his driving life as much as possible. It has to be a hatchback for parking/space reasons, and I want it to be powerful enough as he still enjoys driving. This is one reason why I'm scratching out the i10 and Jazz.

Money is not a factor in this decision. One challenge is that VW's dealer in Goa (where my dad lives) has shut down and their service center is far from our house. In contrast, the Ford dealer and service center is just minutes from our house. Besides the Polo and Figo, are there any other hot hatches that have automatics?

Last but not least, I dont live in India, so your opinions will be very valuable in helping me (and ultimately him) decide.

Thanks.

[itsashishsharma]

Originally Posted by goacom

Hi folks,

Can people chime in on the Figo AT vs the Polo GT? Yes, the GT is a bit more expensive, but is it that much of a better car? Both will only be used for city driving by my dad who is 76 years young. I want to get him an automatic to help him extend his driving life as much as possible. It has to be a hatchback for parking/space reasons, and I want it to be powerful enough as he still enjoys driving.

Hey there, feels good to see you buying a car for your father that is an automatic and FTD, money no issue. For automatics buddy, I believe that there should be ample amount of torque available throughout the band, peak torque should also be good. Power should be well spread and it's not a must to have redline at 7k rpm for an auto to really be FTD.

Take example of Jazz or the soon to be launched Baleno, the CVT would ruin the nice peak power and fun factor of the excellent 1.2L petrols these cars have.
Polo is FTD majorly because of that TSi engine that has peak torque and healthy amount of hp available from very low, Figo though featuring a DCT can't handle a candle to it. Figo should be good enough for most days, only if you floor the accelerator the it will hunt for the right gear and the shifts might get jerky. But Figo is cheaper to buy and easier to maintain. Polo's DSG issues are well known, you may want to avoid seeing that your father is strugling with running to that distant VW workshop especially if DSG turns out bad.

Now, just one year back I was in the same boat as you are now. My father's old Baleno was to be retired but the likes of Dzire, Amaze, Xcent were just not upto the mark and VW showroom was far from where my parents lived. The new Baleno or Jazz in manual petrol would have been a perfect choice for their usage but then the idea of getting an auto striked me hard as he complained about his left knee aching after those long drives that involved crossing crowded cities and towns of U.P. In automatics, what did we get back then? The Polo TSi - my first choice, the DZire, Amaze, Xcent automatic versions, Micra was not considered as Nissan had no reach there and it didn't have a USP.

That is when Tata came up with the Zest. It had an AMT variant that came out to be good in our official review, didn't have the rubber band effect of CVT and had a manual mode, even a Sports mode for it's sake that holds the gear for a bit longer and icing on the cake, it was a diesel, with a turbo that too with a variable geometry. This meant almost 0 turbo lag and ample amount of torque for the auto to play with. This translates to no confusions in gear selection by the AMT and boy that car runs like a Cheetah, just metal the paddle and it keeps progressing till you reach 140kmph. It feels grounded at those speeds and you can still go beyond.

This is coming from my own experience. I am not comparing Zest AMT with Polo TSi, but the Zest is definitely better than the Figo auto in performance. Where it beats Polo is peace of mind as I haven't seen an issue reported with Zest AMT. 90hp and 200Nm, Plus you can anytime remap it to get 120HP and 240Nm. Just think about it. And Zest is a sub four meter car, as lengthy as the Jazz. So parking is a breeze.

[johannskaria]

Originally Posted by itsashishsharma

This is coming from my own experience. I am not comparing Zest AMT with Polo TSi, but the Zest is definitely better than the Figo auto in performance. Where it beats Polo is peace of mind as I haven't seen an issue reported with Zest AMT. 90hp and 200Nm, Plus you can anytime remap it to get 120HP abd 240Nm. Just think about it. And Zest is a sub fout meter car, as lengthy as the Jazz. So parking is a breeze.

Let me share a small experience at a TATA showroom that happened on Thursday. (Went to exchange the 2006 Indica DLS which had run 22,500 kms used only by my grand parents - was quoted terrible resale value of 60K for their own vehicle!)

Originally Posted by johannskaria

I had also dropped in to see and enquire about the Tata Bolt. To my surprise the Bolt on display which was the XM variant in white had rust under the wheel arches. When I brought it to the attention of the sales executive he was stumped and so was his manager. They decided to lecture me on the benefits of anti rust treatments. I quietly said thanks and walked out of the showroom.

Do stick with the Figo!
With Ford starting over the counter sale of spare parts all over India, it wouldn't be a problem to maintain.
The high ground clearance ,hunkered down character of Figo will result in a peaceful highway munching experience with very few regrets.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by goacom

Hi folks,

Can people chime in on the Figo AT vs the Polo GT? Yes, the GT is a bit more expensive, but is it that much of a better car? Both will only be used for city driving by my dad who is 76 years young. I want to get him an automatic to help him extend his driving life as much as possible. It has to be a hatchback for parking/space reasons, and I want it to be powerful enough as he still enjoys driving. This is one reason why I'm scratching out the i10 and Jazz.

Besides the Polo and Figo, are there any other hot hatches that have automatics?

Last but not least, I dont live in India, so your opinions will be very valuable in helping me (and ultimately him) decide.

Thanks.

From a performance and fun to drive factor the polo wins hands down. It is at a different level altogether. But considering your use case (you not in India, no close by service center, only city use), the Figo is a better overall package.

After these 2 from a performance point, the Zest, being a torquey diesel would be good. But it is an AMT and hence may not be as smooth as regular AT's. Tata's service also is a hit or miss depending on dealer.

It may be worthwhile for your dad to TD the Baleno CVT also. May be good enough for the City.

There is a thread I created in the whatCar section that lists all the Automatics also with their key parameters. That can help you understand what other options are there.

[jetti]

Hi suhas_raj,

I'm in the same kind of dilemma. My usage is even less than that - hardly 10Kms per day on weekdays and 20-35 on weekends. But on driving both these cars, I'm inclined towards the diesel for the sheer performance. If the petrol had even little bit more power, would have thought of going for that. I wish Ford turbo-charge their 1.2 petrol soon

Originally Posted by suhas_raj

I'm in a dilemma of sorts. Although I have made up my mind on the Figo Trend variant, i'm very confused between the Petrol (manual) or the diesel. Usage is going to be quite limited, around 20km a day on weekdays. Mainly for city roundabout. I know the diesel does not make economic sense for such low running however the Petrol feels quite underpowered and left me feeling Iike I was missing something. The brilliant chassis begs for more power. While i have been reading reviews on the diesel engine being quite a scorcher, Does the diesel engine warrant an extra 1.2 lacs premium over the Petrol one ? Suggestions please

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by suhas_raj

Although I have made up my mind on the Figo Trend variant, i'm very confused between the Petrol (manual) or the diesel. Usage is going to be quite limited, around 20km a day on weekdays. Mainly for city roundabout. ...the Petrol feels quite underpowered and left me feeling Iike I was missing something. The brilliant chassis begs for more power. While i have been reading reviews on the diesel engine being quite a scorcher, Does the diesel engine warrant an extra 1.2 lacs premium over the Petrol one ? Suggestions please

Originally Posted by jetti

I'm in the same kind of dilemma. My usage is even less than that - hardly 10Kms per day on weekdays and 20-35 on weekends. But on driving both these cars, I'm inclined towards the diesel for the sheer performance. If the petrol had even little bit more power, would have thought of going for that. I wish Ford turbo-charge their 1.2 petrol soon

If performance or FTD are your criteria, then you should consider the diesel, rather than settle for the very tame 1.2L petrol and then regret it. While you will pay a higher up-front cost, you will have the convenience of tanking up much less frequently (I'm not referring to breaking even on fuel costs, you already are aware that won't happen for ages, I'm referring to fewer trips to the petrol bunk), and easier driving within the city given the diesel's torque.

If you decide to stick with petrol, and want a fun-to-drive car, you might have to look beyond the Figo/Aspire.

Within the Ford stable, the other option for a fun-to-drive petrol would be the EcoSport EcoBoost in the new Trend+ variant - although that is far pricier, and is nowhere as city-friendly as the diesel! When you see these prices, you might consider the diesel Figo

• Figo Trend Petrol: 5.10 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore)
• Figo Trend Diesel: 6.09 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore)
• EcoSport Trend+ EcoBoost: 8.73 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore)

[suhas_raj]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

If performance or FTD are your criteria, then you should consider the diesel, rather than settle for the very tame 1.2L petrol and then regret it. While you will pay a higher up-front cost, you will have the convenience of tanking up much less frequently (I'm not referring to breaking even on fuel costs, you already are aware that won't happen for ages, I'm referring to fewer trips to the petrol bunk), and easier driving within the city given the diesel's torque.

If you decide to stick with petrol, and want a fun-to-drive car, you might have to look beyond the Figo/Aspire.

Within the Ford stable, the other option for a fun-to-drive petrol would be the EcoSport EcoBoost in the new Trend+ variant - although that is far pricier, and is nowhere as city-friendly as the diesel! When you see these prices, you might consider the diesel Figo

• Figo Trend Petrol: 5.10 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore)
• Figo Trend Diesel: 6.09 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore)
• EcoSport Trend+ EcoBoost: 8.73 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore)

Thanks Arun, that's 1+ for the diesel. You gave a nice twist by throwing in the ecosport into the ring of contention. The diesel Figo now looks great VFM. I'm slowly but surely inclining towards the diesel now

[AtheK]

@goacom, i have driven all three and here is my recommendation

FTD

Polo>Zest>Figo

ASS

Polo>Figo>Zest

Maintenance cost(Let's discount ASS for a second and only take cost, and say you take extended AMC for zest for three years)

Zest>Figo>Polo

FE

Zest>Figo>Polo

Economically

Zest=Figo>Polo (I have put zest and figo together because of petrol and diesel price difference)


Resale

Polo>Figo>Zest

I almost signed the dotted line for Zest as i thought it worked the best, and was personally ready to discount Tata A.S.S. We are having a debate at house if we actually need two cars, so i might start looking at Vnto or Rapid DSG now, and sell City.

[karan561]

I booked the Ford Figo 1.5 D Trend (Oxford White) earlier this week.

They have confirmed that the car is shipped and is currently in transit(have received the engine & chassis no. too), expecting to take the delivery by mid next week

I negotiated and got the extended warranty free & got to do my own insurance which will save me a good sum of money too

Shall keep you guys posted.

[tharian]

Took the Figo diesel for a test drive today from Metro Ford.

Reminded me of the first time I drove the GT TSI and had a smile on my face.
Everything inside and outside of the car appealed to me. Have asked for a longer test drive in the coming week.
Except for a turn which I took at good speeds and ended up making the car a bit jumpy, it was all good.
Not to forget about the power which is the highlight.
They quoted a decent buy back for my Figo Petrol which honestly I was surprised at., which made me thinking now since I had no plans to change cars.

[karan561]

Kerb weight of Figo Aspire is 1023 kg, can't find any reports online of the weight of Figo hatch.

Can anyone share the weight of the Figo Hatch 1.5 Diesel.

Thanks

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by karan561

Kerb weight of Figo Aspire is 1023 kg, can't find any reports online of the weight of Figo hatch. Can anyone share the weight of the Figo Hatch 1.5 Diesel.

The owner's manual for both the Figo and Aspire reports the following weights.
Note that 4-door refers to the Aspire sedan, and 5-door the New Figo hatchback.

[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by goacom

Hi folks,

Can people chime in on the Figo AT vs the Polo GT? Yes, the GT is a bit more expensive, but is it that much of a better car? Both will only be used for city driving by my dad who is 76 years young. I want to get him an automatic to help him extend his driving life as much as possible. It has to be a hatchback for parking/space reasons, and I want it to be powerful enough as he still enjoys driving. This is one reason why I'm scratching out the i10 and Jazz.

Money is not a factor in this decision. One challenge is that VW's dealer in Goa (where my dad lives) has shut down and their service center is far from our house. In contrast, the Ford dealer and service center is just minutes from our house. Besides the Polo and Figo, are there any other hot hatches that have automatics?

Last but not least, I dont live in India, so your opinions will be very valuable in helping me (and ultimately him) decide.

Thanks.

I would say close your eyes and buy a Figo AT. Took one for a spin yesterday and trust me it was imperceptibly close to Polo TSI in performance. Additionally, Figo can actually double up as a family car while Polo screams a boy racer's car with 2 pax upfront. Before you write out a cheque, I suggest you take both cars for a spin on the same stretch of road,back to back, to get an idea. Never be swayed by popularly held beliefs. Sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised with a much-maligned car and similarly, be disappointed to the point of asking "what's all the fuss about this car" with a much tom-tom'ed car. Heard of the expression "dark horse"?

As for the reviewers and their Petrol "feels" slower than diesel expression, please for heavens sake give us in clear and plain English which is faster. Not what you feel. There are vboxes and other devices to measure acceleration and top speed. Do that and give us actual result. Which is slower than which and by how much. Not what you feel. Feeling and being are two different things. Feeling is just what you feel and being is what it actually is. We travel by jetliners at 850-900 KPH but do not feel that speed. That doesn't mean we're not doing that speed. I'm really sick of this "feeling" cliche which is so oft-repeated phrase in every magazine reviews.

[racer_ash]

Originally Posted by pgsagar

As for the reviewers and their Petrol "feels" slower than diesel expression, please for heavens sake give us in clear and plain English which is faster. Not what you feel. There are vboxes and other devices to measure acceleration and top speed. Do that and give us actual result. Which is slower than which and by how much. Not what you feel.

I was just going through the review of the All new Figo by power drift. Looks like they did do a crude test (a cellphone stopwatch) and check the 0-100 time of the Figo DCT. They came up impressed and quoted around 12sec for a ton which as per them is almost as quick as the TSI. Check out the video below at around the 5:40 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIf-M96rPqg

[johannskaria]

Originally Posted by samaspire

I have pictures of the Aspire that I took in the Showroom. Hope it helps.
Here you go...

Originally Posted by methecupid

Thanks Sam. I have been trying to upload from the app, but some issue that doesn't allow me to do so. :(

The color does tend to hide minor bumps and scratches, as had evidenced in our previous car.

Thank you guys!
Booked Ford Figo Hatchback for my grand parents.

1.2 Petrol Ambiente variant.
Smoke Grey color.
My only gripe is that they told me they cannot have the reverse sensors body colored.
No freebies as such, other than the 50% off on the Chrome grill (frozen silver grill finish looks good only on silver body color) and the insurance savings of around 6k.