[harry10]

Just curious to know in case of an accident and airbags deploying how much do we have to pay from our pocket for airbags?
I am considering between Titanium and Titanium O.

[docmoya2007]

Disclaimer: This thread is created on my Dad's behalf who just got retired from his government job as the Director, Mizoram Health Sevices, Govt. of Mizoram. The reason why I am writing this thread is almost all decisions are made after I test drove all the cars, and research some more on this very forum for the final decision.

The search for a new car: My Dad got retirement from his job at the end of December 2016. He was entitled to a Mahindra Bolero ZLX(with a driver), which he use for his daily commute to office. As the year 2016 ends and his retirement was nearing, the job of searching for a new car begins.

Requirements: As he was going to drive around on his own at the age of 60 plus, his first requirement in the car is it should be a small one and easily drive able. The reason being the roads and by lanes of our city in this part of the country are really small and not very well maintained. And lots of steep climbs too. Budget is not fixed too. As it is going to be a replacement for the Mahindra Bolero ZLX which was his official car.

Contenders: As I mentioned earlier, Dad was clear in his mind he wants a small car. But Mum and I insisted we should take a look at larger cars too as we want something respectable for a retired Government Officer. So here is the list.

Renault Kwid: Mum and Dad went on to test drive this car without me. They didn't like the looks of the car. And they feel the build quality is flimsy. The dashboard and instrument cluster areas too feel cheap. And it is a cheap car. The plastic engine sump cover did't help either, especially on our pot holed filled roads.

Ford Ecosport: We knew that this mini SUV is an already successful product. We tested both the 1.0 L Ecoboost Petrol and the 1.5 L TDCi Diesel. I was very excited to test the famous 1.0 L Ecoboost Petrol, but I was somewhat disappointed with the performance. I feel the engine is a bit small for a big car like the Ecosport. The 1.5 L TDCi Diesel was unexpectedly more impressive for me after I test drove both. Much more punchier engine and stronger pull in all gears. And the diesel engine clatter sound is not that bad. The ride is good too, a bit on the firmer side. But it feels solid to throw the car around in corners. And it has a good ground clearance of 200 mm, which is a boon for our potholed filled roads. The things I don't like about this car are the looks and the rear seats. I never liked the looks of this car since its launch. And the rear seats feel a bit crampy for seating 3 adults and there is no 3rd row seats too. I find that bad for a car costing INR 10 lakhs plus. Because the Bolero is doing all that and more at a price less than INR 10 lakhs.

Ford Figo: We tested only the petrol variant. The reason why we did not test the diesel variant is that we don't want a small car with a diesel engine. Call me foolish, but that is it. In the official review of this car on this very forum, there was a lot of praise for the diesel variant, but the petrol variant drew a lot of flak. I did not expect much from this car. But I was in for a big surprise. First of all I love the looks of this car. It is a beautifully designed car. I love the looks of this hatchback from almost all angle. Mind you, I was never a fan of hatchback. I am more of a low slung sedan type of guy. When I switched the ignition and start to test drive the car, I was more than impressed with the way it pulls. The engine is not that weak. In fact, the 1st gear and the 2nd gears are quite strong, almost similar to my 2011 Ford Fiesta Classic. And the chassis and suspension set up is quite taut. Again similar to my 2011 Ford Fiesta Classic. In fact, the suspension feels more taut and it was nice throwing the car around in corners. And the new EPS steering too drew a lot of flak from earlier reviews. It is soft at low, parking speeds, no doubt; and in no comparison to the hydraulic unit of the old Figo, which basically is of the Fiesta Classic. But that too weighs up nicely when you catch up speed. It is not a deal breaker for me. And regarding the built, again earlier reviews mentioned that the new Figo is lighter build and flimsy. One test drive change everything what I felt earlier about that. It feels perfectly solid and sturdy in built. I came back and searched on this very forum and found out that it is in fact the heaviest among all 1.2 petrol and 1.5 L engine, be it diesel or petrol. And the feel of the metal do feels that way. The door too closes with a reassuring 'thud'. And regarding the brakes, they feel perfectly fine with just adequate initial bite, not over sensitive like some cars of this segment. And brake pedal feel is great too. The 174 mm ground clearance is again the highest in this segment.
Being a Ford Fiesta Classic owner, I am already sold on this product. The new Ford Figo

Hyundai Grande i 10: The Hyundai Grande i 10 is an already successful product. I have driven a friend's car a while ago, and I didn't feel the need to test drive it again. The car feels solid, 1.2 L petrol engine is competent for its segment rivals and the cabin and instrument clusters are beautifully designed. And the plastics on the dashboard oozes quality too. And presently there is a discount available in the form of Rs 20,000/- worth accessories. This product is tempting. The only downside is, it is too damn common sight already on the streets. Few things I didn't like in the car are the seats are set too low, and the dashboard too high. It is difficult to drive a car like that, especially on narrow roads, like ours here in Aizawl, Mizoram. And the brakes feel extremely sensitive too. Overall it is a good value for money product.

Tata Tiago: This car is again an extremely competent product. The pricing is damn spot on too. The cabin and instrument clusters are well laid out too. And the plastic quality of the dashboard area is of good quality. But somehow the cabin areas feels like that of Hyundai. I came back to this very forum and found out that it is a replica of the 2012 Hyundai i 20. As they say "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". But I don't want that in a car. I want exclusivity in a car. And the exterior design is an imitation of Hyundai Grande i 10 too. No offense to any present Tata Tiago owners. But this is a fact. No arguments about that. I did test drive this car. The power delivery and handling is impressive. The idle sound of the engine is a bit coarse though, maybe due the the 3 cylinder mill. Other than that, there are very few things to dislike about in this car.

Nissan Micra/Nissan Micra Active: A new dealership has come up in Aizawl recently. On Dad's insistence we went to check out this car. My Dad love the looks of this car. And I too love it. But I just don't want to test drive a 6 year old product. And I told him Nissan is a flop car company in India.

Datsun Go/ Datsun RediGo: Datsun was also under the same dealership as Nissan. Again we didn't test drive the car. I don't like the looks of the car. In a car buying process, looks is very important to me. If you don't like the looks of the car, don't even test drive it. That is my policy.

Mahindra KUV 100: We went just to see the car in flesh. We didn't like the looks of the car. We did not test drive it.

Mahindra Bolero: We thought we should consider this product. It is a time tested product. We did not seriously consider it this time. We might buy it as a second car.

Decision: I was clear I wanted the Ford Figo. Mum was a bit more towards Tata Tiago. Dad was OK with both. But I gave my opinions regarding both the products. Finally decided to buy the Ford Figo Titanium in Ingot Silver.

Buying process:The buying process was quite hassle free. After we re test drove the car one last time, checked everything and told the the accessories we wanted to purchase, the people from the dealership fixed all the accessories and dropped the car at our house. Kudos to MS Ford, Chanmari West, Sairang Road, Aizawl, Mizoram for that. The experience at the dealership has been phenomenal since the test drive days till the date of the delivery. They have been helpful, cordial and cooperative throughout.

Price break up

Ex showroom price- Rs 5,87,697/-
Insurance with Zero Dep Rs 26,500/-
ESB+RSA charges Rs 7103/-
HSRP Rs 945/-
Lifetime Road Tax Rs 36,056/-
Issue of new Registration mark Rs 600
Inspection Fee Rs 400/-
Smart Card fee Rs 200/-
New registration Rs 94.5/-
Accesories
Alloy for spare tyre Rs 5350/-
Rainguard Rs 1500/-
Carpet Rs 1800/-
Floor mat Rs 1800/-
Side beading 1500/-
Laether seat covers Rs 7500/-
Body cover 1300/-
Mud flap Rs 750/-
Fitting charges Rs 500/-
Total Rs 6,81,665.5/-

First Few Short Drive and Initial Impressions

What I like

- It is a beautiful car. I love the looks of this car from almost all angles.
- Paint quality- The paint quality is so damn good.
- Spacious interiors(especially the rear legrooms).
- Almost perfect chassis and suspension set up. Contrary to many reviews, this new Figo is a sweet handler. Ford has not lost its DNA at all, they are still very much there.
- Again contrary to many reviews, the car feels perfectly solidly built and sturdy. The door even closes with a reassuring 'thud'.
- Almost perfect braking system- initial bite is just adequate, and not overtly sensitive. Stopping power is good. Not to mention the ABS and EBD. And the dual airbags for safety.
- Height adjustable driver seat. This is a must for short drivers like me. I am 5'5".

What I don't like

- Engine sound at idle. I found the engine sound at idle a bit coarse.The corseness reduces after the engine warms up. I would like the sound to be more refined though.
- Basic things like mud flaps, floor mat, carpet, side beadings don't come as OEM. They have to be bought separately as accessories.
- Light steering- not a deal breaker for me. But I would have love it had it not been overtly light even at parking speeds. They do weigh up nicely as the car pick up speed.
- Instruments cluster and dashboard area- again not a deal breaker for me. They are of acceptable standards. But the dashboard plastic quality and the instrument cluster are better in Hyundai Grande i 10 and Tata Tiago, its direct competitors.
- Central console entertainment control buttons and steering wheel- again not a deal breaker for me. But the design are directly lifted from the Ford Ecosport. So no exclusivity there. I love exclusivity in my car.

I will not go into detail about the technical specifications which is already mentioned in other reviews. Just a few important numbers.
VIN MAJGXXMTKGGT50538 meaning December 2016 make. The car was purchased on January 25, 2017.
Cubic Capacity 1196 cc
Power 88 bhp at 6300 rpm
Torque 112 Nm at 4000 rpm.

A few things have already been mentioned about how I feel about the car. Some other important observations I noticed after buying the car.

Looks: The hexagonal front grille has slim chrome lining with four horizontal chrome slats. The bonnet has muscular lines on both sides and power bulge in the middle. The sweptback headlamps design adds to the overall aggressive appearance of the car from the front.This car is beautiful. The car looks good when viewed from the side too. It looks well proportioned with a contoured waistline and the pull "type" door handle. The chrome inserts on the front fender adds a classy touch to the car. The integrated indicator lights on the wing mirrors looks good too. The rear of the car with smartly designed tail lamps and integrated spoiler with braking lights in the middle over the hatch looks extremely good. The front placed long stalk like antenna may be an eyesore for many, but it never is a deal breaker for me. My 2011 Ford Fiesta Classic has the same type of antenna and I am never bothered. Unless you have a 'shark fin' type of rear placed antenna of the BMW, they are never going to be that classy.

Paint quality: The paint quality is so damn good. The Ingot Silver colour is not an ideal colour to judge a car's paint quality. But still, the paint quality on this car is good. I am sure the paint quality will show more in other colours like Smoke Grey, Deep Impact Blue, Ruby Red and Tuxedo Black.

Engine sound at idle: The engine sound when you first switched the ignition on, I found the sound a bit coarse, noisier than 1.6 Duratec engine idle sound of the Fiesta Classic. The corseness reduces though after the engine warms up. I would like the sound to be more refined though.

Performance: I find the performance almost at par with the Fiesta Classic. Don't get me wrong there. If you see the comparison of the power to weight ratio of all 1.2 L petrol hatchbacks, the new Figo is the most powerful. The 1st gear and 2nd gear are almost similar with the Fiesta Classic, it is in the 3rd gear where the new Figo lags behind the Fiesta Classic. This may be due to its lower cubic capacity as compared to the 1.6 L Duratec engine. I have not done any proper highway run, but the car never feel under powered so far. And I love the immediate throttle response of the engine, especially on uphill climbs over steep slopes. I am no auto expert but the clutch and gearshift feels almost same as my 2011 Ford Fiesta Classic. Meaning they are not that bad.

Ride and Handling: Again here, the chassis and suspension is again almost at par with the Fiesta Classic. In fact, I found the suspension on the new Figo is a bit on the firmer side as compared to the Fiesta Classic. This is good for an enthusiastic driver like me. Correct my observations if I am wrong. The gearshift is not bad, almost at par with the Fiesta Classic. Clutch feel is not too heavy, and throttle response is immediate. I like it.

Steering : I too decided to dedicate an entire paragraph for this. Contrary to many beliefs, I didn't find the steering feel to be that un engaging when you pick up speed. It is only at slow, parking speeds that the steering is overtly light. This might be a boon when you tried squeezing in tight parking spaces.

Noise, Vibration, Harshness(NVH):As I had mentioned earlier, the engine sound at idle is a bit coarse and harsh to my taste from inside the cabin. But when the engine warms up, it becomes tolerable. Wind noise, tyre noise and vibrations are very minimal while on the run, with all the windows rolled up and the AC on.

Air conditioning: The air conditioning in Ford cars are always praise worthy. And the new Figo is no exception either. Air conditioning is very effective even for the rear passengers. The fan noise becomes a bit louder at higher speed though.

Build quality: Again here, the new Figo is flimsy by no means. It feels perfectly solid and sturdy built. The doors close with the reassuring 'thud'. If you don't believe my words, you can see the weight comparison again of all the 1.2 L petrol hatchbacks and 1.5 L diesel/petrol hatchback. You will find that the new Figo is amongst the heaviest, if not heaviest.

Rear seats: The rear seats are quite comfortable and leg space is quite large. Even larger than that of the Fiesta Classic. I was surprised, and checked the dimensions again in the official review of this forum, and found out that the wheelbase is even larger than that of the Fiesta Classic. In fact, it has the largest wheelbase in this segment. Larger wheelbase is found in the Hyundai Elite i 20, Honda Jazz and Maruti Baleno.

Interiors: The all black interior with minor silver accents is a welcome change. The plastic material on the dashboard and door padding feels good too, but not that good as in Hyundai small cars. The carpet on the floor, on the roof and on the floor of the boot feels premium though. The gear knob and the hand brake lever feels chunky and of good quality. The steering wheel and entertainment system control buttons looks similar to the one in the Ecosport. I wish Ford has put something different here. I love exclusivity, which is missing here.

Boot space: The boot looks spacious enough, but I haven't really used it for loading anything big or heavy. The carpet on the boot feels premium though. And the wheel well for the spare tyre is a good fit too. I find the lever for upping the jack lift a bit difficult to use. I think Ford has forgotten to put a handle like thing on that lever.

Instruments cluster and ICE: The instrument cluster is simple and easy to read. The tachometer, speedometer and fuel gauge are prominently displayed, but there is no temperature gauge(which I think should also be there). The ICE is a 4 speaker sound system which supports Radio, USB, and Auxiliary with Bluetooth connectivity. The ports for USB and auxiliary are placed in the phone dock on the dashboard just above the entertainment system control buttons in the middle console, which is a new design and it is easy to reach. The sound quality is also good too.

Wheels and tyres: The Titanium variant came with OEM alloys, which have beautiful design. The spare tyre came with a steel wheel though,which we exchanged with alloy at the time of delivery, costing us Rs 5350/-.The OEM tyre is of MRF ZV2K 170/65 R 14. They seem to be running just fine on our roads, and presently I have no complaints whatsoever and didn't feel any need to change to a wider section tyre or larger wheels.

Visibility and size of mirrors: The visibility towards the front is just fine as there is a seat height adjuster in the Titanium variant. And the dashboard is not set too high. Size of A pillars and slanting slope of windshield is also not excessive. So great visibility from the driver's seat. The rear windows feel a bit smaller though with thick C pillars creating some blind spot there. The small size IRVM does not help much either. The ORVM on the other hand provides great visibility though, with a toggle to adjust the view. They are not electrically foldable, and they don't auto-fold / unfold as you lock / unlock the car. I find the manual folding ORVM better for Indian road conditions, as two wheelers tend to knock these wing mirrors every now and then.

What I don't like in the car
I don't know what car manufacturers are up to these days? Basic requirements like mud flaps, floor mat, carpet, side beadings come as accessories. It is not only in Ford Figo. The story is the same with Hyundai Grande i 10 and Tata Tiago, the two worthy competitors.

Kilometers completed and the average kitna deti hein question?: The car just completed 150 kms in 2 weeks. The average mileage indicator shows 6.7 km/l. Don't be surprised there. Most of our roads here are small,curvy, uphill, steep inclined roads. We hardly have time to slot in the 5th gear. Not to mention the frequent, long traffic jams. The average fuel consumption will surely improves in a proper highway run. Till then, enjoy the few pictures I clicked today.


Front right side


Front left side


Side profile


Rear


Cockpit


Rear seats with claustrophobic rear windows


Steering wheel and instrument console


Chrome insert on the front fender


The steering wheel


The front seats


The gear knob


The Blue Oval


The OEM alloy wheels and tyres

[teemus]

Had a small mishap with my Figo yesterday! Wifey was coming back from office yesterday evening and was dropping some colleagues on the way. She took the car to extreme right on a one way street and checked for traffic on the right. One of her colleague opened the rear door and *bam* an auto-driver, true to their habits, couldn't wait and tried to squeeze the car from the right hand side, even though it was all dug up and all.

So the auto rammed into the rear right side door and caused a dent, his headlamp also broke in the process. Still as it was his mistake, he scooted along without any confrontation.

Now the problem is, the dent though not big but is enough to deform the door panel and my wife could not get the door closed. She found a mechanic and he kind of lifted the door slightly and slammed it shut. I checked it out last night and saw that the hinged end of the panel is having foul with the Front door edge which led to door not being able to close properly. Moreover the lock side gap (between door and lower C-pillar) is also visibly increased.

I have to take the car to the body shop but cannot do it today, due to election holiday. Will keep you posted and add some snaps too (don't have them now).

If I am not mistaken, they have to take out the door and remove the dent and fix it up back with proper setting, isn't it? If someone has any idea can you please let me know if it is a major task or a minor one? I am asking so as to decide whether to go for insurance or pay it up myself to speed up the process (and perhaps retain my NCB). I cannot afford to keep the car in the workshop for long.

Originally Posted by harry10

Just curious to know in case of an accident and airbags deploying how much do we have to pay from our pocket for airbags?
I am considering between Titanium and Titanium O.

I don't know about Ford, but my colleague had his Zest in an unfortunate accident recently and both his airbags were deployed. Now the cost of airbags was 7.5K (each) and the top panel was another 2K. No idea about the labour costs though.

[samaspire]

Originally Posted by teemus

Now the problem is, the dent though not big but is enough to deform the door panel and my wife could not get the door closed. She found a mechanic and he kind of lifted the door slightly and slammed it shut. I checked it out last night and saw that the hinged end of the panel is having foul with the Front door edge which led to door not being able to close properly. Moreover the lock side gap (between door and lower C-pillar) is also visibly increased.

If I am not mistaken, they have to take out the door and remove the dent and fix it up back with proper setting, isn't it? If someone has any idea can you please let me know if it is a major task or a minor one? I am asking so as to decide whether to go for insurance or pay it up myself to speed up the process (and perhaps retain my NCB). I cannot afford to keep the car in the workshop for long.

If the frame is deformed, then they probably will just replace the door. Will probably cost you around 6-8 k including painting. And 2-3 days if they have it in stock. Read up on skanchan95 ownership report - he's had a similar incident and the Ford guys messed up the paint job.

[COMMUTER]

FE Update on my Figo 1.5D.

Filled 35.87 liters after having done 911.8 km giving FE of 25.42 kmpl.

[samaspire]

Fuse tapping guide for the Figo/Aspire
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/diy-do...cessories.html

[nilpat]

Hi Friends I have got query for you. I'm feeling little vibration in steering and paddles recently. Issue wasn't there until I took my car for 3rd servicing after completing 19000Kms in 16 Months or so. Upon initial observation SA told me that cars front tyres(MRF) have some wear and tear hence he offered me to replace all 4 tyres(Goodyear Duraplus) within warranty with 25 % payment from my own pocket. It sound me good deal and I went ahead. However I'm feeling little vibrations at higher speeds above 80+ on highways. Can you please guide me what could be the issue.
Note: WA+WB was done during 3rd service.

Thanks all in advance...

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by nilpat

Note: WA+WB was done during 3rd service.

Was this done at the Ford Service Center itself? If yes, it is worth checking the Wheel Balancing at an independent tyre shop outside. Also a small bit of vibrations on the clutch pedal is normal if it is the Diesel variant that you drive. But vibrations in the steering above 80 kmph points to improper wheel balancing as the first thing that has to be checked. Not sure of the service center where you get your car serviced but most service centers do not have accurate machines for wheel alignment and balancing. Hence it is always better to skip this at the service center and get it done outside. Once this is ruled out, you can check for other mechanical things if necessary.

[COMMUTER]

I had a strong steering pull to the left in my Figo at 7k and it worsened enough to cause shoulder pain a little later. I inquired at the SS and found that the service center people charge 800/- but I chose to do WA+WB at a reputed Tyre showroom for 450/-. The problem got solved immediately. WA+WB makes a big impact in steering comfort!

FE Update on my Ford New Figo 1.5D Base: 23.84kpl .Achieved with the display set to show time all the time!(Not FE oriented).

[nilpat]

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

Was this done at the Ford Service Center itself? If yes, it is worth checking the Wheel Balancing at an independent tyre shop outside. Also a small bit of vibrations on the clutch pedal is normal if it is the Diesel variant that you drive. But vibrations in the steering above 80 kmph points to improper wheel balancing as the first thing that has to be checked. Not sure of the service center where you get your car serviced but most service centers do not have accurate machines for wheel alignment and balancing. Hence it is always better to skip this at the service center and get it done outside. Once this is ruled out, you can check for other mechanical things if necessary.

Hi Abhinav, Thanks for replying actually I did my first WA+WB from outside(MRF tyre shop at hinjewadi pune) everything was fine untill I did it second time at Ford Service Center this month.

[GTO]

If any enthusiast is going to book a Figo / Aspire, please wait for a couple of days. Ford is bringing out updates or possibly, a sportier variant. Received an invite for a drive that mentions "a sportier stance" and "an array of new features" for the Ford Aspire Sports & Figo Sports. Ford says it will step up the "Fun of Driving".

Don't know if there are mechanical changes, but it might be worth the wait if you've zero'ed in on these Fords.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by GTO

Ford says it will step up the "Fun of Driving".

That quote has made me happy.

Really hope there are mechanical changes like in the Ka+ in Europe and the changes are not just cosmetic.

This is our thread talking about the same: Ford Figo "Sports" variant coming up

[harry10]

Originally Posted by GTO

If any enthusiast is going to book a Figo / Aspire, please wait for a couple of days. Ford is bringing out updates or possibly, a sportier variant. Received an invite for a drive that mentions "a sportier stance" and "an array of new features" for the Ford Aspire Sports & Figo Sports. Ford says it will step up the "Fun of Driving".

Don't know if there are mechanical changes, but it might be worth the wait if you've zero'ed in on these Fords.

My wife works as a manager in one of Ford dealerships. As per her they haven't received any notification from Ford at all regarding this. Isn't it strange the dealers not getting this info beforehand ?

[theredliner]

Originally Posted by GTO

Don't know if there are mechanical changes, but it might be worth the wait if you've zero'ed in on these Fords.

Wow! Sounds quite exciting. Since they're inviting for a drive, I guess and sure hope that there are mechanical changes. Hope it doesn't turn out to be an Ecosport Platinum case with some blingy features added and useful features deleted.

BTW, GTO, what is the scheduled date of the drive?

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by GTO

If any enthusiast is going to book a Figo / Aspire, please wait for a couple of days. Ford is bringing out updates or possibly, a sportier variant. Received an invite for a drive that mentions "a sportier stance" and "an array of new features" for the Ford Aspire Sports & Figo Sports. Ford says it will step up the "Fun of Driving".

Don't know if there are mechanical changes, but it might be worth the wait if you've zero'ed in on these Fords.

Photo credits : Karthik Hegde