[kpzen]

My Figo is nearing 11000 kms (Nov 2012).
The second service was done last week. Here is an overall experience of buying and owning the new FIGO TDCi Titanium.



Background :

We had 2 cars
1. Baleno 2006 done 20 k kms (yes! only twenty thousand kms)
2. Getz crdi 2008 done 120 k kms (still torquing away without a fuss)

We usually keep our cars for 5 years, baleno was to be replaced in 2011 but didn't find a good replacement and was losing too much on selling the Baleno.
At that time, Getz was at around 80k kms and it was doing great. So, we carried on.

Now, we feel that Getz is getting older and anytime some problem may arise and we won't have a replacement for mile munching.

Hence, decided on selling the Baleno getting something new.

Requirements:
1. ABS (mandatory)
2. Diesel only
3. Above average power (been driving around a pete'd crdi so, i'm spoilt with torque)
4. Space ( hatchback with decent boot space or a sedan )
5. Decent 15kmpl FE for doing 80~ 100 kms daily and occasional very long drives

Budget 6 ~ 8 lacs

Choices were as follows:



Sail vcdi / i20 crdi / Figo Tdci/ Liva D4D


Looks & Design:
i20 = Sail > Figo >> Liva

i20
Hyundai has shown a remarkable turnaround in the last decade. Earlier Known for their ugly and boring designs but ever
since the launch of i20 they have presented all stunning & aggressive fluidic designs. Little over desgined for some.
Quality & finish is top class but as all Hyundais they are little prone to rust after 4 years.

Sail
Its a hunk, optimised design with no ugly sides to it. Nice clean lines all over.
Some butchy 5 spoke wheels should make it look stunning.
Design wise it would be hit for all age groups unlike i20.

Figo
Front looks like a tadpole with lots of round edges like the Ikon.
Side is a lowered Fusion but the rear has european touch classy touch with those christmas tree tail lamps.
Neither a hunk nor ugly from all sides.

Liva
Not one side looks appealing. Lines & curves are not proportionate.
Whole car seems like someone has mounted the frame of some other car on the chassis. There's a disconnected feel to it.
Even a TRD kit couldn't make it look good.


Interiors design :
i20>Sail>Figo (Liva disqualified)

i20
Fantastic cockpit design with lots of controls. Big hugging seats.
Loaded with features unlike any other hatchback.
Amazing quality of plastics in an era where all manufacturers are concentrating massive cost cutting on interiors.

Sail
Nicely put up, fine touches here and there.
Quality is good with no visible panel gaps and no loose ends.
Gear knob placement could have been placed a little ahead.
RPM meter is weird would take sometime to get used to.
Chiller AC like Figo.

Figo
Plastics have a typical strong feel like all Fords.
Seats are flat and too narrow. Some controls like indicator stalk and boot opening stalk are placed oddly. Would take a Maruti/ Hyundai
person sometime to get used to.
Door panels are well sorted and shouldn't rattle with age.

LiVa
In one word,Atrocious. what were the toyota designers thinking while designing this.
Adding to the design, light grey color makes it even worse.
Speedometer reminds me of the school day - art class, two mountains and a shining sun in between.
RPM meter on top model only.
AC vents - 3 on one side and one on the other side. Wicked design again.



Space - Interior
Sail> Liva > i20>Figo

Sail
Best of the lot in terms of cabin space. Can seat 5 people comfortably.
Good leg room at front and rear both.
Seats have good support and rear seat is deep with reclining roof gives it a sedan feel.
Very supportive headrests at the back.


Liva
Massive rear space, 3 adults can sit easily without overlapping shoulders.

i20
Has comfortable big seats, spacewise its decent all over.

Figo
Cramped in comparison to the rest. Narrow seats and low seating doesn't help either.
Rear seats have better leg space

Space - Boot
Figo>i20>Sail= Liva

All the cars have pretty good boot space.
Can't be the deciding factor.

Driveability
City
Liva>Figo>Sail>i20

Liva's engine is very well tuned for city driving. Pulls effortlessly like a petrol and the power is linear.
Engine's feel is quite similar to an innova, robust & pulls the same with minimum and maximum load.
I think this engine would outlast all the other CRDIs.
Only downside is that it doesn't like to revved beyond 3k RPM.

Figo's engine has a very good bottom end torque. Torque kicks in around 2k RPM but doesn't pull like Liva in 3rd gear @ 20kph.

Sail has a better tuned DDIS engine but the 1st / 2nd gearing is dead. You need to push it to get going. Once in 3rd gear, its very strong and starts pulling
like a locomotive.

i20 is pretty passive for city driving due to its high gearing

Highway
i20 >> Figo = Sail = Liva

Of all CRDIs, only i20 loves to be revved. In 5th gear, the turbo kicks around 100kph, then the relentless
torque launches itself. On the highways, you would reach 140kph and won't even realise until you look at the speedo.

Ergonomics
Sail> i20 = Liva > Figo
Sail with big doors makes ingress and egress really easy. Dash is also well sorted to load stuff.
i20 and Liva are on the same lines, neither exceptional nor bad.
Figo comes in last due to its low seating and narrow seats

Ride Quality
Sail> Liva > i20 > Figo

Sail is very composed on rough surface and flat highways. Insulation is also pretty good.
Liva is comfortable but insulation is ordinary, potholes thud seeps into the cabin.
i20 is absorbs the rough surface well but the ride is bouncy at the rear.
Figo city speed ride is stiff in comparison and at high speeds it has a very balanced ride.

Highway manners

Figo > Liva > Sail = i20

Figo with its brilliant chassis and stiff suspension setup is the undisputed handling king.
Sail and i20 don't inspire much confidence due to its light steering, balance and braking compensates for it.
Liva's steering is also light at high speeds and has a tendency to center.


VFM

Figo > Sail > i20 > Liva

Figo Titanium : 6.5 lacs OTR
Sail LS ABS : 6.9 lacs OTR
i20 Sportz : 7.78 lacs OTR
Liva : 7.1 lacs OTR

BOOKING & DELIVERY
The new Figo was launched, i got hooked to the new vibrant colors which they were advertising.
Apparently the yellow color was not for sale as per the top dealers in Delhi NCR and Blue color would be available only if
the customer orders for it. No display cars in yellow or blue.
Finally, went for the safest option of WHITE.

Car was booked at NCR Ford, delivery was given within 4 days.



What you will Like


Driving Dynamics - Handling

Absolutely Brilliant, cant have a better package in your daily ride hatchback with decent ride quality.
On a corner it can outrun most of cars <20lacs.

Engine efficiency
The TDCi mill is very efficient, consistently gives me around 18kmpl with my daily drive of 160kms where in,
60% of the time the speeds would be hovering between 100 ~ 140kph.Drive include expressways and deserted state highways.
The car was remapped after 1st service @ 2500 kms, there has been no noticeable difference in FE due to remap.
Some conservative driving once,gave me a stunning FE of 28 kmpl. All gear changes @ < 2000 RPM and top speed of 80kph.

Brakes –
This is the really nice part. ABS with EBD makes a significant difference to braking.
The braking is assured, well modulated and precise. Chassis & suspension is an added bonus.
Sadly, only titanium version comes with ABS.

Sound System –
This is my first car which has come with factory fitted ICE.
Sound quality is impressive for a stock setup.
HU is loaded with features, ergonamics is spot on.
Suprisingly, the front doors have 6x9" speakers.

Remote is missing

Headlamps:
The new figo headlamps have good visibility and range compared to the previous version.
Mostly i drive with fogs on and flash headlamps when required.

Air Conditiong
Feels Powerful and effective. Yet to test it in full summer heat of north india.


What could have been better

Engine

1.4 Tdci mill feels dead compared to my korean missile 1.5 Crdi VGT.
Around 100kph it runs out of steam and creeps onto 140kph.
After the remap, it flies all the way to 130kph and then continues slowly after that.

I'm spoilt by the Getz crdi which is relentless in terms of torque and power all the way till its top speed.

The brilliant chassis setup truly deserves a much powerful plant.


Sump Guard –
The engine is overall well protected but sump guard should be there. Most state highways, district roads or mountain roads are not as good as GQ and an occasional stone can get propelled from the tyres and hit the sump.


Small but still significant points
- Dead pedal is missing
- High tire noise at the rear, lots of padding/ plastics insulation stuff is missing. Cost reduction quite evident.
- Pathetic horn

Total KMS done : 10345 kms
Fuel consumed : 560.4 litres
Fuel Efficiency : 18.46 kmpl
Lowest FE : 15.26 kmpl
Highest FE : 28.05 kmpl


Accessories added :
1. Petes remap (Detailed review to follow soon)
2. Petes door light

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Let me be the first to congratulate you!

Eagerly waiting for the Pete's remap review. Did you go ahead with the tuning box, or the remap? As a preview - can you disclose the figures claimed by Pete's? Unlike RD - i think Pete's will qoute the power gains in numbers?

Love the alloys of the new refresh model - although the headlamps - I'd still prefer the old one.

Highest FE of 28.05? Is this tankful to tankful? Under what driving conditions?

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Let me be the first to congratulate you!

Eagerly waiting for the Pete's remap review. Did you go ahead with the tuning box, or the remap? As a preview - can you disclose the figures claimed by Pete's? Unlike RD - i think Pete's will qoute the power gains in numbers?

Love the alloys of the new refresh model - although the headlamps - I'd still prefer the old one.

Highest FE of 28.05? Is this tankful to tankful? Under what driving conditions?

Thanks Sujai.

Its a remap, Getz has a tuning box.

After the remap, its 92 BHP and 200 Nm torque.

Alloy design is damn good, wish it was 15"
Headlight design is odd but damn effective. Got some plan up my sleeve in future.

All FE figures are measured tankful to tankful from the same pump. Even my Getz follows the same routine since day one.
On every alternate day, the Figo does 160 kms.

FE of 28.05 kmpl was just a trial to check the FE, got inspired by our friend Gautam (Normally_Crazy).
All gearshifts were done at 2000 RPM or less and top speed was limited to 80kph.
Consumed 30.2 litres and covered 847.5 kms.

[trtraj]

Congratulations KPzen, Welcome to Figo team, I had been reading your posts and i could see your Figo has a Petes labled, Great one. could you please let me know what would be the power now ? (in terms of bhp)

OT : i too had a Zen 2002 and Getz CRDi 2008 sold on 2011 and picked up a Figo TCDi Titanium, so far clocked 19500 kms !!

[nipcarlover]

Congrats on your Figo kpzen, looking forward to the review of the Pete's remap!
What was the difference in Power and torque numbers between the tuning box and remap? Any particular reason for going for a remap as it is more likely to void the warranty, whereas one can remove the tuning box when giving for service or whatever.

[sandeepmohan]

Any reason for ignoring the Fiat Grande Punto?

Excellent choice for your new ride. In terms of driving experience, the Ford will feel on another planet when compared to your Hyundai and Suzuki. I wish Ford offered the Figo with the 1.6l Duratec mill. Would you have bought one?

[zalaps]

Originally Posted by kpzen

My Figo is nearing 11000 kms (Nov 2012).
The second service was done last week. Here is an overall experience of buying and owning the new FIGO TDCi Titanium.

Congratulations on new mile-eater! I must say very comprehensive & neutral comparo of Liva/Sail/Figo/i20. Agreed on all sections of comparo. Handling + VFM are the points for Figo. Looking forward to have pete review.

Would love to hear why following were not in the contention?
Ritz, Punto, Swift, Polo, Fabia(!)

Kpzen->Kpgetz->Kpfigo

Where is Kpbaleno in the list?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by kpzen

After the remap, its 92 BHP and 200 Nm torque.

92 bhp and 200 NM? Wow! Thats some serious improvement over stock figures. Wish i could have the courage to follow this route as well.

Very eagerly for the detailed report.

[rags]

I 'm using the figo for the past 3 years, in city it does not give more than 13 kmpl and 19 kmpl in highway driving with a/c running all time. The vehicle is serviced regularly and with best of driving habits ( driven for mileage attitude).

How much did it cost you to pete the figo ?

[lloydofcochin]

kpzen,

Congrats on your Figo. It is indeed a wonderful & VFM Car

Good that you have re-mapped it to compensate for the shortage of power which that chassis can easily handle.


Now a question to the Dear Mods.

Isn't it against the Forum rules to post about high speeds on public roads? I see that 3 Mods including GTO has thanked the post but has failed to edit it

I request one of the mods to edit the 1st post as per the forum rules.

No, I'm not being picky here but let us pls ensure that this forum is fair to everyone.

[tharian]

A nice comparison on the 4 hatches and a good choice at the end out of the 4.

92 bhp and 200nm is something to die for in a Figo and it will change the enjoyment of driving the car more updwards. Totally agree with the highway handling of the car. At top speed of the car, it feels fully stable and can take a curve at high speeds with no second thoughts.
There are many who go in for a suspension upgrade for that high speed stability. We are blessed with one!

[Eminenttismo]

Nice camparo between all the hatches you considered and pictures as well. Hope you upload some more pics.

Is it advisable to remap a new car? Waiting for the drivability report after the remap!

Wish you many happy miles, Drive Safe!

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by trtraj

Congratulations KPzen, Welcome to Figo team, I had been reading your posts and i could see your Figo has a Petes labled, Great one. could you please let me know what would be the power now ? (in terms of bhp)

OT : i too had a Zen 2002 and Getz CRDi 2008 sold on 2011 and picked up a Figo TCDi Titanium, so far clocked 19500 kms !!

Thanks.
Interesting coincidencce.

Originally Posted by nipcarlover

Congrats on your Figo kpzen, looking forward to the review of the Pete's remap!
What was the difference in Power and torque numbers between the tuning box and remap? Any particular reason for going for a remap as it is more likely to void the warranty, whereas one can remove the tuning box when giving for service or whatever.

Thanks. Nipcarlover

Reason for remap
1. In my experience, i felt remap is better than the box. Both have their ups and downs, end of the day its a gamble.
2. Already have a car which is running with the box.
3. Box for the Figo comes at an insane price of 45k.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Any reason for ignoring the Fiat Grande Punto?

Excellent choice for your new ride. In terms of driving experience, the Ford will feel on another planet when compared to your Hyundai and Suzuki. I wish Ford offered the Figo with the 1.6l Duratec mill. Would you have bought one?

Fiat just doesn't give me the assurance. Great cars backed with pathetic after sales support.

Duratec ? No
Duratorq - Yes
My daily drive is 160kms, cannot afford a petrol.

Originally Posted by zalaps

Congratulations on new mile-eater! I must say very comprehensive & neutral comparo of Liva/Sail/Figo/i20. Agreed on all sections of comparo. Handling + VFM are the points for Figo. Looking forward to have pete review.

Would love to hear why following were not in the contention?
Ritz, Punto, Swift, Polo, Fabia(!)

Thanks zalaps

Ritz - the rear design & boot space.
Punto - FIAT INDIA
Swift - ABS was mandatory for me and ZDi was 90k more than Figo. Not worth it.
Polo TDi - Lazy 3 pot engine
Fabia - SKODA

Originally Posted by zalaps

Where is Kpbaleno in the list?

Didn't drive the Baleno much, It never had the emotional connect.
Baleno did only 20k kms in 6 years.

Originally Posted by rags

I 'm using the figo for the past 3 years, in city it does not give more than 13 kmpl and 19 kmpl in highway driving with a/c running all time. The vehicle is serviced regularly and with best of driving habits ( driven for mileage attitude).

How much did it cost you to pete the figo ?

32k for the remap.

Originally Posted by tharian

A nice comparison on the 4 hatches and a good choice at the end out of the 4.

92 bhp and 200nm is something to die for in a Figo and it will change the enjoyment of driving the car more updwards. Totally agree with the highway handling of the car. At top speed of the car, it feels fully stable and can take a curve at high speeds with no second thoughts.
There are many who go in for a suspension upgrade for that high speed stability. We are blessed with one!

Thanks tharian

[sridhar24]

Congrats Kpzen on your new Figo, and also nice comparo of Hatchbacks. I had a test drive of the Titanium diesel recently.
I have to agree with you, Figo is really the best bet in the Hatchbacks, brilliant to drive and very good VFM most importantly.
But Ford sorely missed out adding the rear power again.
Keep us posted on the performance and drivability after the remapping. Wish you many more happy miles.

[jsrakkar]

Congratulations Prajesh!

Originally Posted by kpzen

Looks & Design:
i20 = Sail > Figo >> Liva

Interiors design :
i20>Sail>Figo (Liva disqualified)

Space - Interior
Sail> Liva > i20>Figo

Space - Boot
Figo>i20>Sail= Liva

Driveability
City
Liva>Figo>Sail>i20
Highway
i20 >> Figo = Sail = Liva

Ergonomics
Sail> i20 = Liva > Figo

Ride Quality
Sail> Liva > i20 > Figo

Highway manners
Figo > Liva > Sail = i20

VFM
Figo > Sail > i20 > Liva

Going by the comparison stats, you bought the car which was at the bottom of the table in 5 out of the 9 evaluation points!

Though i don't blame you - the Figo was my personal favorite too when we were hatch hunting last year (Had to go for i20 in the end, as the ladies of the house liked it's looks more! ).

Regards,
Jaspreet Singh