Team-BHP - Review: 1st-gen Ford Figo (2010)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HammerHead (Post 1700771)

Looking at the current competition,IMO Figo 1.2 base will be placed between Beat (base) and Ritz petrol (base), which means it will start @ INR 3.75 Lakh.
That will be a good price I guess.

for 1.2 petrol version 3.75 will be good for mid variant. For 1.4 Diesel 4.5L is for Top End titanium will be competitive.

Excellent review, GTO.
As always it's a wonderful job, covering roof to rubber without even missing the slightest details that are normally overlooked.

On the exterior, we all know how it looked when they unveiled it sometime back. Hence there was not much expectations on that front. The diesel engine is just a lift from Fiesta and we know that it will do well as it did in the Ikon. Hence the only "Wow" expected was the interior. But I personally feel its a big let down. When Chevy can do so much with Beat, why not Ford at least to match it if not beat it? Even rear power windows are sacrificed in the name of cost cutting. It gives a kind of feel that I got on seeing the Toyota hatch, Etios. Though interiors do not look cheap, they still looked aged and is definitely not modern. At least they could have had a premium variant with all the goodies.

Hats off to GTO !!

You keep us impressing with quality reviews consistently.
After having a look at BEAT last week I was seriously thinking of going for it for my sister, other opitions shortlisted were A* Vxi, I10 1.2 Magna and Ritz Lxi. As she has a fixed budget of 4 lacks, I have almost decided with with A* though it was cramped, but I felt it powerful enough, way better plastics than WagonR and even SWIFT, excellent AC, until I have driven a BEAT. Figo is adding more confusion :( !.

With somany options may be a class below, is Punto MJD E+ is a real value for money ? especially at 7.52 OTR Bnagalore.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anu21v (Post 1701442)

My thinking, its too timid and very much can very much go the way Getz and Uva has gone.

The Getz and UVA didn't have a fuel efficient diesel! The Getz started with too high a price, and a diesel was only added in its phasing out period.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diesel_head (Post 1701459)

Agreed. But its not the existing Swift and Ritz Ford has to watch out for. Its the Jap biggies they have to be wary of. The Etios and Honda small car might be more than a match for Figo.

No one can match the cost structure of Maruti, Hyundai and Tata. That's the problem the Jap biggies have (Toyota & Honda). Look what happened to the Jazz' MRP.

The next gen Swift? Yeah that will be something to look forward to. It sure has a tough act to follow what with the success of the currently sold model.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPARKled (Post 1701730)

But then I wonder who will pay almost 7.5Lac + for the diesel Fiesta for just an additional boot.

You make an extremely intelligent point, Sparkled. If the Figo enters the market with a VFM price tag, how much will the Fiesta be hit? After all, the only real difference will be the boot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW-X5 (Post 1701955)

With somany options may be a class below, is Punto MJD E+ is a real value for money ? especially at 7.52 OTR Bnagalore.

The Punto only has more challenging times ahead. Figo launching soon, ditto with the VW Polo....Fiat is realising that its easier to sell a 8 lakh entry-level diesel sedan (Linea) than it is to sell a 7 lakh rupee premium hatch (Punto). The Punto, in only 5 months of launch, is down to a mere 500 odd units (December 2009 sales).

Nice comprehensive review GTO,
However the more i see of Beat and Figo the more i admire the italians for their designing skills. Beat is loud and Figo is just dated. My concern with this car is on the design front. It will age too quickly. Is it really too much to ask for a modern competitive hatch with looks to match at a comfortable price point?
Recently punto left my bro stranded witha a broken sleeve cylinder. Now suddenly Punto doesnt seem reliable, Figo doesn't appeal that much aesthetically, Jazz has a high price & i m too boring for Beat.

Any suggestions guys?
I realize its slightly off topic, but most other points have been covered under the review, its so beautifully done so i didnt add anything for the heck of it..
Just one thing GTO, you have mentioned the profile of rubber. does it suffice or an upgrade is desirable?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashish.uno (Post 1702152)

However the more i see of Beat and Figo the more i admire the italians for their designing skills.

You can say that again! Simply can't beat the Punto on style! I saw a black one on sunday while crossing the road, made me turn my head and the rear looked wicked with that all metal / thin tail lamp design.

Quote:

Just one thing GTO, you have mentioned the profile of rubber. does it suffice or an upgrade is desirable?

For the kind of power that the 1.2 & the 1.4 churn out, 175 is enough. Of course, when the 1.6 is launched, that's when we'll talk of upgrades.

Lot of people have hounded Ford for not offering rear power windows, (PW). Actually manual windows have a great advantage and are very much beneficial in Emergency Situations like in a Blown/ shorted/ failed Battery, Passengers sitting inside the Car without the Keys of it-will at least not suffocate now ,remember people perished during Mumbai's flood 26/7 conditions......

I feel it is a smart move by Ford to keep the car price as low as possible. The half-way rolling windows are due to a design constrain, this usually happens when the Side Impact Beam / Wheel arches comes in the way of the Window Winder.

Ford did not bother to redesign and increase the cost. They smartly left it the way it is and added a Manual Window Winder & hence clearly saved here Rs.7-10k by not going the Power way....

Quote:

Originally Posted by tj123 (Post 1702308)

The safety angle you mention is valid but doesnt cut much ice. By that logic we all should stop doing several things.
Power window assemblies are a lot cheaper than you think. The cost increment, for a manufacturer, would not have been more than 3.5k per car. Ford could have absorbed this for sake of volumes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diesel_head (Post 1702395)

Ford is pitching in a VFM car, hence its prudent to focus on really essential features that can make a difference in the ownership experience rather than focus on features which wudnt really dent the ownership experience much.
Point with the power windows it can only glide down only by 40-50%, so why spend that 3.5k per car when one canr roll it down by 40-50%. I think it makes sense to do away with this and provide something much more valuable.

I see lot of people complaining about rear power windows issue. IMHO, it has to be looked at in the right perspective. If one is going to view Ford as being stingy and cutting corners, he/she will be irked by Fords decision. If you look at it the way I reasoned in the previous paragraph, you wudnt mind PWs omission and might even appreciate Fords decision.