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-   -   Would you buy the Ford Figo / Aspire Sports Edition? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-car/187082-would-you-buy-ford-figo-aspire-sports-edition-4.html)

Interesting comments about the build quality and NCAP ratings. I would like to ask you all how many of you actually buy a car based on NCAP ratings of a car? Kwid and Celerio that fly of the shelf have zero NCAP ratings but, why does it still sell like hot cakes?

Which brings me to a valid question is whether NCAP ratings are released to general public before the car is launched in India market? Did you ever see a brochure of a new car advertised with these crash ratings in BOLD?

As far as I know, these tests are conducted globally once a year or periodically. For us, the simplest way to know the car is built-well is how the car doors shut and overall feel of the car when driving at a brisk pace as stability is more or less associated with build quality.

Heavier car does not mean it's well built. Technology has improved by leaps and bounds where the sheet metal is losing it's girth my several mm but, continuing to retain the strength provided by older technology sheet metal which were thicker

If this segment (10 Lakhs bracket) cared about safety then they would be launching cars with additional safety equipment like more airbags, ESC,Traction control etc and not with cosmetic stuff like xenon headlights, auto start/stop, Chrome handle bars and sell to gullible customers (majority are them not us) as a feature rich car. They lap it up also as they too are not really concerned or aware about the safety features. They first see the long list on brochure under the "Comfort/Feature" category and my guess is not even both to even glance at the list under the safety category

We should know that we (well informed folks) are a minority (< 5%) of car buying population with respect to choosing performance car over regular run-of-the mill cars. And, when we choose a car we look at the most important parameters which are performance, ride, handling, interior quality/space and some people are so finicky they even decide/reject a car based on boot space (e.g it's 50 liters less than closest competitor..LOL)

I see lot of people are comparing the Polo TSI/ GT TDI with Aspire/Figo Twins. Was not too inclined on a comparison but, some posts have compelled me to share a logical and brisk comparison.

Let's see what we've got here

I have driven the TSI for Team-BHP and quite familiar with how it drives and I was a big fan of it too (only for it's DSG gearbox) for a long time until the Figo twins came into picture and I did compare it before buying the Aspire as I found it better in almost every aspect except that fabulous DSG gearbox

For 12 Lakhs, you get a small hatchback with good build quality, excellent DSG gearbox (TSI), ride and performance but, with reliability that's left to divine powers in the skies; if you are lucky you get a good car or you are stuck with a car with minor to major problems that is not easily resolved by their questionable service network. Finally and most importantly, we all know how expensive it's to maintain VW cars (i.e if you get a good service station in the first place :D)

For 9 lakhs, you get a similar hatchback/compact sedan that is better in performance than the VW twins and has a similar ride, better handling, better steering feel, vastly improved interior space, better headroom and stability at high speeds (Contrary to it's light build quality).

It is so cheap to maintain (Ford parts are the cheapest amongst all it's competitors-There was an article from OVERDRIVE long back) it's actually embarrassing ( Average of ~3K per service, Heck I pay 4K for a service at every 6000kms for my motorcycle :uncontrol) and FASS is outstanding to say the least. Hence, for a logical thinking person, it's a no brainer

Now the question is will you pay 2.5-3 lakhs more for that extra star rating or you will buy a car that feels great to drive, cheaper to maintain and is lot more reliable than most other performance cars it get's compared to besides being reasonably safe (minimum is 2 airbags; while mine comes with 6 air-bags so there is a better peace of mind) despite it's light body weight?. Perhaps, you will but, that does not mean the Ford Twins are unsafe cars to drive?

Finally, god forbid if there is a crash, very few people live to tell their tale that they survived due to their better NCAP rated car !!!

Side & curtain airbags are NOT a gimmick!

A side impact, a T-bone impact or a sideways tree impact is like subjecting a car to NCAP's side impact test or pole impact test - without side & curtain airbags, the occupants' heads will simply smash hard into hard objects. Curtain airbags are known as side head airbags for a reason. They protect the heads of both, front and rear seat occupants in a side crash:

https://youtu.be/qtvkJB6unIs

https://youtu.be/Nlq3RCWiF_4

It's no wonder that misinformed Indian customers don't buy the Titanium+ or Titanium(O) variants, unfortunately for Ford. :Frustrati

A firm resounding yes. I don't see any other car in this price band or even beyond that appeals to a part time enthusiastic driver with relatively decent dynamics, frugal yet powerful engine, reasonably well built (compared to Maruti tin cans), decent safety and probably the cheapest car to service and maintain. There is absolutely nothing to reject this car over its peers. And yes as mentioned in the review, that it can keep up with the Jettas and others. So AFAIK I am absolutely getting this car.

Please read my post correctly. I mentioned side and curtain airbags are a gimmick only in this car aka Ford Figo as the car has no structural rigidity. Airbags are only useful if the car has a stable crash structure. Not otherwise.

No structural rigidity?

I think you may have misunderstood the NCAP statement, "The bodyshell integrity was rated as unstable, and was deemed not capable of withstanding further loadings", because the statement is incomplete as such, as the parts that would be considered "understood" have been left out. The complete statement would be something on the lines of,

"The bodyshell integrity was rated as unstable after the 64-kmph 40% frontal offset crash test, and was deemed not capable of withstanding further loadings in this state (i.e. after the test)".

It doesn't state anywhere that the Aspire had no structural rigidity and that adding airbags would be useless (like they actually did for some other cars that were tested before).

Moreover, we're talking about a side crash test or a pole crash test, and not a frontal offset crash test. Even with the same structure, the side & curtain airbags would protect the Figo/Aspire occupants in such crashes.

Everything points to occupants being safer in a sideways/T-bone/tree crash under most conditions in a car like the Figo/Aspire with 6 airbags than a similar car with just 2 airbags (even one whose bodyshell integrity was rated as stable after the frontal offset crash test!)

Voted I'd buy it , but I just can't get over the comical Hyundai-ish looks ! It just doesn't have the character of a fast ford. Brilliant package excluding the looks though and oh so affordable

That is your interpretation of the statement. Once a car is crashed, no car would be able to take further loading obviously. My interpretation of the statement is that the body shell is unstable and would fail to take further loading when crashed at a speed higher than 64 kph. This appears to be a more sane interpretation of the same.

It is implicit that the structural integrity of the body shell is a compromised design if it is rated as unstable in a crash test. After knowing this, buying this car makes no sense to me.

The side impact test (aka pendulum test) was not done on any cars. So it is not right on our part to extrapolate what would happen and what would not happen. My speculation on this matter would be that the body shell would probably be unstable in the pendulum test too like in the frontal crash test. In such a case, what good are additional airbags?

Let us not speculate about a real frontal offset test(aka small overlap test) at all as even some premium cars (pre-facelift Jag XF comes to mind) fail miserably at that. Build to cost made in India cars will have simply stand no chance - even the ones that are 4 star rated with a stable body shell.

It is rather simple - the first thing that matters is the crash structure. Airbags simply can't replace a stable crash structure. They only help in reducing injury further. An unstable crash structure with a zillion airbags is still no good.

If this was a simple yes or no question, I would have said yes. However, comparatively speaking I would pick up the Ameo TDI over the Aspire or the Aspire Sports.

Hence, my vote is NO.

I never brought in the small overlap (25%) crash test anywhere. I was only referring to the regular frontal overlap (40%) test throughout!

You're painting the crash structure with too broad a brush. It simply isn't like that.

Airbags certainly help in cars, even in those deemed to have an unstable structure after the crash test, unless explicitly mentioned otherwise by NCAP. Do check out Global NCAP & Latin NCAP results. Cars deemed to have unstable structures get 3* and 4* with just 2 airbags (like the Aspire itself). NCAP folks are not fools to award 3* or 4* if those airbags were of no use!

If adding airbags was of no use to the Aspire, then it simply wouldn't have got 3* in the first place!

Check out the Global NCAP tests for the 3* Mobilio (2 airbags) and the improved 4* Zest (2 airbags).

The Mobilio's structure was deemed as stable after the crash, yet it got just 9.85 points - only good enough for a 3* rating (AOP) in the GNCAP test:





The improved Zest's structure was deemed as unstable after the crash, yet it performed well enough to get 11.15 points - good enough for a 4* rating (AOP) in the same Global NCAP test:





Just how was that possible according to your interpretation? How can the Zest with supposedly no rigidity at all perform better in a crash test than the Mobilio which is supposedly highy rigid?

I firmly stand by my statement that the Figo/Aspire is not an unsafe car as such, and that the Figo/Aspire with 6 airbags will offer good protection in a sideways/T-bone/tree impact accident, protection that similar cars with just 2 airbags simply won't be able to provide in the event of an unfortunate side impact scenario.

My colleague bought a regular Aspire Titanium Option pack with 6 airbags. He didn't go for top end Titanium+ because of the outdated sync screen, fonts and appearance. He found it much better to dock his phone in the Titanium model. Ford should remove this outdated sync system and provide a system with phone mirroring / android auto and apple car play.

:thumbs up

Only replying since the debate is going on -

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...r-picture.html

I have tried to explain the scoring system here. If you see both the tests, Mobilio lost points on the legs. Structures inside the dashboard caused more harm to the legs. Thighs and feet scored less and hence the 3 star rating.

However, I believe it's getting deviated from the topic now.

Figo Sports doesn't get six airbags option.

The old Ford Figo scored 0 stars without airbags. So the airbags are clearly not a gimmick as the new Figo Aspire with airbags scored 3 stars. So the airbags in a less structurally rigid car made it get 3 stars?

I think this discussion on safety on this thread is seriously a moot point. In the early days did you see people rejecting the Old Honda City Vtec, Zen and Esteem as they weren't safe? They were proper fun to drive cars with not even an iota of safety. And today people happily queue up in front of Maruti and Hyundai showrooms to buy a Ignis or Grand i10 without airbags.

So for 9 lakhs you are getting a stonker of an engine, decent features, good looks, good dynamics, 2 airbags and more.

Unless your only criteria is safety and nothing else, what do you buy under 10 lakhs? Yes you can choose to spend 2.5-3 lakhs more to get a Polo, but how many can and how many would?

My vote is NO.
I test drove the Figo 1.5L Petrol Titanium+ and the Polo GT TSI back to back for a friend of mine few months back. Three things that made me suggest the GT TSI over the new Figo:
1) The dual clutch gearbox of the Figo is no match for the amazing DSG of the GT TSI (I know this point isn't relevant here since the Figo-S is being offered in Manual mode and I would prefer a manual even over a DSG)
2) The Figo 'felt' comparatively cheaper from interior in terms of plastic quality and finish
3) The build quality of the Figo 'seemed' way inferior than the GT TSI. No, I don't want to comment on the safety aspects or NCAP ratings as I may be under-informed about those aspects. But the VW pony insulates you from the cacophonies of Indian city roads way better than the Figo once the doors are shut. And this according to me is a deal breaker.
So unless Points 2 & 3 have been bettered in the Figo-S, my choice would remain the Polo GT TSI (if I want automatic) or GT TDI (if I want manual).

It's a 'No' for me.

I recently picked up the i20 diesel and the Figo was a close contender. I checked out the Sports Edition Figo in the showroom and quite liked it. The mods weren't over the top and just done right highlighting the key design elements of the car. For me, the interiors were a huge let down and also the Sports variant was placed lower than the Titanium+ variant. That means some key features went missing and I never go for a mid-spec. Top spec it is for me, anytime. I've highlighted other points of my Figo test drive in the ownership review.

As much as black roofs look great, they're great at radiating heat too into the cabin. That's gonna load the air-con big time. I know there's a black model with a white roof but I wasn't sold on the car anyway. I'm not the boy racer type anymore and thinking from a family perspective, a sports tuned version didn't make much sense. It was more about creature comforts, great interiors and good after sales service with better than average engine performance. The Hyundai ticked those boxes for me.