The carmaker will focus on the T6 platform, that underpins the Everest and Ranger.

Ford is reportedly gearing up for its next innings in India. The brand is returning to the Indian market with the next-gen Endeavour but is unlikely to bring the EcoSport, Figo and Aspire back.

According to a media report, Ford will not bring smaller petrol or diesel models to the market. The carmaker will focus on the T6 platform, that underpins the Everest and Ranger.

Quoting an unnamed source, the report states, “That chapter [of made-in-India mass-market internal combustion engine models] is closed. Out internal combustion engine play in India will only be limited to T6 products.”

The Ford Everest and Ranger pickup have already been spotted in testing in India. Both models are being evaluated for local assembly, however the decision to start production would depend on the company’s EV plan.

Speaking of EVs, Ford is said to be working on an affordable EV based on a new platform. The low-cost EV platform is expected to spawn products that will rival the Tesla Model 3.

Source: Autocar India

Fuel efficiency has been steady at 14 km/l observed from the MID, performance too is still as good as new.

BHPian whencut86 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Super quick update:

Car has now covered 67k km so far, and running has reduced considerably, thanks to dad's new car and our Jetta!

Central locking had some issues and was replaced under warranty with zero pressure from my side. Service is still good.

Apart from this, the car has been supremely reliable given our use case, still running on stock brake pads, which I am planning to change in the next service, little life left on them but I am not taking any chances here.

Efficiency has been steady at 14 km/l observed from the MID, performance too is still as good as new, no issues here.

Have been talking about performance mods, but sadly not going ahead with it, Jetta gets priority as it's more rewarding to mod. It's already running stage1 with 190bhp

Possible issues/replacements:

1. Weird metallic noise from the front while driving on bad roads, need to get the steering rack checked I guess.
2. Brake pads, as said earlier.
3. Suspension noise can be observed but needs checking.
4. Thinking about AT transmission fluid change. Will get it done now or at 80k. No issues with shifts, just preventive maintenance.
5. Hope the tyre wears out soon, tyre noise is getting worse day by day on the Yokohama S drives apart from that they are excellent in other aspects.

Few random pics:

New garage mate, the diesel Jetta lives up to its hype. 400 Nm of torque is just so sweet.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It is sad after having made such great cars like Figo and EcoSport, Ford had to close its India operation.

BHPian raju2512 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

After 12 wonderful years and 1,84,000 km, I parted with my 2010 Ford Figo petrol Zxi.

The vehicle was trouble free till about a year back when multiple issues started showing up, First was an AC compressor failure, then a change of bearing, gear shift lever cable (it took 15 days to get the correct spare), AC water leakage in the cabin and finally oil leakage from the engine which resulted in a major engine repair (took 5 weeks to get the car back).

Till then, I had spent a pittance on this wonderful car. First tyre change at 65K, next at 135K and then the front tyres at 175K. All the parts are stock and no major overhaul till now.

It is one of the finest hatchbacks to have been made and no wonder there are quite a few old-generation Figo's still on the road

The well-calibrated HPS, excellent ergonomics and driving comfort made it a pleasure to drive in spite of the slightly underpowered but eager Duratec 1.2l petrol engine.

Best-in-class AC, wonderful music system, electrically adjustable OVRMs, RVM with antiglare features and theatre-style dimming cabin lamps were all VFM features that many of the cars of that time didn't have.

It is sad after having made such great cars like Figo and EcoSport, Ford had to close its India operation.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

As per the last Autocross, my Figo is just about 4 seconds slower than a Porsche 911 and a BMW M2 Competition.

BHPian bhphog recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My 2016 Figo 1.5 Tdci just turned 7. She is now over 1.63L km driven across 15 states and has 6 podium finishes in various AutoCross events.

Various modifications to improve her performance, handling and personality have been done over the years. She now puts out close to 140hp and 350Nm of torque.

As per the last Autocross, she is about 4 seconds slower than a 911 and M2 Comp.

Second in <2500cc open category only because I started my runs in that category after 5 pm when the track temperature cooled drastically which is not ideal for semi-slicks

She now runs on Lenso and MRF semi-slicks.

Fibre bonnet and boot are next in line.

Will post onboard videos soon!

Cheers!

P.S: That's not me in the picture.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Driving it post remap, this car feels like a giant that has woken up from its slumber, strapped on a pair of afterburners and lit it to make up lost time.

BHPian evilmessiah recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello!

This ownership thread for our late 2016 Figo has been long overdue. I had been planning to pen this down but something or the other kept happening. A very long-term ownership of our family’s late model 2009 City is also due- I’ll pen it down post this one. So, this is going to be a long post since I’ve a lot of ground to cover. Hope you guys enjoy this and find this useful. I apologize for the lack of pics in general- I'm not much of a photographer and have been too engrossed in the driving part to stop and click pics in general.

Background:

At the time we had considered purchasing the Figo, we had two cars in the family- the aforementioned 2009 City and a 2006 (I think) Santro. My father was using both vehicles most of the time with the Santro seeing occasional usage from my brother and I for short and long trips. The top-of-the-line Santro we had owned was actually a peach for what it was meant for- commuting in the city. It was easy to drive, torquey and quite reliable.

The only mods we did for this car was switching to an aftermarket set of alloys (Plati, I think) and a very underwhelming ICE installation. The head unit was a Pioneer CD player and the speakers were (4 inchers, I think) JBLs that were so bad, thin and lousy that they alienated me from the brand to this day.

The only grouses it had was that it was getting on in age a little bit and some niggles were creeping in. Towards 2015-16, its AC wasn’t cooling properly, the steering rack needed to be repaired and the suspension was quite bumpy. Except for the steering rack issue, the other niggles persisted even after repairs from a workshop my father used to go to. In hindsight, all those could have been rectified if I had taken a little bit more initiative. This car had run only around 45K and it would have been seriously useful for us as a beater in the present-day Bangalore traffic. I don’t usually do regrets, but I can chalk this up as kind of a goof up in letting this car go. The guy who bought this from us was literally crying with joy in having got something that was almost mint and perfect for the city.

One of the few pics I have of this little beige gem:

My father had changed jobs back then and the commute was quite long. He was shopping around for a more fuel-efficient car and a diesel made sense. We didn’t consider any Marutis or Hyundais (not even the i20 since both of us felt that it was too soft). We didn’t shortlist the Etios Liva (my father found it boring to sit in and drive) and the Polo (thanks to VW’s long running horror series regarding its servicing quality and spare part prices, its comparatively cramped interior and the highest prices of the lot) as well. We test drove a lot of cars and towards the end, we shortlisted the Figo and the Punto Evo.

Why we didn’t buy the Fiat Punto Evo 90HP:

Highs:

• That often talked about brilliant steering feel and communicative chassis.
• Awesome ride quality and handling. Very planted at speed.
• Nice build quality. Loved the sheet metal thickness and door heft.
• Adequately sized tires from the factory.
• Tried, trusted and well proven 1.3 Multijet- the national engine of India.
• Though I loved the first-generation Punto’s mini-Maserati looks better, I could live with the face-lifted Evo as well.
• Spacious, comfortable interiors (At least for me. I will take a mechanically sound car any day than be stuck with something that has a 50-inch touch screen, all the bells and whistles and soft touch plastics but drives like a water ferry in Kochi in the monsoon).

Lows:

• That often talked about terrible Fiat after sales service.
• Cost of some spare parts.
• Turbo lag at lower rpm (Didn’t bother me that much, but something that was present).
• Huge turning radius (I found it easier to take a V-Cross out of parking from our basement).
• Vague feeling long throw shifter. I was okay with the rubbery feel, but I felt that the throw was unnecessarily long. My father found the clutch to be hard and heavy.
• The 1.3 Multijet felt outdated compared to the 1.5 oil burner the Figo had.
• More expensive than the Figo.

On another note, we had driven an Abarth as well. I had loved the Punto and if it was me buying a car at that time, this review would have been for an Abarth for sure. However, since it was my father who wanted a car and since he thought with his brain more than I did, he found the Punto’s comparatively heavier steering, the largish turning radius and the horror stories of Fiat’s A.S.S. to be deal breakers. He also dismissed the Abarth due to the higher price at that time and since it was a turbo petrol. On a hindsight, I actually respect his foresight and maturity in this. The Figo is a more practical and well-rounded car than the Punto with a few acceptable compromises.

Why we chose the Figo 1.5 TDCi Titanium:

Highs:

• The engine was the star of the show, hands down. It was linear, pulled like a tug and was very driveable. This did not have the turbo lag the Fiat had.
• Very fuel efficient. This translates into good range as well.
• Notchy shifter, but it’s got character. I like the mechanical feel it has while slotting into gears.
• Very balanced ride quality. Felt better than our City.
• Acceptable handling under the car’s limits.
• Excellent seats.
• Light steering.
• Reasonably spacious.
• A meat locker masquerading as an AC.
• Cheaper than the Punto.
• Ford’s after sales had taken a u-turn and they were very transparent and upfront about the costs. The cost of most spares and consumables were very reasonable (in fact, cheaper than Marutis).

Lows:

• Steering feel wasn’t as good as old Fords or the Punto.
• I really feel that the best ride and handling balance is struck by the Punto (and for compact SUVs, the Duster and the Terrano). The Figo’s ride and handling is competent in isolation, but alas, I had already driven the Punto before it.
• Sheet metal thickness felt lesser than that of the Punto. It’s better than what is used in a Maruti, but alas again, I happened to check out the Punto before I had a go at the Figo.
• Not many bells and whistles, but whatever was provided worked well and thought has gone into it.
• This car is under tired at 175/65/R14 from the factory considering the serious firepower under the hood. Stock MRFs were like an April Fool's prank. The person at Ford responsible for this debacle should feel bad about this. It is unnecessary cost cutting like this that diluted Ford's DNA in India and alienated the brand from loyalists.

The steering feel and the ride and handling part weren’t a deal beaker for my father, and he opined that when driving under the limit in a city or cruising the highways, it was more than adequate. He also felt that the Figo’s engine was more relaxed on open roads. I was handily out voted by all the other members of the family as well. I took it in stride knowing even then that this decision made most sense. That didn’t stop me from drooling over the Abarth ownership reviews on t-bhp and the classifieds though.

Good times in Kochi:

We went for the Titanium variant as we felt that was the most balanced one of the line-up. We were lucky to buy this before the GST rates shot up- I think we paid around 7.3 lakhs on road with some discounts. This still boggles my mind in this day where the new Alto AMTs are around 6 lakhs ex-show room. I guess everything happens for a reason. Though letting go of the Santro was kind of a mistake, we got a very fuel-efficient car that is quite at home on the highways as well as the city and was more comfortable as well at a very reasonable price.

This car was used mainly by my father for his commutes (the fuel bills came down from 11K per month when he used the City to 3K when he switched to the Figo). My brother and I used to drive this too on occasions. It has been very reliable; cost of ownership was minimal (lesser than even the Santro and most Marutis) and it was a hoot to drive. We didn’t get an efficiency figure below 20 kmpl in Kochi (it was mostly 22-23 kmpl). I had used this car for multiple day travels with a family as well and all of us were comfortable. Post one year of ownership, my father got the stock MRF tires changed to Michelin XM2s under a recall program (which was a step in the right direction- these are the tires this car should have come shod with from the factory).

Another rare pic of our Figo during that multiple day trip with a family:

Bangalore days for the Figo:

Like a lot of Keralite professionals, I ended up with a cliched job change to Bangalore in 2019. On seeing the traffic in Whitefield Main Road, I sold my beloved motorcycle and my bicycle. I was pretty comfortable with walking, cabs and occasional lifts from my colleagues. I had actually made up my mind not to drive in Bangalore at all if I could help it.

COVID-19 made me eat my words. After getting hitched, I quickly realized that not having a car during this time was a major problem. I had initially thought that I would use the City since it was older. However, it was a nice torque converter AT and it scraped its belly everywhere in Kochi. [On a side note, this issue was recently diagnosed by me owing to the local tire guy putting in a lower profile tire than necessary in the City in my absence. Switching to upsized Yokohama Earth1s with a taller side profile completely remedied this issue.] Everybody agreed that the Figo would be more useful since it was more economical to run, the interstate trips would be comfortable, and it would be good in the city as well owing to the smaller size. My father had more or less cut down on his workload and the vehicle usage at Kochi was less. A single car would suffice for everybody’s purposes. So, the Figo came with me to Bangalore during mid-2020 when its odo read 38K. My usage was less-this was mainly used for highway trips and some occasional jaunts into the city.

Second wind - The Figo gets mid-life upgrades:

I was actually comfortable with this car. However, a small scrape in the city last week and an upcoming general service got me thinking. I found the newer cars to be boring and not to my taste at all. If I would be changing cars and wanted something practical, it would most likely be an electric vehicle. We had ridden in a Verito EV cab a couple of days back and it was a revelation. We arrived at the destination feeling refreshed than tired.

As much as I like older German vehicles like the E46/90 BMWs and Jettas, I wouldn’t be able to afford (rather afford maintaining) a used BMW or a VW anytime soon. Also, although I think I know the basics, I am not hands on with cars like some of the members here. I feel being well versed with cars and being able to do some work on cars ourselves is a necessary skill to have for someone like me to own a German vehicle. So, EVs are far away, the new cars are severely overpriced and underwhelming to me and nice used Germans are out of my league. That left me with my little Figo. I was reminiscing about how this car was like a little friend who was always there at our beck and call transporting us wherever we asked it to without any tantrums or drama at all but was always fun to drive. As Jason Camissa had said, every car was like the owner’s avatar. I was planning on keeping this car running for at least another 5 years and decided to might as well as make it my avatar with some mods.

Then I happened to read Rajeevraj’s thread on how he spruced up his Vento. Rajeevraj, I want to thank you for giving me the kick in the rear to get me acting on my upgrades as well. My upgrade route was similar to his:

• Minor body repairs.
• Servicing, switching to fully synthetic oil and replacing consumables.
• Checking mechanical soundness and identifying problem areas.
• Stage1+ Remap with EGR soft close.
• Speaker upgrade and damping.
• Headlight upgrade.

As Rajeevraj did, I planned to give the car to Engineering Exponent at Whitefield. I had already talked to Jayant back in April 2022 when I called him for advice regarding my friend purchasing a used Punto from a dealership in Bangalore. I found him to be very knowledgeable, practical and sensible. I had decided back then itself that I would be servicing and remapping the car through him if I was in Bangalore. But what I did not know was that EE was now a one stop shop where other things are covered as well. Upon reading Rajeevraj’s thread, I decided to go for the audio and light upgrades as well.

Service work:

Apart from the bodywork repair, the car’s service was due. We were using semi-synthetic oil so far as prescribed by Ford:

• Decided to switch to fully synthetic oil. Had always used those in my bike and had loved it. Switching to this makes more sense since I was planning to keep this car for long and wanted to ensure that the internals were well lubricated and clean in the long haul.
• Changed all the filters.
• I had noticed a 0.5 degree pull to the left and I think it was because of incorrect alignment and balancing at the last service that had been done in Kochi. Requested EE to rectify this.
• Requested for cleaning the intake manifold, EGR, MAP and MAF sensors.
• Jayant identified that the brake pads were worn out. He suggested to go with the OEM pads which were Ferodo Type S and costed half of EBC & Brembo pads. Since I wanted a long life and I don’t drive very aggressively and fast, we stuck with the Ferodo pads.

Result: The regular service and maintenance along with checking all the mechanical parts for any problematic areas was done. Very satisfied. The car immediately felt smoother, and the steering was tracking straight. The best part was the Ferodo pads. Vignesh was super nice to bed these in for me and I must say that this is an area of improvement that I immediately noticed. Excellent bite, feel and stopping power. In fact, I will go on record to say that these are one of the best brake pads I have felt in a car till date.

Wolf Stage 1+ Remap with EGR Soft Close:

To be honest, I found the Figo in its stock form to be plenty powerful. I do not drive at very high speeds even on the highway. My main objective was a long-term reliability mod- I wanted to close the EGR so that the soot build-up would be eliminated or reduced while I was running about in the city with low throttle loads. Since this could be soft closed and the cost for a power remap wasn’t too far off, it made sense to do both. So, the added power is more or less a by-product of a reliability mod. I had been eyeing Tharian’s account of his Wolf remap on his Aspire S and I specifically asked EE to flash his exact map. As far as I can understand, his is a Stage 1+ remap and would theoretically be producing around 130 HP/ 260 NM. Not very interested in the numbers so long as it’s fast, driveable and feels good to me. Tharian seems more demanding about power than I am, and he is satisfied with the added power. I think I’m set on the power front for now.

Result: The effects of this map has been detailed in multiple posts and I have to say all that’s said is true. The one on my car seems to be a new updated variant of Tharian’s map. As Vibhanshu0923 had said in his post, while releasing the clutch, the revs rise slightly and then drop when the clutch is fully released. This resulted in a slight jerk which had to be consciously modulated- especially in traffic. This behaviour is more or less gone after the remap.

Regarding driving it, this car feels like a giant that has woken up from its slumber, strapped on a pair of afterburners and lit it to make up lost time. More than outright aggressive acceleration, this car now feels like a jet taking off with a linear, tidal wave of thrust. I was actually pushed back to the seat when Jayant showed me what it could do. I was surprised when I felt torque steer under hard throttle. The overall driveability has gone up several notches. If I didn’t have to work the next day, I would have headed straight to some remote place after getting the car from the workshop. Best money spent on the car ever. I should have done this a long time ago.

The mileage reading Vignesh got after driving with a light foot post remap:

Will add more observations after driving more over longer distances.

Audio upgrade- Speaker upgrade and damping:

I am actually a bit of an audiophile and am very picky regarding headphones and speakers at home. However, I had given car audio upgrades a wide berth since I don’t spend that much time in cars and due to the higher costs associated with it. But I got thinking that since I was planning on damping the car and they were opening up the door panels anyways, why not go ahead and take the plunge this time. It would be a one-time cost anyways and this one would take the feel-good factor inside the cabin up a notch. So, I got in touch with Vignesh at EE and that turned out to be a good call. He suggested that since I listen to classic rock and heavy metal (that too on lossless media) I should go with Alpine RS65c.2 component speakers at the front and Kicker DSC650 coaxials at the back. He also suggested that driving these with an amplifier would be a good idea as well. That made sense since I’m sure those components would be benefitting a lot from that. I think I went full monty on this one. Sharing some pics here:

Stock speakers with whizzer cones:

Alpine RS65 Components for the front:

Hi Res Audi certified tweeter:

Kicker DSC650 Coaxials for the rear:

Damping & wiring done:

Result: The installation was very clean and professionally done. Everything looks and feels like OEM fit. The doors feel heavier and slam with a thud. Noise has come down in the cabin. All of the speakers are a definite upgrade from the stock ones. The components at the front are a definite step up in clarity, sound staging, instrument separation, mid-range, highs and bass response (in tightness, technicality and quality). The rear coaxials actually surprised me even more- they sounded very good as well- nice impactful bass (especially mid bass to fill in for the somewhat thinner and analytical bass response from the components at the front) and a reasonably good midrange as well. The only difference I felt with those were that they felt a little congested and the highs were a little harsh since they were coaxials. Obviously, I am nitpicking- I wouldn’t have minded them at all in isolation- it’s just that I happened to hear the components at front as well and couldn’t help but compare. At the end of the day, both the sets of speakers complement each other and are driven by an Infinity amp with a hi-lo converter. Anyone looking to do a basic upgrade on their stock speakers on the Figo would be well served by the Kicker coaxials- I feel that they are very good. Very happy with the audio upgrade overall. A well set up audio system is leagues ahead of what is offered standard even today.

Headlight upgrade:

While I had grown used to the candle-like stock headlights, Vignesh was truly amazed as to how I could live with this setup- especially the fog lights. He reiterated that since the car was faster now, it would make sense to upgrade the lighting to actually see what was on the road clearly. Hard to argue with that one and went ahead with that upgrade as well. The headlights were upgraded to LEDs and the fog lights were bi-xenon projectors. All parts were direct fits.

Result: The installation was faultless, and it was done quite professionally. There is a literal day and night difference as to how the stock headlamps and fog lamps felt compared to this one. On the way back, I was thinking that the streets were lit well that night, but it was due to the new lights. Money well spent here.

Planned upgrades:

Most of the stuff that I wanted to be spruced up has already been done. There are only three things pending as of now:

• Tyre upgrade (plan to go for Continental UC6 185/65/R14- sticking to stock rims).
• Engine mount replacement.
• A full-blown detailing session.

I consider the tyre upgrade to be crucial since the Michelin XM2s I am on have cracks at places and the car is making around 30% more power than before. However, Jayant had suggested that I use this for another 5K kms or 3 months. I guess I would be doing this in the beginning of the next year.

I plan to go with Keystone for detailing next month. Will also be recording an account of the same here. If there is any other place recommended by BHPians here, I’ll be happy to consider that as well.

I’m planning on keeping the suspension stock as long as I am in Bangalore (or Kerala).

Wrapping it up:

So how does a midlife sprucing of a car feel like? Pretty awesome to be honest. The Figo literally feels like it got a second wind and feels like it’s ready to run for another 10 years. Though this car’s interior looks and feels spartan, it is utilitarian and feels like it would last the distance.

This community has given me and countless others like me a lot. I hope this account serves those who are thinking of upgrading their car simply because it is X years old or has run X kms. A midlife sprucing like this injects a new lease of life to the car and it is way more cost effective than paying through the nose for a new one. The total costs involved in my case is a bit high while seen in isolation (around 1.2 lakhs), but it is worth it since I am planning on retaining this car for the next 5-10 years. I hope this helps and inspires the enthusiasts here.

Engineering Exponent has been near universally recommended here on Team BHP and I’ve found that it is with good reason. They do good, solid work. Jayant and Vignesh are straight to the point and are very practical and sensible. They have explained clearly what has been done, how it has been done and why it was done. Jayant had identified weak engine mounts in my car the moment he took it out of parking. Haven’t seen that kind of heightened mechanical sensitivity in a person for a very long time. It was fun and informative to talk and get to know some true dyed in wool petrolheads here in Bangalore and it was also very comforting to feel that my car was in safe hands with them. I even felt that they were kind of looking after my car like their own. I wish them the best and hope that this level of commitment and quality is maintained even while expanding. I am thanking everyone at EE for a job well done. I would be visiting again for sure.

I found this status put up by Jayant to be touching. These guys actually love the cars they work on even if it's a humble little hatch like mine. Really happy to have met the team:

I do not like stickers on my car (will be removing the Kairali Ford one), but I'm happy to wear the ones by EE & Wolf on mine though it makes the rear end a little busy:

Last, but not the least, I have to thank the following members from the bottom of my heart: Tharian for being patient and answering my countless queries for a very long time, Rajeevraj for his thread in giving me ideas and kicking me to action, Vibhanshu0923 and joelightspeed’s comprehensive ownership threads which also inspired me to make the upgrades.

Thanks for reading! Hope this helps anyone out there planning something like this on their cars!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Ended up taking it to Ford's authorised service centre and found the problem after running all kinds of diagnostics.

BHPian giri1.8 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My Figo finally decided to throw a tantrum.

One fine evening, the MID displayed an engine overheat warning. I spotted a petrol bunk and decided to stop and get some coolant to make sure no nasty surprise awaits. BIG mistake!

I went inside the store and asked for 5 litres of coolant and the guy immediately asked if it was for my car and if there was any issue. I told him that the car was showing a warning, so I was just going to have it checked. He immediately called a few people and told them to check the coolant level. The level was okay, but I could feel the engine bay being unusually hot. One of the two guys checking the car tried to open the coolant cap. I could see the coolant level raising and told him to take tighten the cap and take his hands off and not do anything. He said that the coolant was spoilt and needed immediate change (repeated this at least 4 or 5 times). Then the other guy told me that in case of any airlock, it would take a minimum of half an hour and they couldn't assure anything. I understood that they had no idea of what they were talking about and decided to make a move if the engine had cooled down.

Here is the best part. The guy looked at the MID after I fired up the engine and told me that the 36-degree coolant temperature is not high and I should be worried only if it exceeds 42. All this time he was referring to the outside ambient temperature display.

I decided to switch off the A/C and took a less crowded road and reached home safely without overheating the engine. The next day, I did the same and reached Ford's A.S.S before peak traffic. Left the car with them for diagnosis. After running all kinds of diagnostics they found the thermostat valve was faulty and the radiator had a lot of dust too, which reduced the cooling efficiency. I got the job done under warranty and the car has been running flawlessly.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The EcoSport, Figo, Aspire and Freestyle are said to be facing emissions and oil life-related issues.

Ford is believed to have issued a 'Field Service Action' for the diesel variants of the EcoSport, Figo, Aspire and Freestyle models.

Diesel variants of the EcoSport, Figo, Aspire and Freestyle manufactured between August 2019 and August 2021 have been recalled for emissions and oil life-related issues. It is said that service centres would replace the catalytic converter and O2 sensor. The cars will also get the latest PCM firmware, which should resolve oil life-related issues.

Ford owners can check if their vehicle is part of the service campaign by entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the Ford website.

Thanks to BHPian witwat for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

The drive quality of this car was where it excelled due to its low ground clearance and low centre of gravity, the car used to stay tight in corners. I always felt confident while putting it around some harsh curves with speeds above 80kmph.

BHPian parth_enzo recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi, I am Parth 22 years old, in my final year of graduation pursuing a degree in Law. I am an automobile enthusiast since birth and have a keen interest in automobile repairs and maintenance. This is my first post on Team-BHP and I want to dedicate this post to my first car, The Figo. We parted ways in October, 2021, and gave it to someone who is a Ford Enthusiaist and promised to take care of my Figo just like I did. Below is my ownership experience with the car, what I liked about it, what I hated and why we parted ways.

Background

I learned driving at a very early stage in my life (in safe and protected environments) when I was in my 5th grade of schooling. I still remember how I used to stall our Maruti 800 and how furious my dad used to get on me. The love for cars and bikes, it’s in my blood and have inherited it from my dad. We in our family treat vehicles as members of our family and we have a reputation of keeping vehicles in pristine condition years down the line. I was in my first year of college (2018) when the need for a second car arose apart from the 2013 Honda Brio SMT we had which was serving us well. I used to stay in my University Hostel and parents lived 100 kms away from my University. Being a single and over-pampered child, my parents decided to get me car to get back home on weekends and to commute around my University. I would have been cool with a bike as well, but my parents “being my parents” insisted on getting a car for safety purposes. So the search began and we looked out for a small, strong and a reliable car. Since we had an open parking at my University, I didn’t want to get a new car whose fresh paint would have to face scorching heat and dust all around the year, hence we looked out in the pre-worshiped market.

The Delivery

It was one fine day that my dad’s acquaintance gave us a lead that his neighbours are moving out to the US and they want to sell off their Figo. Since I was at my University and the car was back in my hometown, my parents went to have a look at the car. They immediately fell in love with the car and paid full and got the car home. It was 9pm on fine day in the month of May when I got a video call from my parents. They showed me the car and I was so overwhelmed by emotions that I was in tears already. Automobile enthusiasts can relate how exactly it feels to get their first own car.

This car was a 2011 Manufactured ZXI Petrol variant with 26k on the odometer. Though it was a seven year old car, it was barely run. The next weekend, my parents drove off to my university to show me my car. I still remember the first time I saw it. It had a few dents and scratches which to be honest didn’t bother me. But what did bother me was the fuel efficiency. In a few days, the car was dropped off at my University.

First Impressions of the Car

• The built quality was damnnn. It was built like a tank. The door closing thuds, the quality of sheet metal used, weight of the bonnet. Everything felt solid and built to last.

• The drive quality of this car was where it excelled due to its low ground clearance and low centre of gravity, the car used to stay tight in corners. I always felt confident while putting it around some harsh curves with speeds above 80kmph. The steering response was amazing being a mechanical power steering, I always felt connected to the road and could navigate it exactly where I wanted it to be

• The suspension didn’t have the best setup but it could absorb bumps with occasional maxed out thud noises from the suspension.

• The rear space was adequate which never during my ownership did I get to experience

• The engine was not that peppy

Pros of the Figo

• Strong Built Quality
• Driving Dynamics
• Perfect Steering
• A really upmarket quality music system with Bluetooth connectivity considering it was a 2011 manufactured car
• Long highway munching capability. A long hauler in its truest sense
• Good bootspace of 284 litres. Felt adequate to me in the initial days, after which it was non-existent due to my CNG retrofit.

Cons of the Figo

• Not so spirited petrol mil
• Brakes were a big no no
• Costly spares. Like really costly. Maintenance cost was on the higher side
• Not the best when it comes to reliability
• It takes time to get used to the transmission
• Gets really hot when in city traffic

Just Look at this beauty:

Getting CNG installed

So soon after I got the car, it literally drilled a hole in my pocket by the amount of fuel it used to guzzle. Me being in college with technically no earnings and all expenses borne by my parents, it was getting really expensive to run the car since it delivered anywhere between 10 – 12 kmpl. I consulted lot of technicians and automotive experts who were strictly against the idea of installing CNG in a Ford especially in the Figo. Pursuant to their advises, I did a bit of my personal market research and decided to go for a sequential CNG from Tomasetto Achille with a 12 kg cylinder in the boot. The installation cost along with RC and Insurance endorsement came around 45k. My experience with CNG needs a dedicated separate post because I had to face a lot of hurdles. Initially it didn’t return a good mileage on CNG(that was the run in period I guess) but as time went, I was getting anywhere between 20-25 kms per kg which was far better than the mileage I was getting on gasoline.

Getting better eyes

The stock halogen headlight assembly had a very poor design making the reflectors unviable for an optimum light throw. I was looking out for options in the market, but my trusted Auto Electrician strictly asked me to refrain from installing LED’s since using them in a reflector housing is pointless, dangerous and risks oncoming traffic as well. So the better option was to install a cut-out relay and slam on a pair of 90/100w halogen bulbs. Figo came with H4 configuration headlights wherein the high beam and low beam are operated from a single bulb. Technically and legally speaking, getting this mod installed is illegal and in total contravention with the Central Motor Vehicles Act. But you do what you gotta do so I went ahead with the mod.

I was clearly satisfied with the throw of those headlamp bulbs which were Osram manufactured if my memory serves me well. The only issue with installing Cut-out relay is that you will have to frequently replace your bulbs as they get fused very easily. Another concern after installing these relays is that due to high wattage bulbs, your headlights will get relatively hot and in the long run, the plastic lens or the headlight cover will either start developing cracks or it will turn yellowish. Stay away from bulbs greater than 90/100w. My headlight stalk due to its weird mechanism for using upper and dipper died very early even though it wasn’t used much, but I replaced it too.

Tyres

It was somewhere around in February 2019 that I got Yokohama Earth 1 175/65/14 spec tyres for the stock steel rims for the car. My overall experience was really great apart from excessive road noise at triple digit speeds. Stopping power and grip on offer was ample, but the only reason I didn’t get Michelin was because the patch near my university was broken like an old village road hence I got Yokohama which was a mix of soft and hard compound.

“Note: For better life of your new tyres, it is very important that you follow a proper run-in of your tyres. Fresh tyres has chemicals on the outer layers which might not give you the best grip for a few hundred kms so drive gently. It is completely normal for you to feel weird on your steering when getting new wheels. The rubber compound takes time to adjust to tarmac so for the first 1000 kms, don’t over speed, no heavy braking and avoid cornering. Also, don’t forget to check your psi every fortnight.”

During the course of services, I switched between Super Mobil and Motul with the synthetic engine oils and I generally sent the car to FNG’s. I generally obtained all the necessary spares and consumables from a parts store and the mechanic would just charge his labour.
Now, here comes the biggest part: All the problems(some weird) that I faced with the car

Issues with the rear suspensions

Pusurant to the CNG installation, the ground clearance of my car considerably decreased which made it scrape at every other speed bump. Even with 2 people on the back seat, the car would scrape for eternity, hence I got used to approaching the bump at an angle so that it wouldn’t scrape. Before going on a trip, I decided to get rubber bushing spacers installed in my rear coil springs. Well, it was just a few hours and on my way which going through a bump, I heard a strange noise but then it didn’t sound bothersome. It was when we stopped at a McDonald’s outlet when I noticed that the left rear suspension to have failed. I got under the car and to my surprise I discovered that the rubber spacer was torn and my coil spring was bent and out of it shape. By God’s grace, there was a Ford Service Centre in the same complex where we stopped and I immediately took the car there. They lifted the car and found that the rubber spacer failed which bent the coil spring. The technicians at Ford, Bharuch were so approachable and helped me at the very instance. They removed the torn bush and did some jugaad, put some rubber plate there and just got the car ready. To my surprise, they didn’t even charge me a buck even though they spent more than an hour on my car, subsequently we left being tired, stressed and strangled for like an hour. Later when we got back home, I took those bushes and threw it on the mechanic who put it there. He accepted that what he installed was defective and promised a refund which apparently I never got.

Steering Failure

As a good practice, you should always check your parking spots if there are trace of any oil or fluids. On one such day, I found that there were signs of one oil deposits right below where my car was parked outside. I immediately popped the hood and figured out that the high pressure pipe coming out of the steering pump was leaking. As it is my service was due so took it for service. On my way, the steering completely jammed up and felt like I was driving a truck. I could literally feel the entire working mechanism when I turned the steering. The guys at a FNG inspected it and replaced the high pressure steering pipe again with some jugaad as the OEM pipe was unavailable. The replaced the pipe, filled in steering fluid and it and the steering returned to its originality.

Mall Parking Havoc

Me and my friends again were on a trip in different city and we were inside the parking of a mall when I felt a burst in the engine bay. The very next instant, I saw a white gas leaking all around the engine bay. I immediately popped the hood and people from around who came to see what happened helped me. I was scared from head to toe and didn’t knew what to do. Fortunately a technician just saw the entire incident and told me it’s the AC gas leaking. I tried to locate the leak when I found that one of the AC pipe had incurred a cut. Upon deep inspection, I found that the steering pipe earlier replaced was from a different car and it had a clip that kept on rubbing on the AC pipe. Eventually the pipe developed a cut and hence all the AC gas leaked. Got the pipe replaced, filled up the AC gas and put on a sponge cover on that clip

Air Con Evaporator Coil

It was very often that my AC was losing its cooling capacity and I needed to refil the AC gas every six months. Well, we knew there was some leakage in the AC gas line but we couldn’t figure out where. My technician put in air inside the system and we waiting for 30 mins to figure out if it was leaking. Unfortunately, we couldn’t determine the leak since it was very minute. Could be the Condenser Coil, could be the Evaporator coil, could be worn out seals or any of the O-rings. In search of a permanent solution, I took it to a reputed AC technician who in a few minutes figured out it was the AC Evaporator Coil. He stripped the entire dash to reach towards the coil and replaced it. The pictures of the same are below. The replaced the coil and put in condenser oil. The AC was again better than new.

Brakes Issue (ended up in an accident)

Well, I always believe that preventive maintained is better than unexpected breakdowns and when we consider essential components such as brakes, I never miss. I regularly inspected my brake pads, disc and rear drums when they went to service. So this incident took place on the Ghodbunder Ghat when I was enroute to Thane in July 2019.

Before discussing this incident, I would like to explain how brake works in a petrol car. The entire operation of brakes is based upon vacuum pressure created from the engine. The vacuum created helps build pressure and when you hit the brakes, the brake fluid compresses the calliper pistons which turn presses the pad against the dics. Now, back to the incident. I was going downhill and I had developed considerable speed around 60kmph. Note that I wasn’t pressing the throttle throughout. Suddenly, the cab driver ahead of me slammed his brakes. I immediately acted on my reflexes and slammed my brakes too, but too my surprise, by the time I applied the brakes, they had become too hard and owing to the down hill momentum I had, the car refused to stop and I rear ended the 1st gen Swift Desire completely transforming into the 2nd gen.

So I got down, assessed the damage and by that time, there was heavy traffic congestion behind me. The coolant was leaking, the bumper was broken, the condenser and the radiators were bent. The coolant leak was slow and there was coolant was there in the reservoir so I started the car and drove it across the ghat and parked it safe at the next service road. Called up Roadside Assistance and took it to Satyam Ford, Thane. The cab driver didn’t have an explanation as to why he slammed his brakes. Considering he also had collateral damage, I let him go since there was a family inside the cab and they were enroute the airport.

Upon inspection by the service technicians, the following was the damage

• Broken Bumper
• Broken Radiator and Radiator Support
• Leaked Condensor
• Bend Impact Bar

Below is the invoice attached for perusal

After I took delivery of the car, everything was working perfectly fine. Since it was July going on in Mumbai, the weather was too hot and humid, Mumbaikers can relate how driving without AC is a nightmare. Due to change in weather, I got sick and I turned of my AC. After a while to my surprise, the engine hot sign came up. I immediately pulled over and tried to assess what that issue was. Since I couldn’t find out the issue, I let the car cool and proceeded home. Over the days I noticed that the car would heat up on when its not running on AC. Once I discovered it, I knew what the issue was. I immediately popped the hood and checked the AC trip relay which upon my inspection was shorted. I got that relay replaced from Satyam Ford, Thane.
For people who didn’t understand what the issue was, here we go. When engine reaches a stipulated temperature, the engine cooling fan kick in and prevents the engine from overheating. There are two modes, one is the low speed mode and the other is the high speed. Since the relay that trips the fan was shorted, the fan was not kicking in and hence the engine was overheating. Now, when you turn on your AC, the fan irrespective of the engine temperature kicks in. Since I took delivery of the car, I always used it with AC hence the fan was always on, however when I used it with AC off, that’s when the problem was discovered.

Error in Fuel Gauge

This was the most irritating issue that I was facing from day one of installing the CNG kit in my car. Everytime my car used to run on CNG, the fuel gauge would just dip as if I were driving on Petrol. Initially I was quite worried and I was under the apprehension that Petrol is also getting used along with CNG. But that just didn’t make sense as while on CNG, the injectors would just cut off and when on Petrol, the CNG injectors would get cut off from the actuator. I took to my retrofitter to diagonize this issue quite a few times and we also ruled out that CNG and petrol are getting mixed. It turned out that it was an issue with the fuel gauge. This issue is persistent in most of the cars who show Distance to Empty in their instrument cluster. Pursuant to that, I talked to various mechanics specialised in CNG and they told me that all i-VETCs when they come for CNG installation, there is a fuel gauge relay that they install which prevents the fuel gauge to shoe faulty readings, but I was not able to procure the same kind of relay for my Figo. The fuel gauge one dipped completely wouldn’t come back to its original position unless the car was refueld. It seemed that when the car was refueled, the fuel gauge would get refreshed and would show accurate reading. Again, as an when the car would run, instrument cluster thinking that the car is running on petrol would bring down the fuel gauge. I did an extensive research on this and went through multiple automotive forums to find a comprehensive solution to this issue, but there were many crippled up with this issue living with dipped fuel gauges.

FUEL PUMP FAILURE

I would like to emphasise on this very issue because Fuel Pump in my Figo failed 3 times. Yes, you read that right. since the instrument cluster didn’t show accurate fuel readings, it became literally impossible for me to figure out how much fuel was left in the car. I couldn’t always do a tank full as I had prior experiences of fuel line leakages due to worn out hoses. I once filled up 40 liters of fuel on my way to Mumbai, and guess what all 40 liters of fuel dripped off on my way due to a worn out hose. So there was this one time I guess when the car was on really low fuel and I was pushing it. The thing with sequential kit is that even when your car is running on CNG, the fuel pump will keep on running. It will send the fuel to the fuel rail and the fuel will return through the fuel return line. This process in my opinion reduces the quality of fuel drastically when it continuously pumped again and again. So one fine day, the car refused to start and upon inspection, it was determined that the fuel pump had gone bad. The entire fuel pump assembly was difficult to find and expensive too. So I went ahead by replacing the fuel pump motor. When you skip replacing the assembly and just replace the motor, don’t expect smooth idling. My idling was pretty messed up and there were frequent misfires while idling. Every year or so, the fuel pump motor failed and I had to replace. There were also instances when the fuel pump motor failed owning to bad fuel. In my opinion, such issues are common to arise in sequential CNG cars hence it is very important to frequently run your car on petrol mode. What happens is when you do a tank full in a CNG car, the petrol barely gets used because most of the time, the car is running on CNG. The advantage of this is that the Fuel Pump will never run dry hence there are very less chances of fuel pump failure. On the other hand, the fuel will get stale over time and it will lose its effectiveness. Do note that messed up fuel can not only blow your fuel pump motor, but it can also mess the injectors and the damage so on and so forth cant even be imagined. Hence, it is quite debatable whether to get a tank full done or not. Probably half a tank would work well provided you frequently consume petrol even in a CNG car.

Transmission Glitch

So this issue would just pop up in monsoons. Whenever my car used to pass through a road with a bit of accumulated water, or if water could anyway touch the transmission chamber, the gear stick would become weirdly hard. It would at times become so hard that shifting gears became worrisome. Pursuant to a hard gear lever, the overall engine performance would drop and the car would pull in a too laggy manner. After a while, I could literally feel the heat from the transmission tunnel. This issue was only faced during monsoons and I showed it to a few mechanics, they didn't seem to have explanation as to what caused this issue. As weird as it sounds, but this issue would really irritate me especially on highways when driving through wet roads was inevitable which would result in a hard shift and power loss.

The Biggest Issue which made me let her go!

Over a period of time, the brakes were not as effective as they needed to be. I had to literally stand on the brake pedal in case of emergency braking and my usage which was mostly pertaining to long highway drives, it made my experience quite worrisome. My parents were strictly against using a car with such issues and immediately sent me to the Authrozied Ford Service Center to get the brake pads and the rotors changes. I had a 10% discount code and the final bill amount of OEM Pads, Rotors and labour came around to 6k. To our surprise, after getting the brake components changes, we did not see any positive changes. Infact, the brakes had worsened. Upon a detailed inspection by the Head Service Techician spending almost an hour on this, he suggested that there might a vacuum leak in the air intake. Since it was an after-market installed CNG kit, he totally raised his hands and refused to help with this issue apart from getting the entire Air Intake system changed which according to him would solve this problem.

Nevertheless, they removed the new parts on my instruction and took it back and got the old parts back in place. Upon a detailed research I carried out on my own, I realized that in CNG cars, there is always a small amount of Vaccum Leak which cannot be prevented. Since literal holes are drilled in the Air Intake system to make way for the fuel fail and the fuel injectors, it is technically impossible to prevent a very minute amount of vacuum leak. Hence what I observed is CNG cars usually have a bit weak brakes. I confirmed the same with a friend of mine who was facing the same issue with this 2014 Honda City vx i-vtec CNG. Even he complained that his brake pedal would get hard at low rpms. Since anyways low vacuum is created at low speed and upon that, the unpreventable small leak, the brake really becomes ineffective.

The End

This was the turning point when I realized to let go of my first car. I had imagined since a long time that letting her go would be one of the most difficult decisions of my life. But as its said, it is what it is. Pursuant to my usages on long highway trips and distant drives, Figo didn’t gave me that confidence because every time I took it out on a trip, it would either end on a flatbed or a local garage. With time I realized, that the car is 10 years and it did start to show its age. Braking had drastically degraded. Now it was time

So the search began. I had thought of a few conditions for selling her off. First, it should be in the same city where I stay. Secondly, the new owner should be a car enthusiast. Third, I should get to see it whenever I want. So apparently, when word spread of us selling off Figo and due to our image in market for keeping our cars in pridtine conditions, my dad’s acquaintance showed up on Dussherra, 2021. He saw the car and fell in love with it. Said he wanted to take delivery that day itself. I was not mentally prepared to let her go off so soon. After a discussion and negotiation of price, he handed over the token amount which literally gave tears in my eyes. The token amount meant, the time has really come for her to go. As it was afternoon when the deal was closed, and since he wanted to take delivery on Dusshera itself considering it was an auspicious day, we decided to hand over the car on that day itself. I had my lunch and cleaned the car. Washed it myself, removed all my stuff from inside ( my friends literally said that I’ve kept my car as my home since I had all essentials from tooth-brushes to undergarments, shoes, slides and even some emergency snacks in my cars.

And then, it took it out for a “one last drive”. I did one last pull on my Figo and it felt as if the she was communicating with me. She wanted me to go pedal to metal. After a short spin, I came back home and got a garland. I applied Tika on the Bonnet, Engine and the steering and I thanked her always being there for me and always protecting my life. I finally bid her adieu in the evening with a heavy heart. Not gonna lie, but I cried for her more than I’ve cried for any girl. She was different. She had her own set of issues, she was moody, she strangled me many times on barren roads, I sometimes hated her, but that’s how it goes. Our Love and Hate Relationship….

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I was also considering the Tata Tiago JTP and the Volkswagen Polo 1.0L TSI at the time of purchase.

BHPian jecenth recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello BHPians,

After being a member and regular reader of Team-bhp for close to 2 years, I gathered the courage to add a thread on this forum about my ownership experience of Figo 1.5 TDCi. I believe this thread will be valuable for existing Ford owners and someone considering a Pre-worshipped Ford. Here it goes:

The Decision

I have completed my studies; Got a job offer in my hand and as a family, we were moving into the next phase of life. I always dreamt of having a car of my own at this point in life and went ahead with the decision by February 2020.

Why Figo?

Due to the fact this is our first car and our budget, we decided to go for a hatchback. Since I will be driving this car extensively, I wanted it to be a bit on the sportier side.

I considered Tiago JTP due to its powertrain and being a special car but it was discontinued at that point and searching for the left-over stock would be a pain as they were only retailed through limited dealerships.

Maruti Swift was not considered as they have terrible safety records. Also, they are ubiquitous on-road and lacks exclusivity.

Figo was an easy decision as it offered good value for money while also having a sporty quotient. I bizarrely liked the fact that Figo is rare on roads. Initially, petrol was considered but after going through almost all Figo ownership threads in Team-BHP and praises for the 1.5TDCi motor finalized our First Car ever was going to be a Ford Figo Titanium 1.5TDCi and booked it by end of February 2020.

Buying Experience:

The time I decided to buy my car was a tumultuous period for both the Indian auto industry and the entire Planet. The switch from BS4 to BS6 mandated by the Regulatory body and the Covid-19 pandemic substantially extended my waiting period from the initial 1 month to 4 months. Also, Ford when launching BS6 variants decided to cut a lot of features from the Figo Titanium variant and hiked the price by Rs 30k throughout the range. This pushed me to go for the higher Titanium Blu variant by extending our budget. I liked the Blu variant due to its resemblance with the Sports variant except for the excessive usage of decals.

In the meantime, while I was waiting and writing emails to Ford India to get an idea of when they will be able to deliver my car, VW Polo 1.0 TSI was launched. I almost cancelled my booking to go for it, but the higher driving cost for petrol and infamous service bills kept me from it.

The experience was pretty rough, but can't blame it on anyone due to the change in the world order. The car was finally delivered on June 24, 2020. I was smiling ear to ear when I first saw the car in night lights coming to me.

Somewhere near Shivmogga

What I like:

• The Steering; Though on the lighter side, it has a good amount of feel
• The 1.5TDCi motor; Linear and punchy
• The Handling
• Decent brakes
• Trouble-free ownership and low running costs

What I don't like:

• No Sync 3; Big miss
• Below average infotainment system
• Not-so-rev-happy engine post 3k rpm
• Poor headlights
• DPF issues in BS6 diesel.

Driving experience:

The big point to talk about Figo has to be its driving experience. The car is mostly unexciting in other aspects. The hero of the show has to be the 1.5 TDCi motor. A capable motor with a healthy amount of torque in the lower rev-band. It responds strongly from 1,200rpm all the way to 4000rpm. The torque delivery is very linear and peak torque is achieved at 2000rpm which is good enough to pin you to the seat in lower gears. The motor is not so revving happy post 2500rpm with a boomy sound. But I have been using Cetane X (diesel additive) which counters those characteristics. The 5-speed transmission is a bit clunky but gets the job done. The gear shift quality and feedback are not the best. The gear ratios are on the shorter side which also compliments the overall driveability. It has enough pull even in 5th gear at triple digits which comes very handy in highways.

The clutch is on the heavier side but one will easily get used to it. I personally appreciate the heaviness after experiencing ultra-soft clutches in TATAs and Hyundais which I find tough to modulate. The NVH levels are average inside the cabin. The brake though good is not good enough at triple-digit speeds. Also, the ABS is too intrusive, gets triggered easily. The suspension setup is on the stiffer side, the ride on the pothole-filled roads will be harsh and uncomfortable especially when the car is fully loaded. The steering has a good amount of feel. It is feather-light at parking speeds and weighs up linearly. Though it weighs up adequately, at high speeds I would prefer a little more heft in steering. I thoroughly enjoyed and exploited its handling ability in Ghat roads to Kodaikanal which remains my favourite drive to date. However, at high-speed cornering in highways, the body roll will be evident enough to make you lift off.

Overall, it's a great car to drive even in stock form.

Post a spirited drive in Kodai Ghats

The remap itch:

I got the itch mostly from reading Team-BHP forums. I decided to get the car remapped after running 10k on odo. The hunt for tuner was finalized after extensively reading some Team-BHP forums and online research. It was Wolf-performance. But they don't have a dealership in Chennai. They travel to Chennai but not frequently.

I went on a road trip with friends to Karnataka for New year 2022 and decided to get remapped from Engineering Exponent (Wolf Performance Bangalore dealer). I was late by 3 hours to the venue due to Bangalore traffic but they were kind enough to work late at night. A big thumbs-up to the team.

Post remap experience:

I have driven 2000kms post to remap. I find the engine note is changed. It sounds a bit coarse and dry compared to stock. I can hear the turbo spool post 2000rpm. The low end is improved than stock but not up to what I imagined in my head after reading in forums (My bad). It can be felt when pulling comfortably from 40kmph in 5th gear. I was told the map was a bit aggressive and linear. The significant difference of the remap can be felt post 1800rpm with a deep surge of torque. It feels brutal in lower gears, pins you into the seat. I find myself often revving the car to feel this push. It turned lively in every gear. The fuel efficiency has improved considerably. When driving within speed limits on highways, I can easily extract 22+ km/l which is another good side but can go as low as 14kmpl when driven aggressively. This remap have unleashed the hooligan in this motor. The push even at triple digits in 5th gear was significant.

At Engineering Exponent, Bangalore.

Ford's DPF complaints:

BS6 1.5TDCi owners have experienced problems with DPFs when driven to city extents. But I haven't experienced any such in my car so far. Mostly due to the fact I drive it in highways often. I have received a recall letter from Ford for a software fix for DPF issues but I'm going to skip this as this will erase my remapped file. Also planning for a stage 2 setup later this year.

Ford's service has been prompt and easy on pocket even post Ford's exit. The second service costs INR 6000. I had to change my front brake pads at 17,000kms as they were finished mostly due to my driving style. No unwarranted hassles with the car so far. Hope it stays this way.

Addio!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I also considered the Volkswagen Taigun, Kia Seltos and/or Kia Sonet as possible alternates.

BHPian swapzero recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am in the market for an automatic SUV/ CSUV with a budget of ~ Rs 16 lakh to replace my 2010 Figo Petrol.

Usage: Primarily in the city. But plan/aspire to go for long drives up to 1000 km once every month or two.

What's important?

• Hassle-free, easy maintenance car that I can hold for 8-10 years.
• Also a pleasure (if not downright fun) to drive. I am not an aggressive driver and would rarely cross 110/120 km/h so not looking for outright performance.
• Will be driven by my wife and my mother as well, so it should be easy to drive.
• Good safety
• Good road manners in City and highway.
• Decent ground clearance - Figo keeps scrapping bumpers when carrying 4/5 passengers.

Few doubts on S Cross:

• Would the 4-speed Torque Converter be sufficient for highway driving?
• Also, is it worth paying a premium of 1.6 L for Alpha for the LED headlights? Reading the thread on LED headlights I am confused on whether they are actually better than halogen or not.
• Does the lack of rear ac vents makes a difference. Any inputs from existing owners would be valuable.

Cars considered:

1. Volkswagen Taigun – Really liked the looks. But mom did not find the car footwell wide enough. Nor did she find the armrest position useful. Also not sure about the long term ASS. Hence it’s out of the race.
2. Maruti Suzuki S-Cross – Liked the front and rear seat comfort. Did a TD on city roads and found it easy to drive.
3. Kia Seltos/ Sonet - Haven’t done a TD yet. But the looks look too flashy for my taste with the excess chrome treatment. Plus the low NCAP ratings.
4. Honda City and Jazz - City has always been a dream car. But ruling out due to lack of Ground Clearance.

Here's what BHPian Eddy had to say on the matter:

I think it is universally accepted that the Zeta is the most VFM variant in S-Cross. I was in a similar dilemma 6 years back and chose Zeta. Not a single regret.

Here's what BHPian Everlearner had to say on the matter:

The additional features in SCross alpha are LED headlights, LED taillights, DRL, rain-sensing wipers and seat upholstery. You need to take a call whether you want these features and if you are OK to pay a premium of more than 1.5 lakhs.

Not just for SCross. In general, the thumb rule for Maruti cars is that second from top variant provides the best value for money.

The top-end usually have some bling features and they charge quite a premium for it.

Here's what BHPian supremeBaleno had to say on the matter:

Recently I was looking at the SCross AT (or ATs of Brezza/Baleno/Celerio - yeah, I know an odd lot across 3 segments) for my wife and the SCross was what we both loved. And the same question zapped me - Zeta or Alpha? The price difference is substantial and I wasn't sure which to choose.

When I bought the Baleno in 2005, I chose the Lxi (Vxi was only 60K more and within budget), but later wished I had got the top trim because I anyway got alloys, wider tyres & a music system etc added. Plus the driver seat height adjustment, rear spoiler etc would have been good to have.

So decided that henceforth for any new car, I will get only the top trim.

I listed out the differences between the top 3 variants for my reference - hope it helps you in making a decision.

The features at the bottom of the pic are common to all trims.

Here's what BHPian DieselAnna had to say on the matter:

Hi,

I own an S-Cross 1.3 Alpha 2019 model. Sharing my observations with you here:

• The TC Gearbox is sufficient to haul normal loads. But during heavy loads, you should expect some underwhelming performance.
• The Alpha Headlights are white LED projectors. Please note, they will be just sufficient in city driving and you will have to upgrade for highway driving. So, it is a risk of voiding the warranty. I upgraded the fog lights instead. Also, the stock Alpha lights are useless in rains. In Zeta, you could do a simple bulb upgrade.
• You won't miss the rear AC vents since MSIL ACs are very good in any condition. With simple additions like window curtains and 3m film, I am very much satisfied with the AC. I keep it at 24-25 always in Mumbai.
• You are right about the leather seats. It won't hold on for 8-10 years. Mine is showing some ageing as the sheen is gone.
• The car is very easy to drive with perfect ergonomics and good seating position. The ladies of the house will find no problems there.
• City and Highway road manners are spot-on. There is never a nervous moment. You'll miss a bigger engine here as the car is capable of more power.
• GC is not an issue anywhere on normal city/rural roads. Be aware of the approach angle at some tight slopes of building entrances. I have scraped my front tow hook (below the bumper) twice.
• It's a pretty much-sorted car with good space and a roomy cabin, which is difficult to find in that segment.

Hope the above helps you in making the choice.

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