Ford Figo

The Ford Figo has always been the sporty choice in its segment. And this time around, Ford has dialled up the performance by introducing two new and more powerful petrol engines along with a new manual gearbox in the lineup. The new 1.2-litre petrol has been borrowed from the Aspire, whereas the 1.5-litre petrol motor is the same unit which powers the EcoSport. The latter comes with a 6-speed torque converter while the smaller petrol motor comes mated to the new Getrac-sourced 5-speed manual. The 1.5-litre diesel engine though has been retained, but now, it also comes with the new 5-speed manual transmission. Ford has replaced the older S variant with a new flagship Titanium Blu variant which gets bigger 15-inch alloy wheels, blacked out elements and stiffer suspension setup.

From the outside, changes on the 2019 Figo facelift are purely cosmetic. It now gets a blacked-out mesh grille in the flagship Titanium Blu variant. The Blu also gets blacked-out 15-inch alloy wheels, contrast roof, black decals on the side and rear, and blacked-out ORVM covers as well. The mid-spec Titanium variant, however, gets a chrome mesh grille and 14-inch silver alloy wheels. The base Ambiente variant has to make do with 14-inch steel wheels only.

The Ford Figo facelift retains the basic layout of the older dashboard, but gets new elements like the floating touchscreen and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Other elements like the instrument cluster and the centre console remain the same. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes with four speakers, but this unit isn't the same as the Aspire and misses out on Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. On the upside though, the car now gets automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers and push-button start/stop.

The 2019 Ford Figo facelift is available with three engine options - a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel, a new 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder and a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol. The latter two are new additions to the lineup and have been borrowed from the Aspire and the EcoSport, respectively. Ford has also thrown in a new Getrac-sourced 5-speed manual and a 6-speed torque convertor into the mix. The 1.2-litre petrol engine makes 96PS of power and 120Nm of torque, mated to the new 5-speed manual gearbox. The bigger 1.5-litre petrol motor is good for 123PS and 150Nm and is only available in the Titanium variant with a 6-speed torque converter. The 1.5-litre diesel has been retained, but is now mated to a new 5-speed manual transmission. It makes 100PS of power and 215Nm of torque. Claimed fuel economy stands at 25.5kmpl for the diesel, 20.4kmpl for the smaller petrol and 16.3kmpl for the more powerful petrol.

The 2019 Ford Figo Facelift is available in three variants and three engine options. The base Ambiente variant can be had with the 1.2-litre petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel engine. All three engine options are only available in the mid-spec Titanium variant. Like the Ambiente, the flagship Titanium Blu variant is also available with the 1.2-litre petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel engine only. And though it is the sportiest of the three, it can’t be had with the sporty engine choice, which is a bit disheartening.

Maruti-Suzuki Swift
The Swift’s value for money quotient, high efficiency and its fun to drive nature has made it immensely popular in the country. It has been topping the sales charts in its segment for years now and is a permanent member in the list of top 10 cars, in terms of sales in the country. But, we strongly wish the Swift offered better safety.

KUV100
The Mahindra KUV100 is the only SUV-like hatchback in this segment. Its muscular design, fuel-efficient diesel engine and unique seating arrangement make it a compelling buy, while things like engine noise and excessive body roll make it less desirable.

Hyundai Grand i10
Hyundai’s Swift rival offers a premium interior feel, efficient yet peppy diesel engine and a long list of features. And all of this without burning a hole in your pocket. Also, a new model is just around the corner.

The new petrol engine puts the Figo back in contention and there are no major downsides now apart from the fact that the Figo doesn’t feel modern and upmarket despite the updates.