Ford Aspire

Synopsis

Ford has been struggling a long way to get one of its product the super hit tag and the aspiring contestant this time is the new Ford Figo Aspire. Being a compact sedan, it houses everything by utilizing even the smallest possible millimetre of the 4 meter range, making it ready for the fight in the Maruti Suzuki Dzire headed section of the automobile market. Ford has worked well this time, missing on not even a single issue and feature from their newcomer. The car has been priced very competitively @ Rs. 4.89 lakhs for the base petrol model, Rs. 5.89 lakhs for the base diesel model and Rs. 7.79 lakhs for the automatic petrol model with dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Exterior

The design has been shared with the next generation of Figo hatchback, the one which is yet to come to the Indian market. It comes with a fish face design, its chrome 4-lined grill resembling the mouth and its sparkling Punto type headlights to the eyes. Had it been a submarine, the comparison would have worked more effectively. The visuals are great and the first look would definitely make you stare at it again. The Aspire gets a wise use of chrome at the rear also but unfortunately, the same can be found on the Dzire as well as the other cars in the segment. The only thing which distinguishes the Aspire is its good looking rear lights and obviously, the Ford symbol. Designing has been done with full dedication in its case and it will surely make a mark on the charts.

Interior

The Figo Aspire gets the same interior as most of the sedans get; a black and beige combination with decent inserts on all the doors. The dashboard has been borrowed from the EcoSport, making it look good on their new sedan. Interior gets a lot of space and the seats are gently covered with beige all around. Being compact would not get into the comfort of the passengers as the car is loaded with features from the bottom to the top. The adjustable headrests at the back look good and the armrest adds to the passenger comfort. Quick storage options all around makes the car feels more close to the passengers.

Instrument Console

The Figo Aspire gets the same instrument console as the Ford's very own EcoSport. The dials are Blue and get a clean finish with no makeover done to it. The center part has the speedometer whereas the tachometer stays at the left. Fuel gauge and all other LEDs are placed in to the right portion, with its small display under the speedometer in the center console.

Infotainment System

The car gets a Ford multimedia system with Applink. The system is beautiful and comes with all the necessary input options like AUX, Bluetooth, USB, CD and Navigation, that too with voice control and Applink. The buttons have been arranged the same way as they were in the EcoSport and make the unit a fully utilizable part of the car. The car gets 4 speakers for a better surround sound feel and a roof antenna for Radio reception.

Engine & Performance

The strong part of the Figo Aspire is its powerful and responsive engine options. The car gets a total of 3 engine options, with 2 being petrol and 1 being a diesel one. The petrol motors are the 1.2 L Ti-VCT and 1.5L Ti-VCT. The first one produces 86.8 BHP and 112 NM of torque whereas the later produces 110.5 BHP and 136 NM of torque. The 1.5 L petrol engine gets the option of dual-clutch automatic transmission whereas for the other stays the manual gearbox. The most important engine would be the 1.5 L, 98.6 BHP diesel motor, producing 215 NM of torque. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

Comfort

The car gets all the comfort enhancing features of the segment, which include an automatic climate control system, power steering with audio and voice control buttons, 4.2 inch multi-functional display, power socket for mobile charging provision, power windows and a comfortable shade for interior. Follow me home headlamps make it easy to reach the destination while coming out of the car and the ORVM placed indicators make it easier to give directions. Even the day and night rear view mirror save the passengers from the harsh reflection of the light from the cars behind the Aspire.

Safety

The car becomes the safest of the segment by offering 6 airbags, which includes side and curtain airbags also. Even cars above the segment miss out on the number of airbags, making the Aspire more desirable and safe. The car gets auto door lock at 20 kmph, making it safe to stay inside. It gets ABS and EBD for better braking in the non-ideal road conditions. The central locking and smart key makes it safer and joy to ride.

Shades & Variants

The new Figo Aspire is available in 7 shades namely Oxford White, Ruby Red, Ingot Silver, Deep Impact Blue, Smoke Grey, Sparkling Gold and Tuxedo Black. The car is available in a total of 9 variants, 4 for 1.2 L petrol, 4 for 1.5 L diesel and 1 for the 1.5 L petrol with AT. The classification stays Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium Plus.

Ex-showroom Price

Ford Figo Aspire is priced very competitively @ Rs. 4.89 lakhs for the base petrol model, Rs. 5.89 lakhs for the base diesel model and Rs. 7.79 lakhs for the automatic petrol model with dual-clutch automatic transmission.