[blackwasp]

These two cars were Ford's attempt at doing a "Maruti". With a lighter build than the usual Fords, clean but boring styling, softer driving experience and an electric steering, this offering is quite different from the 1st-gen Figo / Fiesta. That said, the two cars are still a heck of a lot of fun and Ford has continually improved them since launch! Because they flopped in the market, the twins can be picked up for an attractive price in the used market. Our top choice would be the stonking 1.5L diesel, but the petrol is competent too.

Positives

• A well-priced car in the used market. Extremely good value-for-money
• Aston Martin-esque face still looks very stylish!
• Well-packaged cabin offers good legroom, lots of features and a chilling air-con
• 1.5L diesel is a cracker of an engine. Will make you grin wide !
• Peppy 95 BHP 3-cylinder petrol is sweet (avoid the lethargic 1.2L 4-cylinder of early cars)
• Good ride quality & decent handling. You can have a lot of fun with these chuckable cars
• Titanium+ variant gets 6 airbags, while the 1.5 AT has ESP
• Features such as that awesome touchscreen HU, auto headlamps & wipers, reversing camera etc.
• Transparent + reasonable service costs
• Owners have reported good reliability with their Fords

Negatives

• Looked old & bland at launch, and feels rather outdated today (inside & out)
• 1.2L is good for a 3-cylinder engine, but the 4-cylinder 1.2s from Maruti, Hyundai & gang are superior
• Lighter build is a departure from the usual Ford sturdiness. Some interior plastics do feel cheap
• Cabin width makes the Figo / Aspire suited to 4 adults, not 5
• Automatic doesn't come in the top variant with 6 airbags. Also, avoid the earlier dual-clutch ATs
• Aspire's 359-liter boot is among the smaller ones in the segment
• Rear headroom is limited. Headliner brushes the heads of taller passengers
• Some missing essentials (dead pedal, full-size spare tyre) & some deleted (leather seats, height-adjustable seatbelts)
• Later year models don't come with the brilliant SYNC 3 infotainment
• A bit uncertain of how the long-term after-sales will be, with the Mahindra-Ford JV

Related Threads

• Official Reviews - Figo Facelift, Aspire Facelift

• giri1.8's Figo 1.5L AT

• tharian's remapped Aspire 1.5L diesel

• joe_lightspeed's modified Figo

• bhuvan_prasad's 2016 Figo Diesel

• KreativeGeek's Blue Oval, Aspire

• auto_enthusiast's 90,000 km done Aspire

• karan561's video review of his car

• espraveen's 1.16L km done Figo

Mod Potential:

A remap will make the 1.5L diesel fly! Some members have even got lowering springs. That aside, the mod potential is similar to any mass market hatchback.


Source (PICS : Tastefully Modified Cars in India)

Availability:

Fair, but both cars flopped, so supply is obviously not like a Swift / Dzire. Still, you can find a good car for a VFM price without that much effort. Because the car ages quickly (visually), many owners are bored of their Figos & Aspires. If you get the rare Sports edition, pick it up with your eyes shut, then come back and tell us how much fun you're having. The taller Freestyle is a more recent launch & hence, its supply is too limited in the pre-owned bazaar. Check out some of the examples on sale here.

[GTO]

Cars like these have taught me that you don't need to spend a lot of money to have fun. One can have a blast, even on a budget. I vividly remember eating a wholesome lunch at Sunny's Dhaba, then tearing down the empty Lonavla ghat in a Figo. Man, that was fun ! Some people call me crazy, but I genuinely have as much fun in a sorted + chuckable hatchback like this, as I do in cars costing 10 - 30 times more. Am not a purist - I love competent small cars as much I like my AMGs, V8s & Italian machinery. Small + cheap + chuckable greatly appeals to me, if there is a lovely engine under the hood (that eliminates cars like the i20 1.2L and Triber 1.0, mind you). For me, the engine makes the car and the stupidly awesome 1.5L TDCi really defines the Figo / Aspire / Freestyle. I'm so glad this motor didn't die in BS6 & Ford continues to support it.

Voted an emphatic yes.

Another look at BHPian saurabh041086's mean ride:

[TheHelix0202]

The diesel is really competent. Was in a taxi once and the guy literally floored it past unmentionable 1xx speeds. But that being said, I wouldn't really want to get one of these from the used car market, because there are plenty of better alternatives.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Figo gives incredible value as a new car - the Titanium Blu Diesel with 6 airbags costs only 8.15 lakhs, cheaper than mid variants of some rivals. This makes it even better value when used, and the Ford isn't really known for resale value.

I would keep an eye on a used Figo Aspire Diesel, if I were in the market with the budget for a new entry level petrol hatchback like the Celerio or the Grand i10.

[Shreyans_Jain]

I voted yes but there are only two variants I would consider. The top end Titanium Plus with the 1.5 Diesel. Or the same trim with the 1.5 AT. A super rare model. Otherwise, I’ll pass.

[Abhi5868]

Voted YES!!! But only for the titanium+/blu variant with the diesel mill. The latest generation Figo retail inside the price width of second generation Dzire/Swift. That'll make it a wonderful proposition.

As a college student who might be on a budget in future, I'll specially vouch for this car. The maintenances are pretty cheap and they're fairly reliable if taken care of. Also this car should be bought in it's manual guise, automatics for such a size may be overkill IMO.

[giri1.8]

I am having so much fun on my Figo AT, I do sometimes think about getting an manual diesel and remap it for some track day fun

Low service and overall maintenance cost, practical cabin, superb dynamics makes this an ideal choice in the used car market. Rivals of similar spec and age might cost at least couple of lakhs more, which could be used to mod the Figo for more performance. So this one is a YES for me.

[arindambasu13]

Voted a resounding yes. My reasons:

1. The obvious one- the Ford TDCI motor is an absolute cracker, in whichever car it powers. All the cars that come with this engine absolutely flies, especially in the 2000-3500 RPM range which is where I do most of my driving. ALso has the added benefit of great low end driveability at normal city speeds. The Figo and Aspire are top picks in the below 10 lakh rupee segment, and one cannot go wrong if one is looking to have a involving driving experience on a reasonable budget. [Disclaimer - am on the booking period for the Ecosport with the TDCI engine and am expecting delivery this weekend, so I am somewhat biased towards this engine ]

2. Reliability. The engine and mechanicals have gone through many iterations and are a tried and tested combination. I cannot stress enough the importance of a reliable vehicle which gives adequate peace of mind, especially if it is a daily driver. Add to this the reasonable service costs and general hassle free ownership experience of most new age Fords.

3. Looks: I like the design language of all Ford vehicles currently on sale in India. Call the Figo/ Aspire boring if you will, however, I am and have always been a sucker for clean and uncluttered lines, and the Figo and Aspire have clean design in spades. Granted, most people will not look at them twice but that is exactly how I like my cars to be - understated, with clean and proportionate lines.

4. Ride and handling : Though slightly on the stiffer side, Ford invariably works their magic when designing their suspension systems to offer a lovely mix of ride and handling. Steering feel is a dying attribute these days, and I always respect manufacturers like Ford who continue to have it on their to-do list when designing the mechanical components of a car. Granted, these are not hydraulic units, but they do offer a good mix of ease of operation and feel, certainly better than most others in the mass market space.

5. Pricing: Fords are still reasonably priced, especially for the features they offer, and therefore, form a compelling proposition when it comes to the used car market.

The only gripe I have with the Aspire is the overly bright beige interiors, prefer all black interiors on the Figo, Freestyle and Ecosport.

[KPR]

I've voted No.

Actually speaking a 1.5 TDCI ford Figo is quite VFM as new when a top end of swift MT petrol retails at close to 9.5L. So why go towards a used one when you get a VFM new car? Moreover what I see in Ford is that their cars age very well and are keepers for sure unlike Asian manufactured cars. So better to buy a brand new than a used one.

[2000rpm]

A Figo is a head purchase. Period. (cant be a heart purchase)

The Figo ticks all the boxes, but I just cant live with the looks of the car!

Looks are a hygiene factor for me, especially in the used car segment where same price can give you options from hatchback segments (B & B+), Sedans (C & D Segments), CSUVs.

[jigar1791@gmail]

Thumping YES

Reasons -
1. 1.5 TDCi : Gem of an engine, old-school no non-sense, proven and reliable DOHC engine. Sure to give you a wide smile everytime you revv it up to the redline. Outright performance better than a couple of C2 sedans

2. Ford DNA - though compromised, much better than the competition offers. Theory - something is atleast better than nothing

3. Spares and Maintenance - since the Figo and the Aspire were mass market offerings from Ford, easy availability of spares will not leave you worried in case of part replacement/repairs

4. Maintenance - on par with Maruti, more or less. Got a couple of Ecosports in family, having done about 70-80K kms over the last 6 years, annual service bills are well within the range to have no complaints on it

Thoughts to ponder before deciding on your purchase -
1. Availability of well kept samples
2. Your trusted FNG's knowledge on Ford cars, in case you wish to skip the A.S.S for whatever reason !

[evilmessiah]

Yes, even though there is one already present at home.

The diesel is the one to go for. Though it is somewhat old school, it is peppy, fuel efficient, largely reliable, can cream its peers in its stock form and much more expensive cars when remapped.

An actual unicorn is the rare 1.5 dragon petrol mated to a 6 speed torque converter AT. This thing was no slouch either and would be super convenient and fun in the city. Good luck finding someone who would part with this. Why Ford didn't market this well is a mystery for the ages.

Ones to avoid are the old 1.2 petrol and the 1.5 4 cylinder petrol that had the Powershift dual clutch auto.

This car is comfortable too. I have done 500 km long trips in this car and none of the occupants were tired at the end of the day. The powerful AC is a boon too. I found the seats to be comfortable as well. Creature comforts are good. There are some thoughtful features that makes me happy (like the rear wiper that does a wipe when I shift into reverse while it is raining and when the front wipers are on). I find the creature comforts to be pretty good.

Though steering feedback is incomparable to the older Fords, it is loads better than what the competition has to offer. It is compromised for sure, but I can live with this.

I have found the spares to be on the cheaper side. Service in Kochi didn't seem too bad either.

Drawbacks include the following:

- Light build. This is quite real. It just doesn't feel as solid and well put together like an Ecosport or even its predecessor. Even the paint seems to be thin and easily scratched. However, I would pick even this cut-rate Ford over a Maruti anyday.

- Interior is dark and gloomy. Though I can put up with it, I can also understand why people would go and buy an i20 after having sat in a Figo (and without driving it).

- Some interior parts have poor quality and a higher failure rate than normal (eg: power window switches, the steering audio control buttons, the plastic cover for the driver height adjustment lever, etc.)

- Nitpicking, but I would have loved to have an armrest on the Figo.

- Lack of actually good pre-owned examples. Passionate owners of these seldom sell their well maintained cars. For the record the two cars on this forum which I would buy with my eyes closed are Tharian's Aspire Sports and joe_lightspeed's Figo hatch. Hard to find such well cared for examples on the market.

[ashenoy]

Voted yes!

I drive a 2016 Figo 1.5 DCT, and yes, the DCT did give me trouble. But, Ford replaced the DCT under warranty and the car has been working flawlessly since. Maintenance costs have been very low and other than the DCT glitch, I have had absolutely no cause for complaint with the car. The slightly softer suspension makes is a really good city commuter too.

I am on the lookout for a Aspire 1.5 AT and will purchase one as soon as I locate a suitable car.

[kanishka88]

Voted Yes with a +1000!

What an astonishing surprise Ford has been for me. While growing up, Ford was perceived an expensive to maintain fun to drive brand. Then came in the phase where American brands = no reliability, no concerns for fuel efficiency, cheap material. And now I see Ford as a perfect balance between German build quality, Japanese reliability and Korean flashiness. Yes, Fords do not excel on anyone of the front than the respective benchmark holder but having owned a Maruti, Hyundai, Audi, Mini and a Ford over the years I can confidently recommend 1 to an average Joe.

PS: My ES is in the garage having met with an accident. They way ford responded end to end from towing away the car to having an empathetic approach by the staff on the accident has been just amazing. i receive daily updates on the progress and how soon I will receive my car. What more can 1 ask from a mass commuter brand?

[IshWish]

A big YES!

Being a proud owner of both Figo (Nov 2014- 1.5D - 1.25 lakhs odo) and Figo Aspire (March 2019- 1.5D - 25k odo), I can vouch for Ford's diesel mill . Its a hoot to drive and highly dependable engine. I can also vouch for Ford's ASS. It is many times better than Marutis and Hyundais.