The Ford Figo, also known as the Ford Ka, had been developed especially for the developing BRICS markets. At the 2016 Sao Paolo Auto Show held in Brazil, Ford had showcased a crossover based on the Ford Ka and named it the Ka Trail. The car has been spotted sans camouflage for the first time in Brazil and should go on sale in near future.
Knowing the Indians’ love for crossovers and SUVs, the Ka Trail might very well become the Figo Trail and compete with the likes of the Toyota Etios Cross, the VW Cross Polo, the Hyundai i20 Active and the upcoming Honda WR-V.
The crossover visibly sits higher than the standard Ka and gets 15-inch alloy wheels. The fascia is the same with the Aston Martin-esque grille and the swept back headlamps. The fog-lamp design has been changed and the front bumper gets a little bash-plate underneath. The alloys and mirrors have gone all-black and the sides get black-orange Trail decals. The roof-rails add to the crossover character. There are hardly any changes in the back except for the larger rear bumper.
On the inside, the cabin is exactly the same as found in the Ford Figo hatchback and the Ford Aspire compact sedans and will be spacious and comfortable. The features list for india wll replicated the fellow Fords. Under the hood, you will have the 1.2-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine and the 1.5-litre 100bhp diesel engine, both mated to five-speed manual gearboxes. With the lack of popularity of the 1.5-litre petrol with the dual-clutch automatic gearbox options, it might not make it to the Figo Trail in India.
With the Brazil launch around the corner, there is a good chance that the Ford Figo Trail might come to India by the end of 2017. With Ford’s recent campaign to change its high maintenance image to a cost competitive car maker, a budget crossover would certainly be an ideal addition to the product portfolio.
