Ford has finally updated the Figo after almost four years with a mid-life facelift. The Blue Oval hatchback now gets tweaked cosmetic changes, revised feature list, rejigged variants and new petrol engine options under the hood. Meanwhile, its direct rival in the B-segment (after the Maruti Suzuki Swift), the Hyundai Grand i10, received its last update almost two years ago. Now before the new-gen Grand i10 comes around, here is how the updated Figo goes up against the Korean hatchback.
Exterior and design:
The Figo receives only mild tweaks to the styling and not a drastic makeover. There is a revised bumper design both fore and aft. There are added bits on the bumpers to keep the design fresh, but apart from that, there are no changes to overall styling. There are extended chrome bezels for the fog lamps along with a new mesh grille. However, Ford’s hatchback still doesn’t come with LED lights or day-time-running lights. The decals add sportiness to the hatch but, truth be told, the Figo needed more cosmetic updates with the facelift.
The Grand i10 was introduced in 2013, and it received a comprehensive facelift two years back which saw the inclusion of LED DRLs and revised bumpers. The styling of the Grand i10 is curvier compared to the muscular appeal of the Figo. However, a new-generation Gran i10 is on its way and is expected to reach our shores later this year. The Grand i10 measures 3765x1660x1520mm compared to Figo’s 3886x1695x1525mm.
Interior and Features:
The biggest change to the Figo’s cabin comes in the form of a seven-inch touchscreen system but it misses out on the SYNC3 system. The all-black cabin remains more or less unchanged apart from the BLU treatment in the top-spec which includes blue highlights and fabric upholstery with contrast blue stitching. The new features list now has dual airbag and ABS as standard along with rear parking sensors. The top-spec Titanium BLU trims come with rain sensing wipers, auto headlamps, automatic AC, leather-wrapped steering wheel, bigger 15-inch alloy wheels and six airbags.
The Grand i10’s cabin is very familiar and ergonomic, to say the least. It comes with all the bells and whistles expected from a B-segment hatchback like the seven-inch touchscreen, climate control, driver height adjust, cooled glovebox and more. However, the layout of the Grand i10 now looks dated and is in need of a major overhaul, which will surely happen with the new generation.
Powertrain:
The new Figo offers a choice between two petrol engines – a 1.2-litre petrol and a bigger 1.5-litre – from the Dragon family. The former produces 95bhp and 120Nm and comes with a five-speed manual transmission while the latter gets a six-speed torque converter. The diesel, meanwhile, is the same old 1.5-litre unit which produces 99bhp and 215Nm. There is also the possibility of a CNG option with the new Figo, but that will come at a later date.
The Grand i10 is powered by a 1.2-litre Kappa engine that develops 81bhp and 114Nm which is mated to a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic gearbox. It's the same old 1.2-litre three-cylinder diesel engine which continues to be housed under the hood with 74bhp and 190Nm and comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox only.
