Ford Figo 1.2 petrol road test

How well does the Ford Figo 1.2 petrol variant drive compared to its diesel brother? Lets find out.

Everything remains the same on the 1.2 Petrol Figo except the engine when you compare it to the Figo diesel hatchback. So we won’t speak any more on the interiors, exteriors, design and aesthetics – we have already done that in our Ford Figo 1.4 TDCI road test.

The Ford Figo petrol is driven by an all-new 1.2 Duratec engine which belongs to Ford’s Sigma family of engines, which were in turn jointly designed by Mazda. This is an all-aluminum, four cylinder petrol engine with 1196 cc of displacement which makes 71 bhp at 6250 rpm and has a maximum torque of 102Nm at 4000 rpm. (You might also like to read our story on the Ford Figo launch in India)

Mated to the same 5-speed transmission that does the job its diesel variant, the Figo petrol is clearly the more silent of the two, thanks to the petrol engine.

On the move, the engine feels more rev-friendly and smooth. During our road test, the apparent loss of weight as compared to the diesel Figo is evident. With 71 bhp to tap, the car never feels underpowered. The gear ratios are closely mated and feel similar to the ratios on the diesel variant. The Figo’s engine is smooth, but not as smooth as Japanese petrol engines. But nevertheless, we believe the Ford Figo’s petrol is a step up over the ones on the Fusion and the Fiesta.

What we liked on the petrol Figo is its mid range power and its driveability. There are times when when you will need to downshift a gear – like during a quick overtaking.

The Ford Figo in its petrol avatar handles rather well. The suspension setup is identical to that on the diesel that we tested, but the ride quality is slightly different due to the weight-loss on the petrol version. ABS and EBD work well and aid the drive.

Feedback from the steering is impressive as the Ford Figo uses a hydraulic power system which is lively compared to the electronic power systems in some other cars. During our road testing, we took the Figo though some city roads with a bunch of speedbreakers – the Figo handled the bumps without losing composure, and the ground clearance also helped the car glide over bad terrain. The Figo handled most potholes easily, so nothing to worry about there. Related: Chevrolet Beat road test

As with the diesel Figo, the petrol one also does corner well. Braking is impressive and sharp. At times one gets a feeling if the car has an all-disc setup (it has drums are the rear). Related: Volkswagen Polo road test

Ford claims a 0-100kmph acceleration of 15.5 seconds. During our test, we achieved that in 16 seconds. We have spoken a lot about the Figo in the review of its diesel variant – and all of that stand for the petrol version too. The same big car feel and ride quality, that is quite like the big brother Fiesta, is very much there in both the petrol and diesel variants. Handling is pretty sharp and this makes a very good overall package.

Equipment level on the Ford Figo Titanium 1.2 petrol also remains the same. Airbags, ABS, Bluetooth Stereo, Coral dashboard (black available too), electric mirrors, panic braking warning tail lights, key-less entry and the list goes on. We missed rear power windows on the diesel Figo, and the same applies to the petrol car too. Height adjustable seat belts, and the much needed clutch foot rest (dead pedal) were also missed.

The mileage (fuel efficiency) figure for the Ford Figo petrol was 13.5 kmpl – not bad for a hatchback this big.

If you ask us which of the two are better, it would be very difficult as both the engines are capable units.

The diesel engine of the Figo is fuel efficient but a tad noisy, while the petrol is smooth but isn’t as fuel-efficient as the other.

The 284 liter boot of the Ford Figo is the largest in the segment. The Figo easily comes across as a very value for money car, both in the petrol and diesel versions.

Ford has recently made big promises on how they have refreshed the after sales and dealer network and we know for sure that Ford India is very serious with the Figo.

Competition for the Figo in India consist of the segment leader Maruti Suzuki Swift, its sibling Ritz , Hyundai i10 and new variants of the Hyundai i20 Era and Sportz, Chevrolet Beat, Volkswagen Polo and the Tata Indica Vista.

The Figo petrol priced between Rs 3,66,886 (ex-showroom Mumbai) for the base Lxi and Rs 4,64,401 (ex showroom Mumbai) for the fully loaded Titanium that we drove. The Ford Figo surely does make a very good Value for money hatch.

Now only if Ford is listening in, we would love to see the 1.6 Petrol engine that powers the Fiesta S to be plunked in the Figo to suffice the needs of die hard petrol heads.

Ford Figo 1.2 Petrol Specifications

Displacement:    1196cc, DuraTec, DOHC 16V
Engine Type:    Petrol
Maximum Power:    70 Bhp @ 6250 rpm
Maximum Torque:    102 Nm @ 4000 rpm
DIMENSIONS
Length:    3795 mm
Width:    1680 mm
Height:    1427 mm

Seating Capacity:    5
Tyre Size:    175/65 R14
Suspension:    Mcpherson strut – Twist Beam
Boot Space:    284.00 ltrs.
Steering:    Hydraulic Power Steering
Brakes:    Front Disk, Rear Drum
Gears:    5 Manual
Ground Clearance:    168.00 mm
Kerb Weight:    1040.00 kgs.
Fuel Tank:    45.00