The Figo Aspire is Ford’s first crack at a four-metre sedan market in India. Right from the start, the latest Ford has its work cut out. It’s up against well-entrenched competition like the Maruti Dzire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent and Tata Zest. Catch a glimpse of the Aspire’s nose and you can't help but be impressed by the clean, crisp lines. The Aston Martin-like look really does work well and the headlamps and heavily chromed grille further embellish the looks. Helping here are some sharp-looking cut lines on the bonnet and the fairly aggressive chin.
In profile though, the Aspire doesn’t look very well-proportioned. The boot is stubby and the 14-inch wheels appear a size too small. At the tail, single-piece tail-lamps but the thick band of chrome on the boot lid does liven up things up a bit and makes the rear look wider than it actually is.
The new Aspire is a Ford, through and through. The steering wheel, gear knob and wing-shaped (albeit button-heavy) centre console, all have a familiar look and solid feel. The Aspire has a practical cabin. The generous 2491mm wheelbase means there’s plenty of space between the wheels, the boot holds an impressive 359 litres of luggage due to clever use of vertical space and the big doors allow easy access to the cabin. There are plenty of cubbyholes and spaces to store stuff in the cabin as well. The Aspire also abounds with plenty of clever touches. There's a nice rubberised ledge for keeping odds and ends in front of the gear lever and Ford’s new MyKey system allows the driver to pre-set things like speed and volume limits for the chauffeur (or perhaps even your children!). There’s also MyFord Dock atop the centre console. It’s a brilliantly executed rubberised phone/device holder which works so well that you have no qualms placing your most valuable devices in its jaws. It’s a great feature for those who rely on their phones for GPS.
The Aspire also scores really well on comfort, especially at the front with the front seats offering excellent thigh, lateral and back support. The Aspire will be available with a 1.5-litre diesel, a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre petrol engine, the last one solely available with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. While the engines are familiar and have found application in other Fords, the 1.5 diesel turned out to be the big surprise. Thanks to tweaks to the ECU and modifications to the fixed- geometry turbocharger, power is up to 98bhp. Given that the same engine on the more expensive Fiesta and EcoSport makes a lesser 90bhp, you can tell Ford has thrown its model hierarchy out of the window and given the Aspire its all. The good power combined with the car’s low weight, has a positive effect on performance. It’s not got the initial response of Honda’s 1.5 diesel but driveability is still very good. The turbo comes in nice and early at a low 1400rpm and there is ample power till about 4000rpm. It’s not a very free-revving engine but there is enough of a top-end to excite keen drivers. Thanks to superb insulation cabin noise is pretty hushed making the Aspire (especially the petrol) one of the quietest compact sedans around.
Like the diesel, the 1.2 petrol powerplant is much improved too. It now produces a more useful 87bhp, compared to the old Figo hatchback's 70bhp and that's something you feel immediately, especially in the city. Part- throttle responses are quicker and the Aspire accelerates better all through the powerband. Thing is this engine is more suited to the requirements of everyday driving. When it comes to ride and handling, comfort is clearly a focus area with the Aspire.
The suspension is quite plush and absorbent and bumps are ridden over so well that you stop paying attention to every pimple on the road and makes driving a bit more relaxed. On really bad sections of road, the ride does get a bit jiggly and bouncy, which is when you detect a hint of stiffness, but that's only to be expected. What makes ride quality even nicer is that the suspension works quite silently for the most part. But it does mildly enjoy being driven hard and responds better the more you load up the suspension. But, that effortless grip and precise steering you get on Fords like the Fiesta is missing here. The petrol version is the better of the two Aspires in the corners with a touch more on-centre steering feel and correspondingly a greater feeling of connection with the car. The brakes on both petrol and diesel Aspires, however, inspire tremendous confidence; stopping power was impressive as well and that lends a lot to the overall driving experience.
Ford may have been late to the compact sedan segment but it’s used its time well. Sure, the Aspire may not be as special to drive as other Fords (including the Classic it is to replace) but it does offer everything to help it appeal to a wide buyer base.
Ford has clearly spent a lot of money to give buyers what they want, be it in terms of newer concerns as connectivity and safety or in traditional requirements of space, comfort and efficiency.
Assuming the Figo Aspire is priced in close proximity to the current market leader, the Swift Dzire, Ford’s all-new compact sedan could just become the new benchmark in the segment.
