Funky, fun to drive and fantastically-priced: the new Ford Figo looks set to shake up the entry-level segment.
“In the new Figo we have an affordable offering with the driving dynamics of a car much its senior in price,” says Ford SA’s CEO Jeff Nemeth. After sampling the new entry-model Ford in a mix of city and highway driving in Gauteng, I have to agree: the Indian-built Figo has all the dynamic capability for which the last-generation Fiesta – the car on which it is based – earned the respect of motoring enthusiasts as well as the public at large.
But the Figo is not simply a wieldy car at a good price. It is also well-made and comes with a level of spec that will have rivals feeling a little apprehensive. Were it not for stock being limited because of supplier strikes in India, Nemeth believes Ford could sell 1 000 Figos a month in SA. Despite the shortage, Ford says it should move 700 a month between now and year-end.
In SA the model will be sold with a choice of two engine and two spec levels. The basic spec is dubbed Ambiente and will be available in two engine versions, a Duratec 1,4 petrol model with 62 kW at 6 000 and 127 N.m at 4 000 and a Duratorq 1,4 TDCi diesel with outputs of 51 kW at 4 000 and 160 N.m at 2 000. A more luxurious Trend spec is offered with the petrol engine only.
The most impressive thing about the Ford offering, however, is the standard spec in the basic 1,4 petrol-fuelled Ambiente. Matching VW’s top-selling base Polo Vivo with its price-tag of R109 900, it slaughters the Uitenhage offering in value for money with standard items such as ABS, air-con and a radio/CD/MP3 set-up that would add around R12 000 to the Vivo price-tag. And all Figos come with dual airbags as standard.
The diesel 1,4 TDCi Ambiente sells for R125 000, with the petrol 1,4i Trend offered at the same price. Trend spec adds alloy wheels, remote central locking, electric front windows, electrically adjusted exterior mirrors and a height-adjustable driver’s seat.
If the launch pricing can be maintained, this well-built, funky-styled, dynamic-handling and comprehensively-specced new Ford is certain to sell up a storm…
