Refreshed Ford Figo takes aim at Polo

By Martin Pretorius 

Even though the pre-facelift version of Ford's second-generation Figo offered a strong value proposition to buyers in the entry-level small car market, it never really managed to find traction against the class leaders. The Polo Vivo has been overwhelmingly the best seller in this segment from the word go, and even strong contenders such as the Toyota Etios struggle to grab more than half the Vivo's market share.

There is really no reason for the Figo to struggle like this; it has always had a spacious cabin and ample luggage space, good equipment levels, and competent mechanical bits. And yet, even with all these virtues, the Figo has been struggling to break the Polo's stranglehold – and now the latest-generation Vivo has moved the goal posts along yet again, posing even more of an obstacle to Ford's most affordable car.

Ford isn't a company to let such a challenge go unanswered, of course, and they reckon they have the answer in the freshly-updated new Figo. Yes, the cosmetic updates are fairly subtle, but there are some fundamental improvements under the skin, all aiming to give the Figo a number of advantages in its fight for market acceptance.

The usual grille- and bumper-job is applied

While the pre-facelift Figo was a clean, reasonably inoffensive design, it always looked a little soft in comparison to its stable-mates. This update addresses this issue with a new mesh-design radiator grille, reshaped bumpers, and light clusters with modernised detailing.

It's still not really an oil painting, but the small tweaks nonetheless significantly enhance the Figo's appeal. In addition, a new wheel cover design (or new alloy wheels in the high-spec variants) spruce up the profile view. It has to be said the hatchback looks far more pert and alert, in part because the sedan's elongated shape becomes somewhat amorphous towards the back, but then the 4-door does compensate for this with a generous (445 litre) luggage area.

The cabin is a bit nicer than before

While the basic design of the dashboard remains unchanged, some material changes and a new audio system adds some sparkle to the fairly simple cabin. The MyFord Dock, mounted in the middle of the dashboard, will be of particular interest to the younger buyers at which Ford is aiming the Figo. This handy gadget allows for neat storage, mounting and charging of mobile phones, MP3 players and navigation systems.

Complimenting this is the upgraded Ford Audio system (also standard across the range), which incorporates four speakers and offers Bluetooth and USB connectivity, although steering wheel-mounted controls aren't available.

Two trim levels

As part of this model update, the diesel engine falls away due to insufficient demand, leaving the Figo range with one petrol engine across the board in either a hatchback or sedan body style, each available in two trim levels. The entry-level specification is called Ambiente, and features air conditioning, power steering, electric windows in front, the aforementioned audio system, and central locking, along with two airbags and ABS. Ambiente versions are only available with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Trend variants feature a higher trim level, with electric operation added to the rear windows, a vanity mirror for the driver, 14-inch alloy wheels, and a tachometer. The central locking gains remote operation, and the door handles and side mirrors are finished in body colour. The Figo Trend also uses the 5-speed manual gearbox, but the Trend hatchback can also be ordered with a 6-speed automatic gearbox (the sedan is only available in manual form).

Under the bonnet

So far, this seems like a mild nip-and-tuck for the Figo, and that might even have been enough, but Ford also decided to upgrade the engine with a new-generation power unit. It displaces 1.5 litres just like the old one did, but now boasts only three cylinders instead of four, as before.

And while the peak output figures of this new mill are impressive in their own right, with 85 kW and 150 Nm on offer, it impresses most with its smoothness. Only the most finely-attuned driver would be able to sense the slight “triple tremble” vibration from the engine, and the power delivery is snatch-free across the rev range. There's only a 3 kW power difference in comparison to the old engine, but the peak torque climbs by 14 Nm, leading to much-improved in-gear acceleration.

Better value than ever

Even with its new appearance, added feature count and much-improved engine, the new Figo isn't a lot more expensive than the old one – the Trend sedan costs only R6000 more than before, for instance. Prices range between R181 300 and R205 700, and includes a warranty for 4 years or 120 000 km, roadside assistance for 3 years, and a service plan for 4 years or 60 000 km. It's roughly on par with the Polo in the cabin quality stakes (and infinitely nicer than the Etios), as spacious as the best of them, and by far the most powerful in this class as well. Now let's see if these tweaks will finally see the Figo grab some of the Polo's buyers. The sales race will be interesting to watch.

Ford Figo Range and Prices:

Figo Hatch:

Ambiente 5MT (manual)              : R 181 300

Trend 5MT (manual)                       : R 190 600

Trend 6AT (automatic)                   : R 205 700

Figo Sedan:

Ambiente 5MT (manual)               : R 187 200

Trend 5MT (manual)                        : R 196 000