Ford Figo fired up to fight

And although the Blue Badge stands strong in this country, the Figo is in for a rough ride against well-entrenched veterans such as VW Polo Vivo, Toyota Aygo, Renault Sandero, Toyota Etios, Nissan Micra, Suzuki Swift and Honda Brio, to name a few.

Fortunately, it has some heavy armament of its own, including good looks, sporty handling, spacious and comfortable living quarters and a good helping of trendy technologies plus competitive price tags that include a two-year service plan.

The new Figo offers a choice of two engines - a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit that generates 82kW and 136Nm of torque and delivers a claimed combined cycle fuel consumption of 5.6L/100km, and a 1.5-litre Duratorq TDCi engine that develops 74kW and peak torque of 215Nm at just 1750r/min to deliver a claimed average fuel consumption of 4.1L/100km.

The manual derivatives have a five-speed gearbox while a six-speed PowerShift Auto transmission is available on the flagship Titanium hatchback and sedan versions.

Three trim and equipment levels

The Figo comes in three trim and equipment levels, starting off with the Ambiente that has body-coloured bumpers, rear fog lamps and tinted windows as standard, as well as manual air-conditioning.

The Trend derivative takes the features setup a notch, incorporating colour-coded door handles, 14-inch alloy wheels in place of the lower model's steel rims, front fog lamps plus electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, powered windows and a drive-away locking function. On the Hatch model the seat-back can be split 60/40.

The top of the range Figo Titanium hatch and sedan models I drove at the media launch come standard with chrome headlamp bezels, electronic climate control and SYNC with Bluetooth and voice control, six airbags, ESP and Hill Launch Assist.

Ford trapezoidal grille

The Figo is an attractive vehicle, sporting the same pretty make-up as the latest Ford Fusion and Focus. Both hatch and sedan versions have the typical Ford trapezoidal grille, raked bonnet and go-faster swept-back lines of the windshield and A-pillars. The hatch has a rising roofline with a sporty spoiler and neat tailgate accentuated by two distinct crease lines.

The stylish exterior of the Figo is matched by a quality-finish cabin cleverly designed for maximum space, comfort and convenience. Backseat passengers are well catered for with acres of leg and shoulder space.

The automatic climate control on the Titanium version, generally designed to keep the interior of cars cool in Africa, also did a grand job of keeping us warm in chilly weather and heavy downpours in the Eastern Cape during the launch drives.

The living quarters have 20 smart storage spaces, including a glove box big enough to fit a laptop. The sedan has 445-litres of luggage space as well as fold-down and 60/40 split rear seats.

First-in-class feature

However, the main cabin attraction will no doubt be MyFord Dock, a first-in-class feature that offers space for storing, mounting and charging mobile phones, MP3 players and satellite navigation systems, and for integrating these devices into the car's entertainment system. When not in use, the dock can be closed out of sight.

Consumers seeking even greater technological integration will benefit from the fitment of SYNC, Ford's advanced in-car connectivity system which is standard on the Titanium versions.

The Figo is also well-equipped in the safety department with six airbags, ABS brakes, while the all-new Figo Titanium PowerShift Auto incorporates Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Hill Launch Assist.

But fancies aside, the Figo is far from shy when it comes to delivering typically Ford driving fun with excellent cling, sporty performance and a steering system that goes light for parking and city driving and provides more solid feel and excellent feedback during lead-footed jaunts.

Chromed headlamp bezels

The Figo Titanium also dishes up a generous dose of exclusivity with eye-candy such as chromed headlamp bezels, snazzy electronic climate control and SYNC with Bluetooth, voice control and multi-function steering wheel controls and body colour power adjustable side mirrors.

Passenger protection is povided by six airbags (driver and front passenger, as well as side and curtain airbags). ESP with Hill Launch Assist is also exclusive to the Titanium PowerShift models.

The driver's seat benefits from four-way adjustment for improved comfort. Remote-operated central locking is standard, linked to the MyKey functionality.

With the options of diesel or petrol engines, three specification levels, manual and auto gearboxes, plus the choice between four- and five-door models, Figo is destined to hoist the blue badge flag to new heights at the cost of a number of other players in this segment.

The new Figo models and prices, inclusive of a four-year/120,000km warranty, two-year/40,000km service plan and three-year/unlimited km roadside assistance, are:

Hatch models

• 1.5 Ambiente R158,900
  
• 1.5 Trend R167,900
  
• 1.5 Titanium R181,900
  
• 1.5 Titanium PowerShift Auto R203,900
  
• 1.5 TDCi Ambiente R189,900
  
• 1.5 TDCi Trend R199,900

Sedans

• 1.5 Ambiente R160,900
  
• 1.5 Trend R169,900
  
• 1.5 Titanium PowerShift Auto R205,900