Ford Figo S long term review

The Ford Figo S is an everyday fun to drive hatch

It’s the everyday hatchback that puts an ear to ear smile on your face. Hand an 18-year-old the keys to the Ford Figo S and odds are the kid will be relegated to taking the bus very soon. This, the hottest Figo, will turn any driver, especially one with little to no self-control, into a juvenile neighbourhood terror. Of course, it’s the Figo S’s best attributes that bring out the worst driver behaviour, which makes it our kind of car. It was the unanimous choice in our driver’s diesel hatch shootout with the new Swift and Polo GT.

“Its got the perfect ingredients: a potent and eager engine, a slick-shifting gearbox and a chassis that is capable of making you smile as you go around every bend”

How’s it to drive?

Besides being engaging to drive, the Ford Figo S is also practical with plenty of interior space and a generous number of cubbies. Add to that the fuel sipping habits of the diesel engine, it makes for a great highway car as well, running well over 800 kilometres on a full tank. After multiple Mumbai-Pune trips in the Ford Figo S, I have really come to appreciate the dynamic abilities of the car. The only thing you could fault are the tyres, which are a bit noisy at speed and run out of grip far before you are close to exploiting the limit the chassis has. Wider, lower rubber will do the Ford Figo S justice, perhaps the only dynamic negative on this very involving hatch.

“The Ford Figo S is very planted at triple-digit speeds and you get a secure, solid feel in the cabin”

Any shortcomings?

Having run over 16,000 kilometres, the Ford Figo S has developed a few annoying rattles, but nothing that can’t be sorted out when it goes in for a service. Cranking up the volume on the stereo doesn’t really help, as none of us are fans of the infotainment system, which feels dated, with the small screen and big buttons. The lack of parking sensors are also a strange miss in this day and age, though the compact dimensions and great, all round visibility makes the Figo easy to manoeuvre. Ford have however addressed these issues in the recently launched Figo-based Freestyle that comes with a big touchscreen infotainment system that gives it a more premium feel.

Date acquired:                             February 2018
Duration of test:                         3 months
Total mileage:                              16,278km
Mileage this month:                  256km
Overall kmpl:                               19.8kmpl
Costs this month:                       Nil

Read our previous long term report on the Ford-Figo S here.