There is huge demand in our country for sedans that are not longer than four metres. These cars, known as compact sedans, are usually considered to be a notch above the hatchback segment.
The excise duty is lower on sub-four metre cars and that leaves room for a lower price tag for these, compared to bigger sedans. In most aspects, these cars resemble big sedans, but for the boot space, which is less, as compared to the bigger ones. But then, for all practical purposes, the luggage room in compact sedans is enough for a small family.
Compact Sedans
Compact sedan cars are not new in India. Tata Motors was the first company to launch a compact sedan – the Indigo CS. It continues to be the best selling compact sedan till date. Tata’s recent product Zest too is a compact sedan. Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Honda Amaze and Hyundai Xcent are some of the compact sedans available in the Indian market as on date.
Ford’s small sedan
The demand for compact sedans in the country has seen the Ford Motors join the bandwagon. Why stay away from a segment that competitors are minting money from? Aspire is Ford’s answer to competitors in the compact sedan segment.
Exclusively for India
The Aspire’s global launch was based out of India. The car was completely developed in India, keeping the requirements of Indian customers in mind. For the same reason, the Aspire will be one of the most suited compact sedans for Indian conditions.
Target
The Figo Aspire is for young Indians with affluent lifestyles looking for something more than a hatchback. The Aspire will also be sought after by the elderly who are on the lookout for a sedan that can be easily manoeuvred. In general, whoever wants luxury packaged into a smaller sedan shall find Ford’s Aspire as an attractive option.
Looks
The Aspire follows Ford’s latest kinetic design. It is built on the platform of new generation Figo that is yet to debut in India. The highlight of the design is the Maserati-inspired grill. This one feature alone lifts Aspire’s beauty manifold. The vehicle does not look like a shrunken sedan or an appended hatchback. The car looks elegant and is beautiful from the sides. Premium alloy wheels add to the whole package. It looks even better from the rear end.
Interiors
Ford has packed a surprise in the Aspire’s interior. The beige and black finish gives it a luxury car feel while the quality of plastics puts its Japanese competitors to shame. There is plenty of storage space inside while built-in phone doc station, wing mirrors that fold at the push of a button, automatic air conditioning, sporty steering wheel and leather seats are other notable features. With big dials and keyless entry, the Aspire doesn’t leave much to be desired.
Safety
This is the first car in the segment to come with six airbags. High strength steel cage will protect the passengers in case of strong impacts. The car comes with ABS and EBD. Hill launch assist feature is available to prevent the vehicle from rolling down while going uphill. Electronic stability program, a feature found usually in luxury cars, is also available in Ford Aspire.
Engine and Transmission
The Aspire is available with 1.2-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines and also a 1.5-litre diesel mill. The 1.2-litre petrol engine belts out 88 PS while the 1.5-litre version generates 112 PS and the diesel engine produces 100 PS of power. The petrol model is available with an automatic gearbox as well while all other models come with a manual 5-speed gearbox.
Behind the wheel
We tested the diesel version which seemed more practical and suited to our day-to-day driving conditions. This engine hits the peak of its torque curve at 1750 RPMs and that has given the vehicle excellent driveability. The engine has become a lot smoother, noise levels are lower and the gear ratios have been improved upon. The seating position too is commendable and the Aspire for no doubt preserves the Ford DNA of being a true driver’s car. What sweetens the deal is the fuel economy with the Aspire returning 26 kilometres per litre of diesel.
Price
The petrol model starts at Rs 4.99 while the diesel version is available from Rs 6 lakh onward. Ford claims that the Aspire is Rs 33,000 cheaper than the petrol Dzire and Rs 47,000 cheaper than Honda Amaze. The diesel Aspire is Rs 56,000 cheaper than diesel Dzire and Rs 53,000 less than diesel Amaze. The high end diesel version costs Rs 8.44 lakh while the topline petrol model costs Rs 7.98 lakh ex-showroom.
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