Ford Figo Aspire gets a few firsts

Ford’s entrant into the compact sedan segment, the Figo Aspire, will be in showrooms soon. The segment is a highly contested one, and Ford is pulling all stops to make the Aspire package as appealing as possible. A couple of things that Ford is introducing on the Figo Aspire, are new in the segment. Here are five things unique to the upcoming Ford :

Dual-clutch automatic gearbox

The range-topping variant of the Figo Aspire has a 110.5bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to a six-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Of its competitors, the Honda Amaze gets a five-speed torque convertor automatic, the Hyundai Xcent has a four-speed torque convertor, and the Tata Zest has a five-speed AMT gearbox. The dual-clutch auto will help better fuel efficiency and also be smoother with the shifts.

Dual airbags as standard

This is a very considerable step in terms of safety features. The Figo Aspire becomes the first car in its segment to get dual front airbags as standard on all trim levels. What’s even more impressive is that the top trim gets side and curtain airbags – that’s a total of six airbags.

Ford MyKey

This is a very handy feature on the new Figo Aspire. In case you are handing over the car to a chauffeur, learners or maybe even a valet, you can program sensible limiters for less-experienced drivers using the Figo Aspire’s key. The MyKey can help you limit things like top speed and the audio system’s maximum volume.

MyFord Dock

This feature is a nice practical touch. It’s a smartly designed, rubberised phone/device dock atop the centre console. You want to use your phone for GPS, or need to access the screen for any other reason; the dock holds the thing in place while you can access it without much trouble.

Leather upholstery

In an attempt to give segment buyers the most upmarket cabin possible, Ford has equipped the top trims of the Figo Aspire with leather upholstery. Other compact sedans usually come with high-quality fabric at best.

While these additions are featured to attract consumers, it is the pricing that will be key for Ford when it takes on established rivals like the Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze and the Tata Zest.