Ford Figo or Hyundai i10

The hatchback segment of cars is sizzling hot at the moment and is growing in great numbers by the day, and so the competition among brands is getting that fierce. The demand for small cars in India has dramatically gone upwards and thus car-makers are locking horns to outperform one another. Ford Figo and Hyundai i10 are the topic of comparison here and the two premier car makers are known to tap the latest technologies to bring the best of vehicles from their respective stables. Well, if one has plans of owning one of these cars here is the brief comparison between Figo and Hyundai i10 that will help take an informed decision.

Exteriors and Interiors
Ford has been competitively priced its Figo version to strongly survive in the hatch segment and with regard to the design and style of the car they have sourced most of it from its failed premium car Fusion and Fiesta. In fact, Figo is the first hatchback car from the Ford India manufacturer and the interiors and exteriors of the car look very impressive considering the price that might motivate many customers to own the car. The front and the rear design of the Figo are the major appealing assets of this hatch from Ford.

While the Hyundai i10 comes braced with standard features and the rear end of the vehicle is untouched and looks a little dab. The front looks chic and impressive but overall the exterior look of the car when you compare with the Figo does not deserve any adjectives.

Hyundai i10 might well not be the car you would want to own after taking a look at the exteriors but might change your heart once you glance at the interiors. The two-toned interiors are classy and the eye-catching feature is certainly the gear shift knob, which is positioned on the centre of the console. The other pleasing features include dual-tone dash board mounted music control and bluetooth that can be used with the push of a button; the CD player and AC controls have gotten an aluminium casing and the dash meters emit vibrant blue colour that are other attractions. The central fascia also gets a metal grain finish and the door handles and gear knob for AT and Asta trims are adorned with chrome.

Speaking of Ford Figo it certainly stands way apart to the Hyundai i10 in terms of both interiors as well as the exteriors. Figo has been so successful in creating stylish and classy interiors that is a rare sight in the small cars segment. The seating arrangement in the car is outstanding with neat dual-toned fabric and great equipment. The power steering comes with three spokes, and the nicely colored dash bears the digital odometer and trip meter, which on the whole stuns. The black audio system has four speakers and the must to mention feature is that the bluetooth to which 4 mobile devices can be connected. In every aspect of the looks department Figo is a few steps further in comparison to Hyundai i10.

Under the hood- Engine, power and mileage
The Hyundai i10 comes in nine variants and with two different petrol engines. One engine is of 1086 cc, 1.1L, IRDE or Intelligent Responsive Drive Engine that delivers a power of 66.7 PS @ 5500 rpm and torque of 10.1 Kgm @ 2500 rpm. Basically the IRDE engine ensures that the car does not vibrate even at a speed of 100 kmph and generates great performance. D-lite and Era variants are powered by this engine and the remaining seven models of i10 get the well-known 1197 cc Kappa engine that gives a power out put of 80 PS @ 5200 rpm and maximum torque of 11.4 kgm @ 4000 rpm. The Kappa engine is claimed to produce excellent power, performance and fuel efficiency and the VTVT is the technology secret that's behind this. The De-lite and Era are said to give a mileage of 14 kmpl in the city and around 19-20 kmpl on the highways. While the Magna, Sportz, Asta and Asta W sunroof are said to give a mileage of 15.4 kmpl in the city and around 19 kmpl on the highway. The Magna AT and Asta AT variants give a mileage of 15.4 kmpl on urban roads and on highways one can expect to cross over 20 kmpl.



The Ford Figo variants come in both petrol and diesel engines, which is a major plus. The petrol models of Figo are attached with 1196 cc, SEFI, 5-speed manual transmission engine that generate a power of 71 @ 6250 rpm and torque is around 102 Nm @ 4000 rpm. Whereas, the diesel engine models are fitted with 1399 cc Duratorq engine that gives a power of 69 PS @ 4000 rpm and torque of 160 Nm @2,00o rpm. The petrol models of Figo are claimed to give a mileage of around 12-13 kmpl in the city and around 15-16 kmpl on the highway, while the diesel variants give 14-15 in city and on highway it may cross 18 kmpl.

So, clearly Hyundai is the winner with regard to power, performance and fuel economy and that will mean a lot to the buyer although the saving grace for Figo here could be, it has a diesel variant and people who cannot put up with the soaring fuel prices might choose Figo for this reason alone.

Comfort and handling
The Ford Figo is latched with good features that will amply serve the driver and the passenger but the seating could be quite uncomfortable for rear seat passengers, although the car accommodates five, leg room and shoulder room could cause inconvenience especially on long drives. The Hyundai i10 has got good luggage space, and the luxurious features in the car makes driving a pleasure, also the height adjustable seat for the driver comes as a blessing. Comfort wise Hyundai i10 might grab more votes.

Variants, Colours and Price
The Hyundai i10 is available in nine variants in the following colours electric red, virtual yellow, grey, stone black, white, champagne gold, blushing red, silver and alpine blue. The following are the models with price:

- D-lite - Rs 3,57,294
- Era - Rs 3,91,136
- Magna 1.1L - Rs 4,05,780
- Magna - Rs 4,22,932
- Sportz - Rs 4,53,183
- Sportz Option - Rs 4,83,270
- Sportz AT - Rs 5, 09,638
- Asta - Rs 5,27,535
- Asta AT - Rs 6,00,374

The Figo comes in eight different models and the colour availability are White, Black, Silver, Squeeze, Red, Gray and Metallic Chill. The variants are:

- Ford Figo Petrol LXI - Rs 3,64,294
- Ford Figo Petrol EXI - Rs 4,11,818
- Ford Figo Petrol ZXI - Rs 4,34,720
- Ford Figo Diesel LXI - Rs 4,64,614
- Ford Figo Petrol Titanium - Rs 4,68,565
- Ford Figo Diesel EXI - Rs 4,99,990
- Ford Figo Diesel ZXI - Rs 5,23,894
- Ford Figo Diesel Titanium - Rs 5,56,219

Final verdict
People who drove Figo have complained of the rattling sound, dull headlights, seat adjustment which is not user-friendly and mud flaps that aren't worth mentioning. Besides the ground clearance makes Figo one 'every bumper kisser' hatch. However, the major plus is that it is oodles of cuteness and stylish with a reasonable price tag and also the availability of the diesel version.

The Hyundai i10 is comparatively a better car in terms of performance and power, but one might also want to step down because of its high price and the no diesel version. Else, i10 scores better in most aspects, because looks is not all you would see in buying a car.