ഫോർഡ് ആസ്`പയർ 1.2 Ti-VCT Ambiente

Ford India's first compact sedan Figo Aspire, has made its way to the country's automobile market in a few variants. Out of these, Ford Aspire 1.2 Ti-VCT Ambiente is an entry level petrol trim. It is incorporated with a 1.2-litre petrol mill that generates 86.79bhp power and yields torque of 112Nm. A five speed manual transmission gear box is paired to it, which helps in better performance. On the safety front, it gets dual front airbags as a standard feature, whereas seat belts are also provided for all its occupants. Look wise, it has a bold and dynamic exterior design that is simply attractive. At front, it includes silver painted radiator grille and a wide air intake section. On the sides, it has outside mirrors in black color, whereas its rear end features a stylish boot lid that is surrounded by bright tail lamps on either sides. Despite being a compact sedan, its interiors are quite roomy and its passengers are also offered with ample head as well as leg space. The cabin looks elegant in a two tone color scheme and comes packed with aspects like passenger vanity mirror, well cushioned seats, tilt steering wheel, coat hooks and various others. All these not only add to its style quotient but also ensures great comfort to its occupants.

Exteriors:

If it comes to the exterior design, everything about this vehicle is just perfect. The main attraction in its front facade is the bold radiator grille. It has horizontal slats that are neatly garnished with silver and includes company's insignia just below the bonnet. The headlight cluster is pretty large and comes equipped with turn indicators. The well sculpted bumper is fitted with an air dam, whereas its windscreen is integrated with a couple of six speed variable intermittent wipers. Moving to its rear end, it has a silver painted applique on its boot lid that is further surrounded by luminous tail lamps. Other aspects like a pair of fog lamps, windshield and a body colored bumper further gives its rear profile a decent look. On the other hand, its side profile is designed attractively with black colored door handles and outside rear view mirrors. Meanwhile, its wheel arches are fitted with a set of 14 inch steel wheels that are covered with 175/65 R14 sized tubeless tyres. In terms of dimensions, it is built with a wheelbase of 2491mm and a height of 1525mm. This vehicle comes to around 3995mm in length, whereas its total width measures 1695mm.

Interiors:

This trim has a roomy cabin that is beautifully designed with charcoal black and light oak color schemes. Besides accommodating five people, it also offers them with sufficient leg and shoulder space. The well designed dashboard includes a few advanced equipments, which gives a contemporary look to its cockpit. These include a steering wheel, air vents and a center console that is further equipped with an air conditioning unit. It also has an instrument cluster that provides updates of the vehicle. Then, there is a glove box compartment that is quite useful for placing necessary things at hand. On the other hand, it comes incorporated with well cushioned seats that offer good support and comfort as well. The manufacturer has used fine quality cloth based upholstery to cover these seats. A 12V power socket is also offered using which, electronic devices and mobile phones can be charged. Apart from all these, the cabin also includes parking brake lever, front seat map pockets, grab handles and a few other such useful aspects.

Engine and Performance:

A 1.2-litre petrol motor is fitted under its hood that has a total displacement capacity of 1196cc. This four cylinder engine is integrated with a multi point fuel injection system. It can return a maximum mileage of around 18.16 Kmpl, which comes to about 13 Kmpl within the city. Paired with a five speed manual transmission gear box, it can accelerate from 0 to 100 Kmph in nearly 15 seconds and achieves a top speed of approximately 145 Kmph. The maximum power generated by this Ti-VCT motor is 86.79bhp at 6300rpm, whereas its torque output comes to 112Nm at 4000rpm.

Braking and Handling:

The car maker has offered it with an electric power assisted steering system that is based on pull drift compensation technology. It comes with tilt adjustment function, provides good response and ensures easy handling of the vehicle. Its braking system is quite reliable wherein, its front wheels are fitted with ventilated disc brakes, whereas the rear ones are equipped with drum brakes. Meanwhile, its suspension system comprise of an independent McPherson strut with coil spring and anti roll bar on its front axle. Whereas the rear one gets a semi independent twist beam with twin gas and oil filled shock absorbers.

Comfort Features:

This entry level variant is bestowed with a few interesting aspects that guarantees maximum comfort to its passengers. It features a manually operated air conditioning unit that helps in regulating the temperature inside. Both the front and rear seats are integrated with adjustable headrests, whereas a vanity mirror is also offered on co-passenger's side. It has front power windows with one touch up and down function on driver's side. Then, there is an instrument panel, which keeps the driver on alert by displaying several notifications. These include gear shift indicator, distance to empty, low fuel warning, and maintenance warning as well. Apart from these, it also includes interior grab handles, battery saver, electric boot release, front dome lamp, and guide me home headlamps as well.

Safety Features:

It is loaded with quite a few important aspects that ensure passenger safety throughout the drive. Those includes keyless entry, auto door locks and door ajar warning lamp. The company has offered it with driver and passenger airbags as a standard feature. There are three point seat belts available along with lap belt in the middle. Moreover, it comes with an engine immobilizer as well, which protects the vehicle by preventing any unauthorized entry into it

Pros:

1. External design and overall appearance is appealing.

2. Suspension system is quite good.

Cons:

1. It lacks infotainment system.

2. Very few safety aspects are available.