Overview
Looking for a value-for-money (VFM)petrol hatchback? The choices don't get better than the three contenders here. We look for the new VFM champ
Between the diesel versions of the Ford Figo and the Maruti Suzuki Ritz, the Ford makes for a better buy as we found out over a month back in Vol 2 Issue No 16 of AUTO BILD INDIA. But, what about their petrol powered twins? To uncover the same we have brought together the top-ofthe- line petrol versions of both these cars along with another relatively new car, the Chevrolet Beat. As both the Beat and the Ritz emerged as better cars to buy than the i10 Kappa, we have excluded the Hyundai from this test.
Exterior & Interior
Interiors are most fashionable.
Best looking, the Beat treads the middle path. Its engine has the go and the steering feels more alive than the Ritz, but it needs wider tyres
Between the diesel versions of the Ford Figo and the Maruti Suzuki Ritz, the Ford makes for a better buy as we found out over a month back in Vol 2 Issue No 16 of AUTO BILD INDIA. But, what about their petrol powered twins? To uncover the same we have brought together the top-of-the- line petrol versions of both these cars along with another relatively new car, the Chevrolet Beat. As both the Beat and the Ritz emerged as better cars to buy than the i10 Kappa, we have excluded the Hyundai from this test.
The looks Getting back to the agenda at hand, if style is your priority, it doesn’t get better than the Beat. It is undoubtedly miles ahead of the other two as far as looks go. With its large headlamps, prominent design lines, and the big and smartly turned out front grille, it leaves the other two looking old, the Figo especially. Inside too, the Chevy’s lines are better executed and it carries forward an air of raciness from its exteriors. We also loved the motorcycle type instrumentation which moves along with the steering column when the latter is adjusted for rake.
Interior quality is par for the course.
Small car with big car space and dynamics, the Figo is the one to buy if you enjoy driving. Wish its engine had the go exhibited by the other two
The Beat doesn’t feel very spacious however, particularly from the driver’s seat courtesy the proximity of the dash and the instrumentation. It gets accentuated after stepping out of the Figo. Ford, by the way, has done a superb job in terms of space utilisation with its small car. The Figo has the most shoulder and knee room and it isn’t short on headroom either even though the Ritz offers more given it’s a tall boy. Luggage space again is better on the Figo, and it’s pretty usable too.
Once seated, the Figo continues to impress. It has a set of comfortable seats both front and back and the visibility all round thanks to the large glass area which is much better as well. But, it isn’t the easiest to get in and out of as it is low slung. That honour belongs to the Ritz.
Steering mounted controls exclusive on the Ritz
Not the most involving to drive on twisties thanks to the Ritz's muted steering. But it has a great engine and gearbox
The Maruti also has the most equipment here. The Beat’s list is nearly as good, but it misses out on steering mounted controls. The Figo on the other hand lacks in a number of areas. It only gets power windows at the front, a non-adjustable steering and no alloy wheels either. Crucially, it does get a stereo along besides driver and passenger airbags and ABS like on the other two,nevertheless.
The biggest plus for the Maruti Suzuki though is its fuel economy. It is phenomenally more fuel efficient than either of the other two cars in this test, especially when you look at the kind of performance the Maruti also Packs in.
Engine & Gearbox
Chevrolet Beat -Beat engine is perky but sounds coarse in comparison to the other two
On the powertrain front, all three cars use 4-cylinder 1.2-litre engines coupled to 5-speed manual gearboxes. But the character of the three could not be more different. The ford which uses a scaled down unit of the Fiesta’s earlier 1.4-litre Duratec engine,is the most refined and easy revving unit here. It also has the slickest and easiest to use gearbox here, and feels sporty too. But,the Figo still isn’t our pick.
Ford Figo -Refined, free revving engine on the Figo does need more grunt though.
To begin with it just doesn’t have enough go (it’s over two econds slower than both theBeat and the Ritz in the run up to 100kmph). Moreover, we would have liked to see slightly shorter gearing for the lower gears, in particular. The Ford engine only begins to come into its own past 2000rpm and with the current gearing, every time you upshiftthe engine revs drop below this mark (unless you rev it high in each gear),leaving the engine feeling sluggish. And if you revit high, naturally, the car's fuel economy takes a beating.
The Beat on the other handwith more power and torque and better gearing compared to the Ford, motors ahead with a lot more vigour. In fact,it is the quickest from standstill to 100kmph and records the best roll-on times as well. Sadly,its engine begins to sound gruff past 3000rpm and it gets vibey too. The gearbox isn’t great either; actually it is the worst in terms of shift quality, in this test.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz -Ritz's engine is our pick; it performs well and is very fuel effi cient indeed.
The Ritz then has the best powertrain. Its engine has the most power and torque figures and though the K-series unit isn’t as refined as the Ford’s Duratec, it is still rev happy. The driveability is decent and with a shortthrow and precise gearshift, it’s quite comfortable for townuse. The shift quality though remains a tad notchy.
Dimension
Chevrolet Beat (mm) | |
| The Beat has the smallest boot |
Ford Figo (mm) | |
| The Figo has the largest and most usable one. |
Maruti Suzuki Ritz (mm) | |
| Ritz has a large boot opening, but space inside is limited |
Scorecard & Verdict
Chevrolet Beat- Great looking and surprisingly affordable. Does most things well but doesn't excel at anything.
Ford Figo- A superb spacious everyday city car with class leading ride and handling but average performance.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz - Great engine and gearbox combo, but is found lacking in rear room and luggage space.
Scorecard
Body: The Ritz manages to score higher for front room because it offers more elbow room and headroom. But the Figo liberates more usable space front and back and has the biggest boot too. Visibility too is fantastic on the Figo and with a few additional safety features it leads under this head.
Drive: The Beat is the quickest and most driveable car here with the Figo bringing up the tail on both counts. But the Ritz's above average performanceand brilliant fuel economy see it lead the charts under the Drive head. It also manages the highest top speed of the three cars here.
Comfort: The Figo is easily the most comfortable small car you can buy. Not only does it offer a supple and sorted ride, it also out-handles the Beat and the Ritz. It does lose out on comfort equipment though, thanks to the lack of rear power windows and steering rake adjust.
Dynamics: The Figo leads the charge here as well. It has the best steering of the lot it's both quick and alive. It's also the most stable in a straight line and, thanks to its visibility, quite manoeuvrable too. The Beat isn't far behind in these areas.
Cost: This is where things begin to go wrong for the Ritz. It is the most expensive to buy and comes with the least warranty too. But because the car holds its value well in the secondhand car market, it manages to score well on resale.
Verdict
The Ford Figo is our new petrol small car champion. It boasts of better dynamics, better ride and more passenger and luggage room than its competitors. It might be a little short on comfort equipment, but it does get handy safety bits like emergency braking warning and one touch lane change indication. It’s also the easiest to drive, thanks to the light steering, the light clutch operation and effortless gear shift quality, something most small car owners will love during their everyday city commute. It could do with a more powerful engine, however. This is the one area where it is found lacking compared to the competition at hand.
