Ford Ka-based Figo compact sedan spotted on test

Ford is testing the new Figo hatchback and compact sedan in our country and test mules of the same were spied in Udaipur. Both the vehicles are based on the Ka concept unveiled earlier and the production ready vehicles retain most of the elements exhibited earlier.

These test mules are the production versions of the sedan and look almost similar to the Ford Figo Concept showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo. However, the carmaker has brought in some practical changes to the car that will go on sale in India. In place of the concept's futuristic LED headlamps, the sedan gets normal light clusters though the overall design is the same. The same approach is used for the tail lamps as well.

This production version of the Ford Figo was launched in Brazil as the KA sedan in 2014. Though the Brazilian model measures over four metres in length, the Indian-spec model will be a sub-four-metre one to avail excise duty benefits that will help in aggressive pricing for the car. The entire design is the same and the sedan carries the same components of the car that is available overseas.

The petrol Figo sedan is likely to be made available with a 1.0-litre petrol engine, which might possibly be the 1.0-litre EcoBoost mill. The diesel variants might be powered either by a 1.4-litre diesel or a 1.5-litre TDCi unit. Both the petrol and diesel engines will send power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. The compact sedan will be based on a lighter, high tensile strength steel platform that will help the car deliver high fuel efficiency and a good performance.

Ford is planning to launch a bunch of new cars next year in a bid to increase its market share in the Indian market. This will include the next-gen Ford Figo hatchback and the Figo-based compact sedan. Both these will be made at the manufacturer's production facility in Gujarat. These will be the first two models from Ford that will go on sale in our country by the end of this year. The Ford Ka-based Figo compact sedan will rival the Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Xcent and Tata Zest in the compact car segment in India.