Spec comparison: Tata Tigor vs Ford Aspire

The updated Tigor and Aspire were introduced within a few days of each other. Both these compact sedans undercut the other members in their segment in terms of pricing. Which makes them both good value for money compared to their direct rivals. Both the Ford and Tata compact sedans received a new infotainment system but that’s where the similarities end. So how do they both stack up against each other on paper?

Exterior and styling:

The Tigor received new headlamps as a part of its update with a projector and crystal design elements in the tail lamps. The grille has been tweaked too and a new alloy wheel design is a part of this update. Meanwhile, the newly added Egyptian Blue paint job also make the compact sedan appear sporty and more expensive. 

The Aspire, on the other hands, gets cosmetic updates inspires by the Freestyle. So there is the new mesh grille with chrome surround, chrome strips around the fog lamps, and revised bumpers both fore and aft. The rear doesn’t get any major change. 

Interior and features:

On the inside, the Tigor’s cabin continues to be simple and clean with the addition of a new seven-inch touchscreen audio system. The dual-tone black and grey on the inside now get a touch of premium feel with faux leather upholstery. In terms of features, you get climate control, auto-folding mirrors, cooled glovebox, driver seat adjust, and electric boot opener.

The Ford’s cabin too to takes its inspiration from the Freestyle.  So you get to see the new floating touchscreen display with SYNC3 system atop the centre console. The compact sedan comes loaded with features like automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers and a modern Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also offers six-airbags, child-seat anchor points with parking sensors as standard across the variants.

Engine and gearbox:

Under the hood of the Aspire is a set of new petrol engines from the Dragon family, one of which is a 1.2-litre mill which develops 95bhp of power and 120Nm of torque. The trusted old 1.5-litre diesel develops 99bhp of power and 215Nm of torque. Both the engines are mated to five-speed manual gearboxes. The 1.5-litre Dragon petrol comes with an automatic transmission. 

The powertrain of the Tigor remains unchanged too. So there’s the 1.2-litre three-cylinder Revotron petrol engine that produces 84bhp/114Nm of torque while the oil-burner is a 1.05-litre three-cylinder turbocharged motor that produces 69bhp/140Nm of torque. Both the engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox while the petrol engine can also be had with a five-speed AMT.

Conclusion:

The Ford Aspire and the Tata Tigor are more affordable than its rivals, but they don’t miss out on any features either. They are fully equipped for a car at this price point and even offer decent driving dynamics as well. Between the two, the Aspire packs in a more powerful engine and gets six airbags as well. Besides, it is fun to drive as well.