There is no denying that the Ford Figo Aspire is one of the important products for the company, as it entered the highly-competitive sub-compact sedan segment where we have cars like Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent, Tata Zest, etc. Launched on August 12, 2015, the Ford Figo Aspire comes equipped with an efficient engine lineup, and offers composed handling and excellent city drivability.
Ford claims the Aspire is the most feature-rich and safest car in its league. And what better proof can there be than the fact that the Aspire’s top-end variant has six airbags, something that nobody else in the industry has ever done. Other safety features are – ABS (anti-lock braking system), EBD (Electronic brakeforce distribution), hill descent assist, parking assist and many more. To offer great comfort, the top-of-the-line Titanium+ variant of the car features leather seats – yet another segment-first initiative.
Read: Ford Figo Aspire Variants, Features, Specs and Dimensions
With a range of comfort, convenience and safety features, the Ford Figo Aspire challenges the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire – a car that has been leading the segment for quite a long time. While the Figo Aspire is benefited with segment-best features, the Dzire is backed by Maruti Suzuki’s huge dealership & sales network. Moreover, the Dzire is also the country’s most fuel efficient sedan. The low-cost of ownership is yet another USP of the Dzire, which is what Indians normally look in their car. So, Ford needs to work upon these aspects in order to gain a decent market share.
Coming to the powertrains, while the Ford Figo Aspire is powered by a 1.5-litre diesel unit, the Dzire gets the tried & tested 1.3-litre multi-jet unit (Fiat sourced). Interestingly, the Aspire is India’s first sub-compact car to feature a dual-clutch automatic transmission. Its all-new 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine is paired to a 6-speed DCT automatic gearbox. On the other hand, the Dzire is paired to a conventional four-speed auto box. The Dzire’s diesel models come with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
So if you are planning to buy a new sub-compact sedan this festive season, and are considering one of these two cars, here’s our brief spec comparison based on the information available.
| Ford Figo Aspire | Maruti Swift Dzire | |
| Engine | 1.5L TDCi | 1.3L multi-jet |
| Displacement (CC) | 1498cc | 1248cc |
| Power | 89bhp @3750rpm | 74bhp @4000rpm |
| Torque | 204Nm @2000rpm | 190Nm @2000rpm |
| Mileage/Fuel Economy | 25.83kmpl | 26.59kmpl |
| Transmission/Gearbox | 5-speed manual | 5-speed manual |
| Suspension | ||
| Front | McPherson Strut with coil spring | McPherson Strut |
| Rear | Semi-independent twist beam with twin gas and oil filled shock absorbers | Torsion Beam |
| Braking System | ||
| Front | Disc | Disc |
| Rear | Drum | Drum |
| Front Tyres | 175/65 R14 | 165/80 R14 |
| Rear Tyres | 175/65 R14 | 165/80 R14 |
| Boot Space | 350-litres (Expected) | 320-litres |
| Diesel Model Price | Rs. 5.89 lakh to Rs. 8.24 lakh | Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 7.82 lakh |
