Ford Figo is one of the most successful recent offering by Ford and offers other cars in its segment a serious competition. It looks stylish, offers decent cabin space and performs well. Bolt, on the other hand, is a latest offering by Tata that comes loaded with several first-in-class features. Let us compare these two hatchbacks on various parameters to see which car scores an edge over the other.
Exteriors
Bolt has been an aggressive styling by Tata and it looks very sporty and stylish. Big smiling grille, boomerang headlamps, sporty tail lights and prominent crease lines are some of its striking features. Talking of Figo, it gets full wheel caps, body coloured bumpers, 14 inch alloy wheels, sloping roofline, sculpted side panels as prominent exterior features. Both the cars fare equally in the looks department.
Interiors
Tata offers many first in class features on Bolt and uses high quality materials on the inside. It sports a Harman designed touch screen infotainment system with features like Bluetooth, speed-sensing audio controls, voice recognition etc. Figo offers a larger boot space than Bolt. The lower dashboard and the slimmer A-pillars of Ford Figo offer good forward visibility. As far as cabin space is concerned, Bolt offers more space though the space inside Figo is not inadequate by any means. Figo offers features like audio system with CD/MP3 player, USB and Aux-In support.
Engine and Transmission
Tata Bolt is available in both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol mill is a 1.2-litre , 84bhp, 140Nm unit while the diesel mill is a 1.3-litre unit churning out 75bhp of power and 190Nm of torque. Ford Figo is also available in diesel and petrol variants. It has a 1.2-litre Duratec engine offering 70bhp of power and 02Nm of peak torque. The diesel mill is a 1.4-litre Duratorq engine that delivers 68bhp of power and 160Nm of torque. Both the cars have their engines mated to a 5-speed manual transmission gearbox.
Driving dynamics
One of the major differences between the two cars is the turbo lag. While the turbo by Figo spools up from just 1200rpm thus offering best-in-class drivability, Bolt's turbo takes 2000rpm to spool up. Also, Bolt requires frequent gearshifts in traffic. Bolt lags behind the handling and ride department too. The steering of Ford Figo is much better than Bolt as it is precise, well-weighted and communicative. Real world efficiency and refinement is equally matched in both the cars.
Safety features
Tata Bolt comes equipped with impressive safety features like EPAS with active return function, airbags, speed sensitive power steering, ABS with EBD, brake assist among others. Figo also offers features like dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, central locking with intelligent keyless entry, anti-theft system, front and rear fog lamps etc.
Verdict
It would be difficult to conclude the winner out of Ford Figo and Tata Bolt since both the cars stand neck to neck in terms of styling and features. While Bolt offers better cabin space and better interior features, Figo wins in the performance department.
For more information about Tata Bolt, you may consider http://autoportal.com/newcars/tata/bolt-2014/
