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MEET THE RIVALS

Toyota Etios Cross 1.5 Xs

>PriceR171 40 0 >Engine

1 496cc 4cyl, 66kW@

5 600rpm,132Nm @ 3000rpm

>Transmission5-speed

manual, FWD>Stats11.3sec

0-100kph, 165kph, 6.0ℓ/100km,

138g/km

VW Polo Vivo GT

>PriceR1 84900 >Engine

1 598cc 4cyl, 77k W@

5 250rpm, 155Nm @ 3 50 0rpm

>Transmission5-speed

manual, FWD>Stats10.6sec

0-100kph, 187kph, 6.6ℓ/100km,

157g /km

OUR CHOICE:A brand new Ford

from India, ajacked-up Toyotathat’s

great value if challenging on theeye,

ora classystalwart that looks dated

but is the safest bet? Yes, that one.

40 TOPCAR.CO.ZA|January 2016

Road test: FordFigo

Looks like Marmite

While the prev ious Figo resembled a

facelifted old-gen Fiesta, this new iteration

doesn’t even attempt to echo the current

Fiesta. Sure, it gets an on-brand hexagonal

grille treatment, an ‘organic’ head- and tail-

light cluster treatment plus fresh design

architecture, but that’s

where it ends. And that’s

simply

beca use

when it

was

penned it

wasn’t

meant to

be ‘Figo:

The Sequel’

at all, rather

the new Ford

Ka, which is

exactly what its

badge will say when it

is released elsewhere.

Suddenly, its appearan ce

makes moresense to me with

those trun cated overhang s and

that smiling visage, but where

the prev ious Figo was

generally a pleasant thing to

behold, the new car is more

divisive. I like it, many don’t.

The rear aspect especially

garners the most unfavourable

comments, if only beca use it

now resembles pretty much

everything else in that

segment. I guess everyone just

NewFigocabin apesthe
Fiesta. Generally,life
aboardhas beenimproved
inthe 20 16 car

misses the vertically stacked lights but it’s

still a neat little rump. The alloy wheels,

despite measurin g a tidy

diameter at 14 inches

across, are swallowed by

gaping arch gaps making

them look somewhat

comical. Stance? You must

be joking. It sort of gives

you an indi cation of what

a ‘Figo Cross’would look

like though.

Stepping in

Aha! Here are the Fiesta

bits. The original Sync

system lives here, neatly

arranged in a fashion that

resembles the current

Fiesta. Materials are

rough, geomet ry

rudimentary, but it all

works. While I don’t

expect it all to fall apart, I

do expect it to scratch

badly. Ergonomics are

familiar but they work

well too. I like it. I like the

stacked centre binnacle

and hidey holes too, the

nook s and even the plastic