Introduction

This group test may seem odd for many reasons. Firstly both the Maruti Baleno and the Ford Figo are from different segments altogether. Where the Figo competes with cars like the Maruti Swift and Hyundai Grand i10, the Baleno owing to its size and price is normally pitched against the Hyundai i20 and the Honda Jazz. What brings them together here, are the letters that follow their names. The RS badge on the Maruti and the Sports Edition in case of the Ford are indications of a spicier versions of the normal family hatchbacks, meant to be more fun and something enthusiasts can look forward to. We avoided taking the petrol version of the Figo as it doesn’t really have the go to match the show and the diesel version, as we have experienced before, is a very capable unit. The Baleno RS on the other hand is available just with the modern 1.0-litre Boosterjet motor. Coincidentially, both these cars, despite using different fuels and engine capacities, make similar amount of power and this test has all the recipe of churning out a surprise winner. Let the games begin then.

Fashion test

So how will your neighbours know that your family hatch, isn't the run of the mill variant? In case of the Figo it's easy to spot the differences, as Ford has played around with dual-tone body colour to give it a separate identity. The Figo Sports gets a blacked-out roof, wheels, headlamps and mirrors which lends the exterior that sportiness which is missing from the normal car. Even the gaping front grille gets a sportier honeycomb design, which just adds to its appeal. In profile, the lowered ride height, larger 15-inch alloys and the S graphics adequately spice things up. Overall the Figo, in this Sports variant just looks right and is an example of how even subtle additions can go a long way in making a car look much more alluring.

In the Baleno RS, unless you get the bespoke red colour, the changes are subtle. Like in the Figo, you get black alloys, but the roof retains the body colour and so does the mirrors. But you do get skirts all around which makes the car look like its riding lower. The door handles are finished in chrome, which either should have been body coloured or black on a car with sporting pretensions. Other than the black wheels, you also get a sportier looking grille and a big RS badge at the rear. Overall, the Baleno is a handsome looking car but in our eyes it looks a bit too chubby and lacks the Figo’s lean, athletic stance.

Sporty insides?

Unfortunately on the inside, both these cars look normal and boring with minimal or no changes at all. The Figo gets the same dash layout as the normal car. The centre console is fan shaped with a sea of buttons to confuse you. But the Figo S gets a glossy black finish on the centre console, instead of the silver finish on the normal car which looks more premium. You also get leather-wrapped steering and fabric seats with contrasting red stitching on the Sports edition. As the Sports variant comes only in the lower Titanium trim, you miss-out on the dash-top mounted screen which makes the cabin look utilitarian. Even the plastic graining and quality shouts budget rather than luxury and when compares with most of the newer competition, the Figo doesn’t stand a chance.

The Baleno RS on the other hand gets a cabin that is absolutely the same as the normal car. But the dash design does look a lot more modern than the Figo and the large touchscreen display plays a big part in this. It is a modern unit, which has a crisp display and is also Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible. You get several added features as compared to the Figo too. It comes loaded with stuff like auto headlamps, touchscreen system, and colour digital centre instrumentation display that are missing on the Ford.

The front seats, however, are a bit flawed in both these cars. Where the Figo’s seat is well shaped, the driving position is a bit odd, as the steering feels too close to you and the pedals are quite far away. There are no such problems on the Baleno though and it's easy to find an ideal driving position on the Maruti. But the driver seat, although well shaped, feels way too soft and can result in backaches over long journeys. Even the side bolstering on the seat back (which helps you stay in place during enthusiastic driving) is too spongy and fails to do its work effectively.

The back of the Baleno completely dominates as far as space is concerned. But headroom is in short supply in both these cars. Like with the front, the Figo’s rear seat ends up being more supportive as there is more under-thigh and back support than in the Baleno.

The 339 litre boot on the Baleno is much larger than on Figo, but the high loading lip makes loading big bags a chore on the Maruti and in-turn makes it less usable than the Ford’s.

Mash the throttle

The only thing common between the powertrains of these sporty hatches is their similar power output (99bhp for the Figo and 101bhp for the Baleno). Where the Baleno RS is powered by a direct injection turbo 998cc petrol motor, the Figo is powered by a much larger 1498cc turbo diesel motor and it makes much more torque too.

Being a petrol, the motor on the Baleno always feels more refined than the Figo. Right from the time you start it to the way it freely spins to the 6200rpm redline, this modern Boosterjet motor feels well engineered despite having a three cylinder layout. That's not to say the Figo’s diesel motor is noisy or unrefined. For a diesel, it feels impressively refined, as it gets noisy only when worked hard.

Power delivery on both these cars is pretty seamless and you can barely feel the turbo kicking in especially in Figo. This high capacity Ford engine pulls strongly from as low as 1300rpm, after which there is a strong surge around 1700rpm which lasts till about 4000rpm. The torquey nature of the motor results in a relaxing drive with minimum gearshifts which is a good thing as the gearshifts on the Figo are a bit rubbery and the clutch is on the heavier side too. No such problems exist in the Baleno as both the clutch and gearbox combo are flawless thanks to the progressive pedal and smooth and precise shifts. You do have some turbo lag under 1800rpm but once past that, this motor feels willing all the way to its higher 6200rpm redline. It's freer revving too and it just urges you to push harder and it definitely feels sportier than the Figo’s diesel heart. Despite being considerably larger, the Baleno turned out to be 80kg lighter on our weighing scale, which helps its performance further.

Both these hatches, despite their differences on paper, posted similar performance numbers, with the Baleno just coming out on top. The RS took a scant 9.69 seconds to reach 100kmph as compared to 10.3 seconds taken by the Sports. But where both these cars shine is in terms of drivability. In the 20-80kmph third gear run, the Baleno took 9.36 seconds while the Figo was a close 10.53 seconds.

In the twisties

Where the Baleno RS gets an unchanged suspension setup as compared to the standard car, the Figo Sport gets bespoke arrangement. It gets stiffer springs, a thicker anti-roll bar and lowered suspension as compared to the standard car. As a car, the Baleno RS feels light footed and is eager to change direction. The responsive front end helps you point the car exactly where you want it to go and the neutral chassis balance also means there isn’t much understeer. But it does roll when pushed hard and the soft seat bolstering means you are thrown around quite a bit.

The Figo faces no such issues and despite it being much heavier, it actually feels lighter and this is a testament to the changes that Ford engineers have made to the suspension. The thicker anti-roll bar and stiffer suspension means that the Figo feels unfazed in any given situation and is lot of fun behind the wheel. The light steering might feel unnerving around the straight ahead position initially, but once you use to it is a precise unit, it lends the driver a good amount of feedback too. The harder you push, the better the Figo feels and like the Baleno, the chassis feels adjustable with just a hint of understeer at the limit. Both these cars are lot of fun, but it’s the Figo that feels more skilled and ergo more fun.

The Figo’s ability to carve corners hasn’t affected the way it tackles our rough roads and if anything, it actually feels better than the softer setup on the standard car. You do get some firmness at low speeds but the silent suspension and flat ride ensures you always feel comfortable. Even at high speeds the Figo gives you lot of confidence as there is minimal pitching and yawing. The Baleno due to its light weight and stiff springs feels a bit jiggly at low speeds and isn’t adept at handling sharp bumps, as you can feel the suspension thump through the light body. However, as you go faster, it settles down to offer a fairly flat and consistent ride but there is quite a bit of road and tyre noise that seeps through in the cabin. The brakes, however, definitely feel better on the Maruti as the all disc setup provides lot more bite than the Figo’s front disc and rear drum setup. The Figo’s ABS also kicks in too early especially on gravel infested roads.

Wallet friendly?

Being a diesel the Figo does have an advantage in terms of fuel efficiency. The Figo Sports returned a very impressive 14.8kmpl in the city and 19.8kmpl on the highway. These are really impressive figures for the performance on tap. The Baleno RS despite being a powerful petrol proved to be quite efficient. It returned a decent 11.6kmpl in the city and 16.4kmpl on the highway. But like with all turbo petrol motors, the Boosterjet engine too is quite sensitive to throttle inputs and with a heavy foot, the efficiency figures can easily drop in single digits.

Verdict

Rank 2

Maruti Baleno RS

Final score: 390/600

Price: Rs 8.69 lakh, (Ex-showroom, Delhi)

The Baleno RS has a lot going for it. The Boosterjet motor is a gem, which possesses good refinement as well as packs a punch. Despite being Rs 1.58 lakh (Ex-Mumbai) more expensive than the Figo S, the much larger cabin and the longer equipment list makes up for it. But it loses out on the Figo when it comes to driving dynamics. Although the handling is sporty on the RS, it’s not a match to the much improved Figo and even the ride is jiggly as the suspension struggles to cope with our ever rutted roads. While big on space, the seat cushioning is too soft, which isn’t ideal both for comfort as well as spirited driving. The fact that it is not even close to the Figo in terms of fuel efficiency, marks it down further.

Rank 1

Ford Figo 1.5 TDCi Sports Edition

Final score: 398/600

Price: Rs 7.22 lakh, (Ex-showroom, Delhi)

The Ford Figo in this Sports edition is our surprise winner. Despite being much smaller and not having a lot of equipment, the Figo excels in most other areas and comes out on top of the impressive Baleno RS. For starters, the diesel motor on the Figo is big on power as well as efficiency. Then its road manners, which thanks to the revised suspension, makes the Figo one of the best cars dynamically under Rs 10 lakhs. Sure, the cabin feels utilitarian and equipment is scarce, but considering that it is much cheaper and considerably more efficient, tilts the battle in its favour.

Pictures by: Kapil Angane

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Specification

Test Data

Score Sheet