Ford Figo Aspire interior revealed

The Aspire, Ford's new compact sedan, may have been revealed last month at the Sanand plant in Gujarat, but the interiors were kept under wraps. Now a month later, we finally got a first look and an experience of the inside. What we have deduced from this is that the Aspire offers a comfortable and pleasant experience.

To begin with, it's quite clearly a Ford, with the general design theme very much in line with cars like the EcoSport and Fiesta. What gives it the typical 'Ford' character is the central console, along with the audio system and the vents that make it looks unique. Whereas the central screen looks larger than on the EcoSport, it's the wing-shaped set of buttons that comprise the core of the system. This version of the Aspire, the Titanium, gets a chromed-over volume button and in an effort to add a bit more bling, Ford has added some chrome on to the circular air vents as well. The air conditioner controls however differ from those of the EcoSport. This new climate control unit is more compact, and keeping with the theme, the three-dial instrument panel is also kept tight. The gauges, however, are quite neat and legible due to the finely inscribed white on black font. Also carried over from the EcoSport are the steering wheel and the gear lever, which give the two-tone dash a Ford-family look. What stands out on the Aspire is that both the wider central console and the wider door pockets, have plenty of storage space. There are, for example, three cup holders in the central console, the door pockets have space for two each and there are even more cubby holes around the cabin. Unlike the EcoSport, the glovebox is massive and Ford has taken the trouble to swap the turn indicators to the right hand side; both minute but important touches. Plastic quality and fit and finish aren't better than those on the Hyundai Xcent, but still feel good enough to compete head-on with most others. The Aspire also gets electrically folding mirrors, Ford's SYNC infotainment system off the EcoSport and Fiesta and a link via an application called, well, Applink.

The Ford also scores well when it comes to seat comfort and space. The front seats offer good thigh support, and can be easily adjusted for height. The backrest and lateral support are good too. This makes it easy to find a comfortable driving position. And this holds true for even very tall drivers, as the seat rails take you all the way back. In contrast, climbing into the rear of the car, it doesn't look very promising. It may seem a bit tight for space and headroom looks limited; but that's only till you get in. Legroom is actually pretty decent as Ford has left plenty of space for your feet under the front seats. Knee room is good too. The backrest is nicely inclined and supports your middle back well; there's even a nice elbow rest that folds out. Thigh support is fairly decent, not good however, and the front headrest does intrude a bit into your view out. On the whole, the rear seating is quite comfortable and is among the better ones in its class.

Ford will also deliver plenty of interesting features on the Aspire. There's a place to put your phone above the screen called MyFord Dock, which can prove really useful if you use GPS. The Aspire will premiere Ford's MyKey — a system that allows you to program your keys for speed and volume limits — and the twin clutch automatic equipped cars will get hill start assist as well. All in all, a pretty competitive looking package, assuming Ford prices it well.