Ford’s line-up in India is all set to undergo some major changes. While the new Figo hatch will soon be joining the recently launched Figo Aspire compact sedan, the carmaker has pulled the plug on the Fiesta and Classic sedans, and the current Figo hatchback. While it was always rumoured that the Figo Aspire will replace the Classic, and that the new Figo will understandably replace the older iteration, the discontinuation of the Fiesta is an unexpected move. The company has not announced any plans for the mid-size sedan’s replacement either.
When the current Fiesta was launched in 2011, the older Fiesta continued to sell alongside, but was rebadged as Fiesta Classic. Ford then went on to rid it of the Fiesta moniker and called it just Classic; it was positioned as an entry-level sedan below the Fiesta. But the Classic could not sustain its sales figures; new rivals and the rise of the compact sedan segment started denting the sedan’s demand severely. On the other hand, the Fiesta sedan never quite sold large numbers amidst competition like the Honda City and the Hyundai Verna. Ford did give the Fiesta a facelift last year (discontinued the petrol engine), but it still didn’t help the cause much. Sales numbers have hit abysmally low levels in recent months, and the dwindling demand could be attributed to the fact that competition in the mid-size segment has increased further with the arrival of new and facelifted models like the Ciaz and the Verna. Lack of a petrol engine also takes away the potential to cash in on the increasing popularity of petrol variants.
But unlike the sedans, the Figo hatchback was quite a strong seller for the brand. It was long appreciated as an affordable hatch that offered decent engines, spacious interiors and solid build quality. Over time though, the segment received a lot of newer models, and the Figo slowly lost its lustre.
A lot of dealers have run out of stock for the cars, but the few who have them are offering great discounts on the three models. Now although this is subject to dealer location, the Fiesta can be had with benefits going up to Rs 1.25 lakh, the Classic is available with discounts up to Rs 70,000, and the Figo is being offered with benefits of Rs 90,000.
Ford’s updated product portfolio in the future will have the new Figo hatchback which is just around the corner, the Figo Aspire, the Ecosport, and the upcoming new Endeavour. Apart from these, Ford also has plans to launch the Mustang in India, and it’ll serve as a halo model in the carmaker’s line-up.