Ford started accepting bookings for the Figo Aspire from July 27. The company has now announced that it will be launching the car on August 12. The Aspire will be Ford’s maiden entry into the compact sedan segment which currently features models such as the Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Tata Zest and Honda Amaze.

The Ford Figo Aspire compact sedan will be offered with a choice of three engines — a small 1.2-litre petrol, and 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines. The 1.2-litre petrol engine develops 86.8bhp while the larger 1.5-litre petrol pumps out 110.5bhp. The diesel engine, the same 1.5-litre unit as on the EcoSport, develops 98.6bhp, making it the most powerful version of the motor. The 1.2 petrol and 1.5 diesel will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.5 petrol will be mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, a first in this segment.

The Aspire will also be available in four trim levels — Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium+ — with the 1.5 petrol restricted to the Titanium trim. Ford will provide all trim levels of the Aspire with dual airbags as standard, another segment first, while the top trim model will come equipped with features such as climate control, leather seats, SYNC infotainment system and six airbags.

Ford is expected to sell the Figo Aspire at a price point similar to that of the current segment leader, the Maruti Dzire, and from what we know, it could very well set a new benchmark for the segment.

Figo Aspire video review