Hot Hatches: Figo & Brio

This is a tale of two hot hatches of the season.

The first is the one which took the market by surprise, the response was beyond what the manufacturer expected. Yep, we’re talking about the Ford Figo. I was curious to find out the reason for this success and hence headed to the Ford dealership to check out the 1.2L petrol.

What I found out was that it was not the fastest hatch, nor is it the largest. Yet it is definitely the most balanced car I’ve driven in a while. The power is just fine, the cabin space is quite generous, it has its own lovely features, has a pleasing exterior (don’t even remind me of those hideous toad like creatures called the Ritz & the Swift) and most importantly- it is offered at a good price.

The best part is the ride quality and handling. Yes!! We get the legendary Ford hydraulic steering system which gives excellent feedback. The suspension eats up the potholes easily and the car remains stable even at extreme turns. After getting chummy with the showroom guy and getting his permission to push the car, I did an aggressive U-turn at around 30-40 kmph. Any other car, and our dear Shubham would have featured in tomorrow’s obituary column. But the Ford made it just fine. The motor provides a flattish torque and though it doesn’t break any records on the track, it serves well in the city.

The second hot hatch for the day was the Honda Brio. Here is a product that has immense potential but there are great challenges to face. For starters, Honda did not fully localize its assembly . 20% of its parts are imported. With the earthquake in Japan and recent floods in Thailand, Honda’s landed in deep trouble. They just haven’t been able to assemble enough Brios and the Jazz'.

On the greener side, you’ve finally got a Honda that’s affordable without compromising on quality or performance. The finish is superb and even the base model comes pretty well loaded (Decent interioirs, front power windows n all). The engine is what you expect from Honda: smooth; silent; yet peppy; rev-happy & frugal. It is definitely fun to drive around in the city and it felt at ease when I revved it to the redline in gear two. The economy indicator is a great buddy to help you squeeze out more miles from that drop of petrol.

This is great car for a couple: you know the newly married, carefree types.. Add to that a kid or two or parents/in laws or even visitors- and then you have a problem. For the Brio’s fundamental problem is space. The boot does not open, you have to manage with the glass lid (remember the very first Maruti 800??). Rear leg space is tight and I wonder what you would do if there were four people and two large suitcases. The thought of such occupancy levels in a Brio seems grotesque. So if you are a Brio owner who has a couple of visitors occasionally; like most Indians do, God help you.

There is no winner here for you’d own these cars for different purposes entirely. As I said, the family man would love the spacious, feature heavy & economical Figo. The mod city dweller would like to be seen alone (or with his/her spouse/ gf/ bf) in the trendy Brio. He/She can enjoy the quality, dependable Honda engineering, peppy ride and of course: the fuel economy.. 

If you were to ask me the question: Where do I recommend you to plonk your sacks of money? My answer still is: i-10. For I still crown it as the most sensible car in the segment.

The CBR 250..

The CBR 250 is hot property these days. The damn bike is so scarce that I had to travel some 200kms to a neighboring town to test ride it (the dealers in the city had already sold off everything they could get their hands on; the test drive vehicle included).

So with that kind of effort, expectations are definitely high. Add to that Honda: a name that is synonymous with quality, refinement and perfection. Undoubtedly, the CBR 250 had a lot to live up to.

The looks are somewhat moderate. Sure, the huge front and thick profile tires do appeal to most red blooded males, but that’s about it. When I label the looks as ‘moderate’, I say so because of a couple of experiences I had. Allow me to elaborate. When a guy buys a bike, there are a number of things on his mind. While freedom, power, fun are important factors associated with a bike, ‘impressing chicks’ is a vital one as well. This is where the CBR 250 might just let you down. I told a lady friend of mine about Honda’s new bike and how it will propel riders to the sports bike category with its not so astronomical price tag. When I actually showed it to her, she said “That’s it? Ok.. Umm.. Doesn’t look like a very expensive bike though. I think the Pulsars and Yamahas look meaner.”

Let’s leave the debate on the looks for some other day and get down to the basics. The bike feels a lot lighter than it actually is thanks to the low centre of gravity and balance achieved by Honda’s engineers. The engine is a 250cc liquid cooled unit which generates 25 bhp and is coupled to a 6 speed gear-box. Though it offers plenty of power, it does seem a bit thrashy by Honda standards when revved hard. Of late, we Indians have been spoilt by those free revving engines from TVS and Bajaj, so reaching the 11k red line on the Honda was not something out of the ordinary. There is almost no one who can outperform the CBR 250, yet it does not inspire that brashness. City driving is pleasurable as the low end torque nullifies the need for frequent gear shift. The exhaust note is a bit silent and the power delivery is a bit too smooth for charged up riders. The gearbox is a class apart and the light clutch makes gear shifts a very pleasurable affair. I realized I was shifting a lot more than what was necessary thanks to the slickness of the entire operation. The instrument cluster is a amiable unit and the ABS brakes are a boon for our Indian roads where I’ve lost count of times when I’ve been forced to brake hard on our roads to avoid potholes, dogs, cows or humans.

What annihilates all debate is the price. The overall specs and price (Rs. 1,56,000 ex-showroom ) of CBR 250 help it carve a niche for itself in the market. It offers a mini-superbike experience at an acceptable price tag. If I were to deliberately compare it with other bikes in the market, I would be lost. For the baby Kwacker: the Ninja 250 is definitely a better performer than the CBR but it will ask you to shell out a lot more (2.5 lakh: ex-showroom). The other competitor: Pulsar 220 doesn’t pose much of a threat as it just not in that league. No wonder this bike is already a winner.

A true buddy...

Honda City ZX- The first word that comes into my mind is boring. Not a very impressive start eh? But read on to know why I respect the car so much.

 

Allow me to justify the 'b' word. For starters (literally) this car is way too silent. First timers are known to give the starter crank even though the engine is running. Take it up to 5000rpm in a busy street and the engine sound will easily drown in the surrounding traffic. There are times when you want to scare off some mortals off the road by revving up your engine, you miss that opportunity here. However the engine sound fails to effect my adrenaline levels.

 

With all that said, it surprises many (including myself) that it commands the highest degree of respect amongst the sedans of India. For that money, the kind of quality and 'Honda engineering' you get is unbeatable. Perhaps Verna comes close when I say value for money. You expect issues to start popping up with age. This car defies that very arrogantly. The engine sounds just as smooth as it was on day 1. With this car, you can dare to just pick it up and head for any road trip. Plans, preparations, service schedules can wait. Only a Honda motor inspires that kind of confidence. Though the power band is not very exciting, you would give anything for that kind of assurance. I agree, this comes with time. You may read quite a few articles where the young blood journo's rubbish this car for the lack of performance. But as I have come to understand, it takes a certain level of maturity to understand the car. It took me years to comprehend the good things the seasoned critics stated. Numbers (bhp, torque, top speed, 0-100kmph time) come later. First you need to understand the feel, the purpose and the meaning of a car.

 

There have been instances when I walk towards the car at 12 am or when I turn the key to stop at remote places on our raod trips. At such times, I thank my stars that I have this car's dedicated reliability on my side. Though I crave for more powerful motors, in times of need- I know this is the one I can depend on.

 

The power band is majestic for- as the name suggests- City driving. The torque is spread to lower RPM's mean you can easily glide, overtake and do almost everything from 1700-2500rpm. Sounds boring again?? Wait. This also means a superb mileage and eliminating the need of shifting gears (Indica people- listening?? Nyaaah nyaah na nyaah nyaah..). I can certify for a highway mileage of 19 KM/litre on our road trip to Rajasthan. Driving in the city is comfortable. You can give the clutch and your left foot rest as even the higher gears can pull it through lower speeds.

As for looks, the exterior is quite graceful. But the interiors leave no stone unturned. The dual tone dash and the beige seats (on the GXi variant) are very inviting. The plastic quality is very much acceptable and the cockpit gives a superb look at night. The cabin has loads of space. All of it- headroom, legroom and shoulderroom. One feature I miss is access to the boot from the rear seats through split seats. The boot is enough to hold everything you need (and possibly more) for those road trips.

 

Now lets touch the issues with this car. The most striking (and annoying for me) thing is that you can't see the hood. I have tried jumping, leaning and everything short of standing on the steering. Yet, I have failed time and again. The steep hood enables you to get a full view of the road. I found this pretty irritating initially in traffic jams.

With the main focus on achieving that mileage and efficiency target, Honda has done away with a lot of weight. It's good to be lean but then you miss out on a very important word- 'Substance'. It's quite embarrassing when someone (even a chhotu Esteem) touches your car from the back and your bumper falls off. Though Honda claims it is one of the safest cars built by them with impact bars placed smartly, I still don't like the idea of being too touch me not. The lack of weight added with the high ground clearance means a lot of body roll. The G- forces like scaring you at turns here.

Turning- now that rings another bell. How can I forget the stupid 'A' pillar!! Though I said many nice things about the cockpit, I forgot to warn you that the 'A' pillars (the ones holding the windshield) are a major hazard. It has the potential to blind you at every turn. You need to crane your neck everytime you negotiate a tough right turn.

 

The driving position otherwise is quite comfortable and the steering is very light- again pointing out to its name. The height takes time to be comfortable with but is a boon on Indian roads. Bye bye to those scary crunches or hits to the under-carriage on potholes and hindustaani speed-breakers.

 

Though I started with the word 'boring', I would conclude by saying that this is the most 'complete' car available in the market. Hats off to the "H" on the radiator grill..