Ford Kuga review
The second-generation Ford Kuga takes on the Mazda CX-5, with efficient engines and lots of space
The original Ford Kuga was launched in 2008 and since then more than 45,000 have found homes in the UK. This all-new, second-generation model takes on the likes of the Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5, and is essentially the same car as the US-market Escape, only with a Kuga badge and a few minor changes to the grille and foglights. This is because it has been built with the manufacturer’s 'One Ford' global car programme in mind. As with the latest Focus, it will be sold in more than 100 countries worldwide, which means better economies of scale and thus lower prices - in fact, every new Kuga is up to £1,000 cheaper than the previous equivalent model. To counter criticism of the old car, the new Kuga is 81mm longer to provide more boot space, while the new model also features Ford’s clever SYNC voice activation and smart phone integration technology on Titanium and Titanium X models.
Our choice: Kuga Zetec 2.0 TDCi 4x4
Styling
The new, 2013 Kuga is effectively two cars in one – it has to substitute for the stylish, sporty-looking, model that was sold in Europe, while also replacing the rather utilitarian Escape model that was sold in North America. As a result it’s bigger than before, which has compromised its looks somewhat. There’s no doubting that the new car looks like a Kuga, though, thanks to Ford’s new family face, which carries over the Vertrek concept’s narrow grille and split lower intakes. And despite the upswept crease and windowline running along the side of the car, it doesn’t have the aggressive proportions of the old model. The interior design borrows heavily from the latest Focus and C-MAX, which means decent interior quality and a modern-looking dash design - albeit one with rather too many buttons. There are three trim levels to choose from - Zetec, Titanium and Titanium X – but all cars come with 17-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, sports seats, cruise control and keyless start. Titanium trim adds a gloss-black grille surround, automatic headlights, part-leather seats, dual-zone climate control, a DAB radio and Ford SYNC, while range-topping Titanium X models benefit from 18-inch alloys, Bi-xenon adaptive headlamps and LED tail-lights, as well as a panoramic roof and full-leather interior. The latter two specs get the option of a clever ‘hands-free’ tailgate - which can be closed or opened just by waving a foot under the bumper - along with safety kits such as Park Assist, a blind spot warning system and Ford’s Emergency Assistance system.
Driving
The old Kuga was one of the sharpest mid-size SUVs to drive – it felt more like a high-riding Focus than an SUV. But the latest Kuga is much softer and less precise, which means the Mazda CX-5 is now the class-leader in this category. The ride, although firm, is comfortable rather than sporty - especially if you corner more aggressively, when the body rolls considerably more than you’d expect. The new fully electric power steering is precise but light and devoid of feedback. The Kuga’s swoopy shape does make it a little harder to judge the car’s dimensions, though, and although it weighs the same as the original, you can feel its weight more obviously under braking than before. Four-wheel-drive models – which use an intelligent system that is said to monitor 25 different parameters from wheel speed to steering angles, to ensure the Kuga can cope in slippery conditions – deliver impressive grip. The engine line-up kicks off with the 148bhp 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and a six-speed manual gearbox. It’s also available with the option of Ford’s dual-clutch PowerShift automatic, but it’s best avoided as it never seems to know which gear to be in. A 178bhp version of the same engine is available with 4x4, but most buyers will opt for the 138bhp or 161bhp 2.0-litre diesel models as they offer a great blend of pace and efficiency.
Reliability
The Kuga has a five-star Euro NCAP crash test result, with the best result ever scored by a mid-sized SUV. All Kugas come with driver, passenger, knee, side and curtain airbags fitted as standard, along with ABS, ESP, active city stop and a lane keeping aid. A blind spot monitoring system is also available as an option. Plus, the four-wheel-drive system should stop you getting into trouble in the first place. The Kuga's platform, engines and tech are all proven in other Ford models, while a large dealer network means keeping your Kuga on the road should be simple. The previous-generation Kuga finished 44th in the 2012 Driver Power reliability survey, with strong results in the handling, comfort and ride quality categories. However, the new car has already been the subject of a recall in the US.
Practicality
This was one of the old car’s biggest problems – it just didn’t offer enough space for rear-seat passengers or luggage. This time around, though, the boot is 82 litres bigger - at 442 litres, it offers more space than a Tiguan but less than a CR-V. The rear seats now fold flat to create a maximum load area of 1,928 litres, which is a massive 600 litres more than before. The low lip makes loading easy and the boot floor has two levels for the first time – although on its lowest setting, there’s a big step between boot floor and seats. There’s plenty of head and legroom even if you’re more than six feet tall and the driver has their seat set back, while the rear seat backs can be reclined, too, giving a more comfortable angle to sit at but hampering boot space temporarily. Ford offers a detachable towbar for an extra £600, as well as the option of an automatic tailgate, which can be opened by waving your foot under the rear bumper.
Running Costs
The most efficient Kuga is the 138bhp 2.0 TDCi diesel with front-wheel drive, as it returns 53.3mpg and 139g/km, but even the higher-powered version manages to return 47.9mpg and emit 154g/km f CO2. In fact, the diesel range is 10 per cent more fuel efficient, even though the engines are carried over from the previous car. This is because the Kuga is six per cent more aerodynamic than before, and come with features like a grille that closes at higher speeds to make the car slip through the air even more easily. The addition of the downsized 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine has cut fuel consumption of petrol cars by 26 per cent, too. Be aware, though, that only manual petrol cars come fitted with a fuel-saving stop-start system.
For an alternative review of the latest Ford Kuga 4x4 visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk
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Qashqai is spared for now
It looks bigger than the old Kuga. Better? I am not sure. The current Kuga is quite a likable car. Looks good in white. This new one looks a lot like VW Tiguan from some angles, first picture front for instance.
The new model brings only marginal improvements over the current in terms of passenger and luggage space, engine refinement and efficiency.
Price puts it sqrarely in the same bracket with CRV, RAV4 and CX5. Qashqai is spared for now.
I'm upset with the pathetically small sat nav. Ford sell the Escape in the US with a great 7 inch touch screen Sony unit. In Europe they're clearly trying to off load a job lot of 5 inch game/watch screens which are recessed 7 inches away from the dashboard at the end of a tunnel for no apparent reason other than budget sales. This has stopped me (this alone) from spending £30k on another fully loaded Kuga. Big shame but that's their mistake not mine. Goodbye Ford, liked it whilst it lasted.
I completely agree with Steve. When most of the cars and SUV's in that price tag offer a decent sized infotainment screen and display, it's silly to have a small one like this Kuga and Focus too! New Mondeo will feature an 8" screen hopefully : )
Same with the Focus ST, that has the huge display in the USA but the low end one in the UK and you cannot even choose it as an optional extra.
"The four-wheel-drive model, which costs around £1,500 more than the equivalent two-wheel-drive model, also gets a touchscreen sat-nav fitted as standard."
This is incorrect. 4wd models do not get sat-nav as standard. Also the factory-fit sat-nav option in the UK is non-touchscreen.
Fords new family face, dreadful. The 2013 Fiesta actually has a much better designed nose, why have Ford ruined the Kuga? I loved the previous Kuga nose, the whole body shape was gorgeous, but the 2.5 Ltr petrol engine in the old model was unacceptable. Now we get a new version with the right petrol engine and Ford go and ruin the nose. Sorry, Ford you've lost another sale because of American blandness.
I spoke to Ford about the pitiful satnav units and this was there response:
"With regards to your query Ford will be introducing the Sync screen (touch) in Europe approximately early 2015. There has been a delay as when the Ford Sync is released in Europe, we will be dealing with a multitude of different languages rather than one for America.
I have also been advised that the Ford Sync will be gradually merged within new product lines. This feature cannot be added to existing vehicle lines.
However due to the delays we have no confirmation on the launch dates of this or any further updates at present. I would recommend checking our Ford social media pages to check for any specification updates in the future."
So we may see bigger touch screens in 2015, but probably not on the current models. What a royal project management mess.