Ford Kuga (2012-2019) review - Reliability and Safety

A five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating should reassure you if you’re buying the Kuga as a family vehicle. The standard safety equipment list is lengthy, with ABS, Emergency Brake Warning, driver and front airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front side impact airbags and front and rear curtain airbags all as standard.

All Kugas also get tyre pressure monitoring and two Isofix child seat mounts. Check the right options boxes and you can add Active City Stop - which helps prevent slow-speed accidents by autonomously slowing the car down if you don’t brake - and blind-spot monitoring. Also available are Traffic Sign Recognition, Adaptive Cruise control and Lane Keeping Aid.

Quality inside and out feels and looks to a high standard, but the Kuga placed a low 43rd in the 2019 Driver Power survey, with rivals like the Peugeot 3008 and Kia Sportage ranking much higher. Hopefully, the incoming third-generation will help push the Kuga closer to its newer rivals. 

Warranty

These days Ford’s three-year/60,000-mile warranty looks pretty ordinary compared to the five and seven-year offerings from rivals like the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage. In the first year of ownership, there is unlimited mileage the UK and European roadside cover and unlimited paint cover and a 12-year unlimited mileage perforation warranty is standard.  

Servicing 

The Kuga needs servicing every 12,500 miles or annually, whatever comes soonest, with major services every two years or 25,000 miles. 

Ford offers a fixed-price servicing package, with two- and three-year deals offered for £390 and £590 respectively. After that Ford offers a £125 annual minor service, or £195 major service package via Ford Motorcraft 4+ service options.