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Ford Kuga diesel 4WD review

We try the updated 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine in a 4WD Ford Kuga

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

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The power upgrade for this 
top-of-the-range all-wheel-
drive diesel, as well as the 
new spec, push the Ford Kuga into BMW X3 xDrive territory. But 
it’s stylish and comes loaded 
with equipment as standard, 
plus is a well packaged all-rounder. Although it lacks 
the premium appeal that its 
price warrants, you won’t 
feel short changed if this 
Ford is your SUV of choice.

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Before Ford introduces the new flagship Edge SUV in Europe, the brand has spruced up the Kuga with a range of efficiency and power upgrades. 

Here, we drive the new range-topping 178bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel Ford Kuga, which has benefited from a 10 per cent power boost and a 14g/km cut in CO2 emissions over the previous 2.0 TDCi. An additional 60Nm of torque provides further in-gear urgency and takes the peak figure up to 400Nm, which is distributed via Ford’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system.

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In a car weighing nearly 1.7 tonnes, a marginal increase in power is difficult to pinpoint. It’s faster than before, but not by much – the 0-62mph sprint time of 9.2 seconds represents an improvement of seven-tenths.

Still, the engine pulls strongly throughout the rev range and remains muted. There’s a slight whistle from the A-pillar at motorway speeds, although it’s still as calm and composed as before. And while the steering is accurate, we found it elastic, plus it self-centres a bit quickly. 

Driving through the snowy French Alps, we had the opportunity to put the AWD system through its paces. On a normal run, the Kuga is mostly front-wheel drive, but in more challenging conditions, power can be seamlessly sent to the rear axle and directed further to a particular wheel to maximise traction. 

This Titanium X Sport version costs an eye-watering £32,045, but as the trim was introduced due to customer demand, it’ll likely prove a hot seller.

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