Ford Kuga - Reliability and safety

The third-generation Kuga finished in a respectable 15th place on our list of the best cars to own, based on the 2023 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey results. Meanwhile, Ford, as a brand, languishes in 28th spot (out of 32 brands) in the best car manufacturer rankings, a bit behind Volkswagen and Skoda, and a long way off Toyota and Kia.

Customers will be reassured by the high levels of safety kit available on all Kuga models. Standard equipment includes a pre-collision assist system with autonomous emergency braking (AEM), a lane-keeping aid with lane-departure warning, intelligent speed assist, and post-collision brakes.

Top-spec Vignale cars bring Active Park Assist and a head-up display. There’s also the option of the Driver’s Assistance Pack, which adds Adaptive Cruise Control with Traffic Sign Recognition and a Blind Spot Information System (BLIS). 

Euro NCAP tested the Kuga in 2019 and awarded the SUV a full five stars for safety. Adult and child protection was rated at 92 per cent and 86 per cent, respectively, with an 85 per cent score for pedestrian safety, and a 73 per cent score for safety assist tech. That’s a decent result, but the Toyota RAV4, also tested in 2019, scored higher in all areas.

Warranty

Ford offers a standard 3-year/60,000-mile warranty, with the option of extending the cover up to five years at extra cost. You’ll also get 12 months of UK and European roadside assistance thrown in, which you can extend for 12 months with routine Ford main dealer servicing. 

It is possible to purchase an extended Ford warranty prior to registration of either four years and 80,000 miles, or five years and 100,000 miles – the latter is a level of coverage you get as standard from Hyundai, while Toyota offers up to 10 years/100,000 miles of manufacturer’s cover if you have your Toyota car routinely maintained at a Toyota main dealer.

Servicing

Service intervals for the Kuga every two years or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first. The Ford Protect Service Plan allows customers to pay for scheduled maintenance on a monthly basis or as a one-off payment.