6 months ago 16th May 15:12
Fords New Compact SUV
Both models are well equipped, with alloy wheels, Ford's 'Power' start button, air-con, heated windscreen, electric door mirrors and front and rear windows and Ford Easyfuel - which prevents filling up with the wrong fuel - as standard.
The Titanium adds leather trims, cruise control, automatic headlamps and wipers, blue tinted glass and dual-zone climate control.
And Ford has tried to make choosing options easier, with a range of accessory packs - Appearance, Convenience and Titanium X.
Just one engine is available from launch - a refined and gutsy 2-litre diesel unit, which produces 133bhp and a useful 320nm of pulling power at just 2,000rpm.
That meant the Kuga could pull itself up steep hills at low speeds without the need for constant gear changes; and should make an impressive tow car.
The Ford Kuga will reach 62mph from rest in 10.7 seconds, before hitting its 112mph top speed.
Ford say a 200bhp version of the 2.5 turbocharged engine found in the Ford Focus ST will be available towards the end of 2008, and this engine will be offered with a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes.
Power is transmitted to the wheels via a Haldex intelligent four-wheel drive system, which powers just the front wheels under normal driving conditions but can shift power rearwards seamlessly when required.
On our slippery test route - and mild, muddy off-road course - the Haldex system worked in the background without any input from the driver.
And that means the Ford Kuga feels sure-footed on the road, with direct steering - when the Sport mode is selected via the trip computer, Normal and Comfort modes left the steering slightly vague and woolly - and minimal body roll.
On the smooth Spanish tarmac, the Kuga was quiet and refined and even when the road surface became rougher, it still acquitted itself well.
Running costs should be reasonable, with the lowest CO2 emissions of any 2-litre four-wheel drive SUV and an average consumption figure of more than 44mpg. Ford says the front wings are constructed from plastic to save weight and reduce repair costs, and service intervals are every 12,500 miles.
So Ford may have been a latecomer to the compact SUV party, but its Kuga is an excellent effort, and with its low running costs and good driving dynamics should soon make it a familiar sight on British roads.
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Your Comments:
by Jim - 18:42:45 27th Jun 2008
The old cougar "too soft to be a drivers car", what are you getting at? The new Kuga is a BMW 4x4 rip off by the looks of it, the old cougar was/is... READ MORE