Review
/5
- Pros:
- Neat styling inside and out
- Enjoyable to drive
- Economical diesel engine
- Cons:
- Limited practicality
- Not designed for off-road use
- Comparatively expensive
reviewed by Carbuyer
“Good looking outside and nicely finished inside, the Kuga is an off-roader that's designed to take Ford fans into previously uncharted territory.”
At a glance
- The greenest
- Titanium X 2.0TDCi 140PS 2WD 5dr
£26,145 - The cheapest
- Zetec 2.0TDCi 140PS 2WD 5dr
£21,645 - The fastest
- Titanium X 2.5T 200PS AWD 5dr
£28,995 - Top of the range
- Titanium X 2.5T 200PS AWD Automatic 5dr
£30,245
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Ford prefers to describe the Kuga as a ‘crossover’ rather than an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle), and this accounts for some of its shortcomings in terms of practicality in the process. The petrol-powered model is fast but thirsty, so the better choice is the rounded, economical performance on offer from the 2.0 TDCi turbodiesel. Of the two trims, Zetec and Titanium, the former has all you need. There's a front-wheel-drive only version, which is good to drive and lowers running costs further still. The Kuga received a very subtle facelift in 2010 with an updated grille and bumpers.
Drive
Front-wheel-drive cars are enjoyable to drive
Among its off-road inspired competition, the Kuga drives with unusual precision, making it the keen driver's choice. The 2.5-litre petrol engine offers hot-hatch rivalling performance, but you pay for that with poor fuel consumption. Pick a Kuga with the 2.0 TDCi diesel and you’ll get a better balance of performance and impressive economy - the official combined consumption figure is quoted at 44.1mpg. Choose the front-wheel-drive model, and you’ll improve that by around 2mpg, but you may regret it when the snow starts falling in winter.
Comfort
The interior is well designed
The Ford Kuga is more driver focused than its competition, but that's not at the expense of comfort on the road. The suspension is firm, but not uncomfortable. The interior is well designed up front, with supportive seats and an easy to read, clearly laid-out dashboard. Ford has even cut out a portion of the top of the door trim to make resting your arm on it comfortable. Wind noise is apparent at speed, as is some roar from the tyres.
Reliability
The car scored a full five points in its Euro NCAP crash test
Every member of the Kuga family gets traction control and electronic stability control as standard, plus front, side and curtain airbags. The car scored a full five points in its Euro NCAP crash test. It hasn’t been around long enough to feature in the 2009 or 2010 Driver Power surveys, but Ford's drive towards greater quality is demonstrated by the latest Mondeo, which placed 20th in the top 100 cars of 2010. The Focus, which shares many of its mechanical parts with the Kuga, scored a credible 51st position.
Practicality
The Kuga SUV offers less boot space than the Focus!
Practicality is the Kuga's stumbling point, with Ford's so called 'soft-road' SUV model offering less boot space than its Focus hatchback relative. The rear seats aren’t very generous, either, with taller passengers short of legroom. If carrying capacity is a priority, then cars like the Nissan X-Trail make a lot more sense.
Value for money
Keyless starting, an MP3 audio connection and alloy wheels feature
At its launch, Ford boldy announced the Kuga would be aiming squarely at Volkswagen's Tiguan - and it priced the lifestyle off-roader accordingly. That does make it look a bit expensive, but Ford has equipped it to compensate. Smart items like keyless starting, an MP3 audio connection and alloy wheels feature on all versions, while Titanium specification adds leather trim and dual-zone climate control.
Running costs
Sensible service pricing helps keeps costs low
The diesel engined Ford Kuga is one of the cleanest and most economical compact SUVs around, meaning lower Road Tax and less frequent trips to the pumps. Sensible servicing prices help, too, as will the expected high resale value of it when you come to sell it. For maximum economy, the front-wheel-drive 2.0 TDCi diesel model has an official combined fuel consumption figure of 46.3mpg and a low tax band, thanks to emissions of 159g/km.
*Our monthly finance prices are updated on a regular basis, but due to the dynamic nature of the market are not guaranteed accurate. You can always confirm the monthly finance price with FinanceAcar.
