On-road bias?
The Kuga isn't Ford's first foray into the off-roading market. Ford would probably hope we'd forget about the two versions of the Maverick. These were tie-ups with the Nissan and Mazda and they made little impact on UK buyers. Designed with an on-road bias, you'll not find any diff locks or low-range gears on the new Kuga. Instead, under the sharp, kinetic exterior styling is a modified C-car chassis similar to the C-MAX with the Haldex intelligent AWD system.
Clean looks
Highlights of the new Kuga's exterior, from the front, include the now characteristic trapezoidal upper and lower grilles, the Mondeo-like swept back headlights and the 3D bonnet with its distinctive power blisters. At the sides, like the Mondeo and Focus before it, there are no rubbing strips. This, along with the strong shoulder line, dynamic undercut and rising beltline give the Kuga a clean look.
Distinctive rear
At the back there are intricately styled, high-mounted rear lights and a sculpted rear bumper, a tough-looking skid plate and twin rear exhaust pipes to complete the look. Another clever piece of Ford design has to be the split rear tailgate. Made of light-weight plastic, the upper section can be opened independently to aid access to the luggage area. So does the styling work? Yes, I think it's a handsome addition to the Ford range, that's sure to find favour against blander rivals.
Just one engine
The sole engine choice is the familiar 136bhp 2.0-litre TDCi diesel. A 197bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo version arrives later in the year. The five-cylinder version is unlikely to please the environmentally aware buyer, but the diesel boasts a class-leading 169g/km CO2 emissions and excellent 44.1mpg Combined consumption figures.
Quality feel to the trim
Inside, there's a high quality feel to the trim, with the attractive dials, dashboard, steering wheel and switchgear carried over from the Focus/C-MAX. A Mondeo-style Power button for the keyless ignition is standard and there's lots of stowage inside the Kuga. We struggled to think what use some of the cubbies might be, but the glove box is massive. All the models we tried were fitted with the excellent, optional DVD satellite navigation system, with a 7-inch touch screen. Is the interior a success? In general, yes. It's just a shame that for every bit of classy, soft-touch finish there's a cheaper-looking shiny, hard finish that's less impressive. So it's not quite a match for the Volkswagen Tiguan in terms of fit and finish. Still, the tall driving position is easy to get comfortable with and the seats are supportive.
