FORD KUGA

Ретельно спроектований, ефективний автомобіль із неперевершеними характеристиками. Безліч продуманих допоміжних технологій та конструктивних особливостей, що стануть у нагоді тим, хто віддає перевагу активному способу життя.

Спростіть собі процес водіння в умовах інтенсивного руху

Інтелектуальний адаптивний круїз-контроль (Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control) точно підтримує обрану вами швидкість автомобіля. Якщо ж вбудований датчик RADAR виявить попереду інший транспортний засіб, швидкість буде негайно знижено для дотримання відповідної дистанції до нього. Потім, коли дорога звільниться, система знову автоматично розжене автомобіль до рівня раніше встановленої швидкості. Додайте до цього систему втримання в смузі руху (Lane Keeping System), що дає змогу уникнути ненавмисного сходження з обраної траєкторії, і ці довгі подорожі стануть для вас ще більш приємними.

Помічає дорожні знаки, які ви могли пропустити

Незалежно від того, чи знаки розміщено на узбіччі або над дорогою, чи вони постійні або тимчасові, Система розпізнавання дорожніх знаків спроможна їх виявити та відображати на екрані блока приладів, повідомляючи вас про зміни в обмеженнях.

Система, що може допомагати пішоходам

Допоміжна система уникнення зіткнень з виявленням пішоходів використовує технологію камери для перевірки дороги попереду. Якщо виявлено загрозу зіткнення з автомобілем, пішоходом або велосипедистом, система попереджає водія. Якщо ви не реагуєте вчасно, система може автоматично застосовувати максимальне гальмівне зусилля, допомагаючи зменшити силу лобового зіткнення, а в деяких випадках навіть повністю його уникнути.

FORD KUGA HYBRID

Довершене поєднання енергії електричного і бензинового двигунів. Гібридні електромобілі також мають два двигуни. Вони можуть автоматично перемикатися між звичайним і електричним режимом (на коротких відстанях) або за потреби застосовувати обидва двигуни одночасно.

Ford Kuga review

The Ford Kuga not only belongs to the super-fashionable large SUV car class, but also has added appeal because it’s available as a plug-in hybrid.

On the one hand, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Kuga keys into the growing appetite for zero-emissions motoring, with its good electric-only range between charges. On the other, company car drivers will enjoy the financial benefits of low CO2 emissions and benefit-in-kind tax bills.

As well as a PHEV, Ford offers a range of other engines, encompassing everything from a traditional petrol to a full-hybrid petrol engine. In other words, there’s a Ford Kuga for pretty much every family occasion, be that popping to the shops or towing a caravan from one end of the country to the other.

Once you’ve selected an engine, you can pick from a wide range of trim levels to suit your priorities. There’s the Zetec for if affordability is your priority, Titanium Edition if you want lots of equipment, ST Line Edition and ST Line X Edition for added sportiness, and Vignale for luxury.

What Car? has a buying service

When you consider how crowded and competitive the large SUV class has become, that comprehensive approach will certainly work in the Kuga’s favour, but its rivals come in all forms.

For starters, those after a regular petrol or diesel engine might want to consider the Kia Sportage, the Mazda CX-5 and the Peugeot 5008. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a hybrid car, there’s the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4. Or, for something with a premium badge, there’s the Volvo XC60.

So, how does the Ford Kuga stack up against its SUV peers, and is it the car for you? Over the next few pages, this in-depth review – which covers performance, running costs and much more – will tell you all there is to know.

When you’ve decided which make and model is best for your needs, it’s quick and simple to potentially save thousands of pounds by using our free What Car? New Car Deals pages. It’s a great place to look for the best new large SUV deals.

Overview

The Kuga is a decent large SUV in any guise, but it makes real sense if you opt for the hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models. Shortcomings include the iffy interior quality and the relatively small boot.

Our Pick

Performance & drive

What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is

Engine, 0-60mph and gearbox

The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ford Kuga is the one for company car drivers to go for because of its low emissions and official electric-only range of up to 39 miles (31 miles in our real-world testing). Pairing a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and battery pack, it gets you up to motorway speeds easily and can sprint from 0-60mph in a respectable 8.6sec. That’s only marginally slower than PHEV versions of the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sorento.

The 2.5 FHEV (full hybrid) is a better choice if you’re buying privately and is our favourite engine. It can pootle around for short distances without using the engine and can tow 1600kg.

The entry-level 1.5 Ecoboost petrol engine lets you tow 1800kg. Its 0-62mph time of 9.7sec is far from being the most sprightly option in the range, but it will easily cope with fast-flowing roads.

Suspension and ride comfort

The best ride comes with the softer suspension set-up fitted to the Kuga in Zetec, Titanium Edition or Vignale trim. Compared with the Honda CR-V and Peugeot 5008 it feels a bit bouncy over big dips and crests, but otherwise it’s pretty comfortable. It takes the sting out of any nasty potholes or expansion joints around town, and stays pretty settled on motorways.

ST-Line Edition trim and ST-Line Edition X trims come with stiffer sports suspension, causing the Kuga to follow the contours of the road more closely. That leads to a busier ride at low speeds, but it’s far from intolerable, and at motorway speeds it settles down far better than the Tucson. It might not suit everyone, though, and it’s worth avoiding the optional 20in alloy wheels because they make it worse.

Handling

The steering is very quick, which makes the Kuga feel eager to turn into corners, but it has a consistent desire to self-centre. It’s a gentle sensation but an unnatural one, and doesn’t help to put you at ease while guiding the car through quicker turns that require a deft touch.

This is a tall car, and in PHEV form with its extra battery pack, it’s quite heavy. As a result, it suffers from an obvious amount of body lean through corners, even with the sportier suspension fitted to ST-Line Edition models.

There are nimbler large SUVs out there, but as far as plug-in hybrids go, the Kuga PHEV is one of the best to drive. It hides its bulk far better than the Sorento PHEV. The FHEV is even better, and you’d be hard pressed to tell it apart from the regular petrol Kuga in the corners.

Noise and vibration

The Kuga manages to filter out road and engine noise quite well, with just a faint rumble at speed over coarse surfaces on versions with larger wheels. Vignale models come with an active noise-cancelling system that helps reduce this a bit. There’s very little wind or suspension noise and, overall, the Kuga is as quiet as the Peugeot 5008 and more hushed than the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5.

In pure-electric mode, the Kuga PHEV and FHEV move around stealthily, and even when their petrol engines are fired up, you won’t find them intrusive as long as you don’t put your foot down hard. If you do, the noise picks up because the CVT automatic gearbox causes the engine revs to soar and stay high until you’re up to your desired speed.

The Kuga’s brake pedal is pretty consistent, and even the PHEV and FHEV models, with their regenerative brakes that harvest power for the battery, don’t feel too grabby.

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

Driving position and dashboard

The good news for lovers of tall SUVs is that the Ford Kuga has a relatively lofty driving position, so you sit nice and high up. The driver’s seat is supportive and there’s plenty of adjustment, including for lumbar support on all trims, as well as generous levels of steering wheel height and reach movement.

If you go for Titanium Edition trim or above, you’ll get a 12.3in digital instrument display instead of conventional analogue dials. With sharp graphics, it displays important driving information clearly (including battery charge on the PHEV model) and its contents can be customised to your preference. The rest of the dashboard is easy to use, with big buttons to control the climate control and other important features.

Visibility, parking sensors and cameras

The Kuga’s front pillars are quite thick compared with the ones on the Peugeot 5008 and VW Tiguan. That can restrict forward visibility in certain circumstances, such as when approaching roundabouts. The rear pillars are also rather thick, sometimes hiding obstacles when you’re reversing.

On the plus side, every Kuga comes with front and rear parking sensors as standard, and every trim except Zetec gets a rear-view camera. You can add a front-view camera to the Kuga but only if you go for the optional Driver’s Assistance Pack, which is quite pricey.

Bright LED headlights are included once you rise to Titanium Edition trim or above, and can also be upgraded to adaptive LED headlights that allow you to keep the main beams on without dazzling oncoming drivers.

Sat nav and infotainment

You get an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system on all Kuga models. It’s reasonably responsive to prods, but its graphics are quite basic and some processes, such as choosing your favourite DAB radio station, are unnecessarily convoluted.

You get better touchscreens in the Kia Sportage, the Skoda Kodiaq and the VW Tiguan, all of which offer a sharper screen and faster responses to your inputs. The Mazda CX-5 provides a more user-friendly rotary controller interface instead of relying on a touchscreen, so it’s less distracting to operate on the move.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring is included with all Kugas, allowing you to operate phone apps for music, sat-nav and other functions through the car’s touchscreen. All versions come with built-in sat-nav, and upgrading to Titanium Edition trim gets you a B&O premium sound system with 10 speakers and 575 watts of power, which sounds pretty punchy.

Quality

You’ll find more hard, shiny and unappealing plastic inside the Kuga than you will in most of its rivals. There are some soft-touch plastics, such as on the top of the dashboard and above the door armrests, but even these don’t feel as dense or plush as their equivalents in a CX-5 or 5008.

The top-spec Vignale adds a layer of leather to the seats and dashboard, which lifts its look and feel, but premium-badged alternatives such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60 display far more panache inside and feel better assembled.

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

Front space

The Ford Kuga has a relatively compact interior compared with the physically larger Kia ​​Sorento and Skoda Kodiaq – hence the three-star rating.

However, unless you’re particularly broad-shouldered, you’ll find that the wide interior gives you plenty of space up front, while the high roofline gives you a decent amount of front head room. Leg room, meanwhile, is not quite as generous as it is in rivals including the Kodiaq and the Peugeot 5008 but most passengers will be able to get comfortable.

The large cubby at the bottom of the centre console is big enough for your mobile phone and wallet, and there are two large cupholders between the front seats, along with a rubberised dish for storing change or keys. The central armrest opens to reveal a deep storage bin with a 12V socket. The front door pockets are quite narrow, though, and a 500ml bottle of drink is about as much as you can fit in there.