Ford Kuga Review

Performance4/5

You are not going to be overwhelmed by the choice of engines for the Kuga. There are two 2.0 litre diesel engines, producing either 138bhp or 161bhp or alternatively a 2.5 litre petrol option. Ford have made your decision even easier by making the petrol engine so thirsty - it only manages 29mpg, although it is quick. The diesel engine is still the smart pick though, with both engines being really well made, and still managing to get you from 0-62mph in a not too shabby 10.5 seconds.

Handling4/5

The danger with a crossover is that giving what is primarily a road car a 4x4 stature can have a detrimental effect on the car's handling, with the Kuga though this could not be further from the truth. Its suspension is based on the Focus and the Kuga shares many of that car's excellent handling traits, with responsive and accurate steering and a very nice ride. The 4x4 Kugas come with intelligent 4 wheel drive; this means the back tyres only get drive when the front tyres are slipping. Off road the Kuga can handle rough terrain, although we wouldn't try going up Ben Nevis in it.

Exterior4/5

The Kuga has that distinctive Ford look, the two grills tapering together is a feature of the Focus and the Mondeo. The Kuga has looks to compete with some of the more expensive cars in its class. It looks solid but stylish, and the front of the car is designed to really highlight the aggressive looking nose.

Interior3.5/5

The car is a comfortable place to be for both driver and passenger alike, and the dash is clean and clear which gives it an element of style. The front has loads of little spaces to hide things away in including a good sized glovebox, but the back seats don't have anywhere near as many spaces. The boot space is rather disappointing, at a pretty miserly 360 litre capacity. To combat this Ford have given the Kuga a split tailgate, which means as well as the full hatch you can open a smaller hatch which comes in very handy when parked in a tight space. The other slightly disappointing thing is the lack of options with the seats; you can just fold them down and flip them up.

Equipment4/5

The Kuga is well equipped even at its most basic. You get keyless start, ABS, ESP, traction control, air conditioning, 17 inch alloys, some nice sporty front seats, a leather steering wheel and electric heated mirrors as standard on the basic Zetec model, which is not a bad lot to be going on with. Upgrade to the Titanium and you get a bit more leather splashed about, dual zone climate control, automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control and tinted glass. There are a few nice little extras you can get as well; £75 gets you a power charger for laptops, which is quite neat. You can also get it with a panoramic sunroof which is worth a look.

Safety4.5/5

The Kuga got 5 stars in the Euro NCAP rating and scored highly across the board for adults, children and pedestrians. There are 6 airbags, ABS, ESP, electronic brake assist and traction control as standard. All in all the Kuga is a pretty safe place to be for all concerned.

Buying & Owning4/5

The Kuga is competitively priced and well and once purchased you should be pretty safe from any nasty surprises. The Kuga is one of the most economical cars in its class, well the diesels are anyway (the petrol as discussed is thirsty and has high emissions so will prove costlier). It is reassuringly based on the very reliable Focus so hopefully it won't be spending too much time in the garage.

Reviewed by cars2buy