Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCI 163 PS Titanium

What is it?

This is the second-generation version of Ford’s popular Focus-based Kuga SUV.

The new car retains much of the look of the previous one, but provides a lot more luggage space, addressing one of the few significant weaknesses of the original model. The new Kuga certainly looks bigger, and in particular longer, than the old one.

The other main advances take place under the skin. The latest Kuga gets a lot of new chassis technology and there’s the option of Ford’s voice-activated SYNC in-car connectivity system.

The new car is also a lot more fuel-efficient, and, thanks to the introduction of a new 1.6-litre turbocharged EcoBoost petrol version, it has an entry price that is £1,000 lower than that of the old model. All new Kugas are cheaper than their predecessors on a like-for-like basis.

The Kuga doesn’t sell in the sort of big numbers that the Fiesta and Focus do – Ford has shifted about 45,000 of the old one since 2008 – and that’s unlikely to change with the new model.

But it still forms a vital part of Ford’s range; Kuga sales are high-value sales because it’s available only in the higher Zetec, Titanium and Titanium X trim levels.

And the Kuga won’t be Ford’s only SUV in Europe for much longer. It will soon be joined by the smaller EcoSport from Latin America, and the larger Edge from the USA.

What’s hot?

• An engine range that starts with a 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine offering either 150 or 180 PS and also includes two-litre 140 PS or 163 PS diesels. The top diesel tested here is smooth and powerful, and works well whether paired with the six-speed manual or the dual clutch automatic.
• Choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive transmissions; front-wheel drives get the 150 PS petrol or the 140 PS diesel engine while all other engines are paired with an all-wheel drive transmission
  

  

• Improved economy – the front-wheel drive 1.6 EcoBoost delivers 42.8 mpg and 154 g/km, while the entry-level 140 PS diesel offers 53.3 mpg and 139 g/km
• Three different trim levels are available – Zetec cars get 17-inch alloys, powered/heated mirrors, a heated windscreen, keyless start, hill-start assist and cruise control; Titanium models get automatic headlamps, wipers, and dimming rear view mirrors, a DAB radio, SYNC, part-leather upholstery and roll-stability control; Titanium X cars have bigger eighteen-inch alloys, bi-xenon headlamps, LED daytime running lights, a power tailgate, a panoramic glass roof and leather seats
• Advanced chassis technologies give the new Kuga a firm grip of the road, in particular torque-vectoring control, which balances the power between the wheels for improved handling. In practice, the Kuga has have excellent ride and handling
• A long list of standard or optional safety equipment, including active parking assistance, a blind spot warning system, active city stop automatic braking, lane departure and lane keeping aids, automatic headlight dipping and a driver alert system.

What’s not?

• The Kuga would be more accessible and attractive for some types of business users if it were offered with the more basic Studio or Edge trim levels available on most other Ford models.
• Some say the new car has a more bland appearance than its predecessor, thanks to its closeness to the US market Ford Escape. On the other hand the latest Kuga’s stretched tail gives it a sleeker, longer look that some will prefer.

Business Car Manager road test verdict

The latest Kuga is roomier, more economical, better equipped and cheaper than its well-regarded predecessor. The new car lives up to Ford’s reputation for excellent chassis dynamics as well.

That alone should make it a success for most business car buyers and company car drivers wanting a compact SUV.

What’s disappointing is that Ford didn’t take the opportunity to lower the CO2 emissions of the new Ford Kuga further in this 4WD version: a Mazda CX-5, for example, is a couple of company car tax bands lower thanks to 136g/km CO2 emissions.

Nevertheless, as an all-rounder, with good running costs and widespread Ford dealer availability, the new Ford Kuga should be on the company car shopping for any business driver wanting a compact SUV.

The Low Down…

…and what it costs