The previous generation Ford Kuga took some four years to arrive in South Africa, having first gone on sale in Europe in early 2008, but thankfully Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa made sure we were right up on the list of world markets this time round.
‘World’ is what Ford is all about these days, thanks to Ford’s president and CEO, Alan Mulally, who has helped to steer the company away from bankruptcy and ensure its profitability since he joined in 2006. Ford expects its Asia/Pacific and Africa markets, which includes South Africa among others, to account for between 60% – 70% of its growth in the next decade. Key to capitalising and profiting on this growth potential is the manufacturer’s ‘One Ford’ strategy. One Ford involves shared platforms for global vehicles, resulting in lower costs and increased sales. The first example was the Ford Fiesta, followed by the Ford Focus, Ford Ranger and now the all-new Ford Kuga.
The new Kuga follows Ford’s evolving kinetic design theme, with styling details seen in the grille, head- and tail-lights similar to those of the Focus hatchback. The new Kuga continues to be a sleek looking mid-sized SUV, thanks to a raked windscreen and tapering roofline in combination with a high beltline. As before, the Kuga gains its masculinity from pronounced wheel arches, bonnet bulges, a slim upper grille that emphasises the vehicle’s width, as well as satin silver cosmetic-only scuff plates front and rear.
Except for the styling, we described the previous generation Kuga as, “not the most fuel efficient, overly spacious or particularly cheap”, but the new Kuga unquestionably rights these wrongs. Let’s start from the ground up, where the Kuga rides on an identical wheelbase as before. Wider front and rear tracks, however, together with an increased overall length by 81 mm, means the new Kuga offers more space. Front and rear headroom has increased, as has rear shoulder room, but the most noticeable and welcomed increase has been in the boot area. With the rear seats in place, cargo capacity is 456-litres (up from 360-litres) and when folded flat, cargo capacity is a whopping 1 653-litres (up from 1 355-litres).
Apart from increased space, other practical interior features include: reclining rear seat back rests; an umbrella holder, a floor bin between the front and rear seats; 8 cup holders; USB ports located in the centre console and a 230-volt power converter is easily accessible for charging your electronic gadgets. The interior itself features soft touch materials and is modelled on that of the Ford Focus. The dashboard is designed with a bias toward the driver and, although busy with plenty of buttons, is fitted with higher quality and attention to detail than before. Standard equipment includes electrically heated side mirrors, front and rear fog lamps, 17-inch alloy wheels, engine stop/start (FWD models only), push button start, ‘EcoMode’, Ford’s SYNC™ multimedia system with Bluetooth and voice control, as well as steering wheel mounted audio controls and cruise control.
In terms of the engine line-up, the new Kuga does away with the old Focus ST-sourced, 2.5-litre, 5-cylinder engine. While it gave the Kuga strong performance, it also demanded its fair share of premium unleaded fuel. In its place we now have the choice of either a 1.6-litre, turbocharged, 4-cylinder petrol engine, or a 2.0-litre, turbocharged, 4-cylinder diesel engine.
The petrol unit is available with either 110 kW or 134 kW. Both petrol engines produce 240 Nm of torque between 1 600 r/min and 4 000 r/min. The entry-level 110 kW unit drives the front-wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission and returns 6.6 l/100km on average, while the 134 kW unit drives all-wheels via a 6-speed automatic ‘box and requires 7.7 l/100km of fuel on average.
The 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine produces 120 kW and 340 Nm between 2 000 r/min and 3 250 r/min. The diesel unit drives all four wheels and is mated to Ford’s 6-speed dual-clutch ‘PowerShift’ transmission. The diesel consumes 6.2 l/100 km and emits 162 g/km CO2.
On a short launch route, with a combination of tar and dirt roads, the Kuga rolled along smoothly, both in terms of its drivetrain and suspension. Although the Kuga has grown in its dimensions and equipment levels, it doesn’t feel cumbersome and still responds well to steering and throttle inputs. Torque from the 1.6-litre petrol engine should be enough for most Kuga owners, but the diesel engine should be the sensible choice for anyone who has a regular need for towing boats, caravans or trailers.
In terms of occupant safety, the all-new Kuga has earned a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating, having achieved the highest ever overall protection score for a mid-sized SUV, at 88 percent. Standard safety equipment includes seven airbags, ISOFIX child seat attachments, Antilock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Electronic Stability Control (ESP).
In addition, optional extras such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Active Park Assist, Blind Spot Information System, Active City Stop, Lane Keeping Aid, and Lane Departure Warning, serve to make the Kuga an even safer family vehicle. The Kuga’s towing capacity has also increased from 700 kg to 1 200 kg and 1 300 kg, for the petrol and diesel engines respectively, which means the Kuga’s Roll Stability Control and Trailer Sway Control are also notable safety features.
The Ford Kuga range has expanded to include 6 models, compared to the previous two, which means a wider range of specification is available, starting from a price that undercuts the previous generation by a staggering R100 109. Ambiente, Trend and Titanium specifications offer interior and exterior equipment that ranges from the entry-level spec we mentioned earlier, to the Titanium with 19-inch alloy wheels, BiXenon automatic headlamps, daytime running lights, rear LED tail lamps, ‘open sesame’ automatic tailgate and panoramic sunroof.
The new Kuga improves convincingly on its key areas of practicality, economy, styling, technology and price.
| Pricing (incl. VAT and C02 Tax) | |
| Ford Kuga 1.6 EcoBoost Ambienta FWD | R289 900 |
| Ford Kuga 1.6 EcoBoost Trend FWD | R324 900 |
| Ford Kuga 1.6 EcoBoost Trend FWD A/T | R364 900 |
| Ford Kuga 1.6 EcoBoost Titanium AWD A/T | R398 900 |
| Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi Trend Powershift AWD | R384 900 |
| Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi Titanium Powershift AWD | R418 900 |
Pricing includes a 4-year/120 000 km warranty, 4-year/80 000 km service plan and 3-year/Unlimited Km roadside assistance.
