The best compact SUV in 2013 according to South African women and the 2013 WOW Women’s Car of the Year Awards (WCOTY) is the all-new Ford Kuga.
Launched in South Africa earlier this year, the Kuga is available with either a 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine in manual or automatic, as well as a 2.0-litre TDCi turbocharged diesel engine with Ford’s PowerShift automatic transmission.
Fuel efficient engines combined with striking design, practicality, safety, luxury, technology and convenience, make the Kuga an great choice for just about anyone. “We’re extremely proud to receive this award,” said Ford Marketing Manager Gavin Golightly. “The Kuga has clearly struck a chord with the female market thanks to its smart technologies, fuel efficient engines and versatile packaging.”
The Kuga was selected as the winner of its categories after more than 30 000 votes were cast through Associated Magazines titles such as: O (the Oprah Magazine); Marie Claire; Cosmopolitan and House & Leisure. The votes were verified by a panel of 12 judges who included: Liana Reiners, owner and publisher of Car and Leisure; the Mail & Guardian motor editor Sukasha Singh; former editor of Avusa’s MotorMania Mabuyane Kekana; Wheels24 content producer Janine-Lee Gordon; award-winning motoring journalist Peta Lee; DStv Ignition TV’s Lindsay Vine and Driving in Heels blogger and managing director Vuyi Jabavu.
Charleen Clarke, editor of WOW, comments that the compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) sector is one of the most competitive within the motor industry. “We have seen a plethora of SUV model launches over the past couple of years. As such, this was one of the most hotly-contested sectors within the WOW Car of the Year Awards this year. But the Ford Kuga, with its winning combination of practicality, versatility and style, stands out head and shoulders above the rest. Our readers are especially impressed with its beautiful styling and spacious interior. Safety features are also exceptionally important to WOW readers and the Kuga certainly ticks all the boxes in this department too. It is a well-deserved winner.”
The overall 2013 WCOTY title went to the new Renault Clio – read our review here.
