The Ford Kuga has been
redesigned from the ground up in a bid to attract more buyers to the
still-booming family SUV sector, and the new model will be offered with plug-in
hybrid and mild-hybrid powertrains, along with conventional petrol and diesel
offerings.The hybrid line-up, in particular, is expected to be key to
attracting new customers, with the interest in electrified powertrains
escalating exponentially. The new Kuga won’t go on sale in the UK until early
next year, but Ford should still beat many of its rivals to the market with its
plug-in option, which mates a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor
and 10.3kWh battery pack to deliver 225hp. The model can travel up to 54km on
electric range alone. Buyers will also be able to choose a self-charging hybrid
setup, akin to the Prius’s hybrid system, which links the 2.5-litre petrol
engine to an electric motor and smaller battery.
A 48V mild-hybrid set-up
is mated to a 150hp, 2.0-litre diesel engine. Conventional 1.5-litre petrol and
2.0-litre diesel variants will also be available, mated to either a 6-speed
manual or 8-speed automatic gearbox. Two- and all-wheel-drive options will be
available. Also striking is the new, more sophisticated and less boxy look of
the third-generation Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson rival. The
styling takes Ford’s design language in the direction of the more contoured
lines seen on the latest Fiesta and Focus. The interior also follows those
cars, delivering an uncluttered, sweeping look despite the raft of
technological functions that are offered, the majority of which are controlled
via the central touchscreen.
The Kuga sits on the same
C2 platform as the new Focus, and is longer, wider and has a longer wheelbase –
and therefore improved stability and dynamics – than the car it replaces. The
platform is also said to be 10 percent torsionally stiffer than the outgoing
car’s, as well as supporting the basis for a more aerodynamic design and
allowing weight savings of up to 90kg over the model that's on sale currently. In
particular, the new Kuga is said to deliver more interior room than before,
including what Ford says is class-leading space for rear-seat passengers thanks
to an 89mm increase in length. Those seated at the front get 43mm more shoulder
room and 57mm more hip room than in the current model,
while in the rear there is a 20mm increase in
shoulder room and 36mm more hip room, while the seats, split 70:30, slide fore
and aft as standard. This increased rear accommodation has been achieved in
part by setting the dashboard closer to the engine bay bulkhead and positioning
it more upright than before, allowing front seat passengers to be seated
farther forward. Despite sporting a dramatic, sloping roofline and an overall
height that is lower by 20mm than that of the outgoing car, the new Kuga also
offers 13mm more headroom in the front and 35mm in the rear, thanks to clever
interior packaging.
