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our test drives or view them all

Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi Titanium manual

YOU can buy the new Kuga SUV with just one engine option, one transmission and a choice of only two trim levels.

Both are powered by Ford’s fine two-litre 134bhp TDCi turbodiesel coupled to a delightfully slick six-speed manual gearbox and come in great value Zetec guise at £20,500 or with some extra toys and Titanium trim for £2000 more.

Ford will expand the range with a 2.5 litre petrol option later on but for now it needs to be congratulated for restricting the Kuga to such a simple line-up. Far too much choice is not a good thing for the buying public and often leads to over-specification and budget-breaking expenditure.

But the great news here is that Kuga is not only an easy showroom buy but it’s one of the best compact 4x4 five-seaters on the market – a stroke of genius from cash-strapped Ford that trumps the opposition despite arriving as a late entry.

The turbodiesel engine is brilliant – I just cannot see why there is any need for the planned 198bhp 2.5 litre five-cylinder petrol model. Get the oil-burner’s revs above 1500rpm and it flies. Pulling strongly in all six gears it sailed through the West Highlands and over to Skye shrugging off atrocious driving conditions even when presented with my favourite 2000-foot climb over Ross-shire’s Bealach na Ba.

The rain was falling in sheets. The road streamed with water and on the run down to Applecross deep pools formed at the verges. But it helped me discover the Kuga’s handling strong points. Hitting deep water at speed is a great way to learn how good and stable a car is. My nearside wheels were forced into a particularly deep pool and the Kuga tracked perfectly – no undue tugging to the left. It came through the big splash test well thanks to a great chassis, good suspension and chunky 55 section 17-inch Continental tyres with tall sidewalls and grippy treads. I know others that would not have fared so well.

It is “real world” experiences like that that build confidence in a car. And what came over strongly was how well the machine handled – safe and enjoyable.

There’s a good reason for that. Strip away the SUV body and clever part-time 4x4 and you’ll find a Focus. There’s nothing wrong there. Ford’s excellent mid-range car has a well-earned reputation for sharp handling. Kuga has inherited it all. And the addition of “intelligent” 4x4 that distributes up to 50 per cent of the engine’s power between the front and rear axles just makes the picture better.

In most situations the Kuga is front-drive and on the drier and quicker A832 east of Achnasheen it was a sheer delight. The tall, 1.7 metre-high body displayed marginal roll through some swift corners while the 1.6-tonne car steered beautifully on the dips and dives of the West Highlands. Powerful brakes coped easily with the chunky body when I tried some emergency stops making it all the more obvious that the Kuga is a top contender as an excellent all-round family holdall.

Given the brisk nature of my drive in atrocious weather I was surprised to find my overall consumption after more than 350 miles with three adults aboard and a modest luggage load averaged an impressive 38.8mpg. Driven more sedately around Moray I lifted that to 43mpg.

On the ownership cost front the diesel delivers 169g/km – a good figure considering the new VED banding system that arrives in 2009. For now the Kuga costs £170 a year for Road Tax with a potential £175 bill next year rising to £180 by 2010. Not a bad prospect in these tax-greedy times.

It rides well and quietly with good comfort levels – though I can’t understand Ford’s insistence on giving the well-designed dash such tacky trim. It looks cheap and nasty.

However I liked the seating and my passengers were happy with overall support though one complained about feeling "hemmed in" at the back because of the rising rear window line.

On the cargo front Kuga is less impressive. It’s beaten by quality rivals like the admittedly more expensive Land Rover Freelander and, more significantly, the similarly-priced and surprisingly slightly lighter Volkswagen Tiguan. Using all five seats leaves you with a reasonable 410 litres while folding them all flat delivers 1355 litres. Both figures are good, but a two-litre TDI Tiguan costing around the same will swallow 1510 litres.

But there’s little in it. The Kuga is a real head-turner. Its styling won’t appeal to everyone. But I like its chunky appearance and feeling of solidity from behind the wheel. But what a pity that solid feeling does not extend to the flimsy plastics adorning the nose. Plastic grille, front skirt, front wings and headlamp clusters are fine – but on Kuga they’re ultra light and move around to the slightest pressure. My example ‘popped’ a lightweight piece of chromed trim from just under the offside headlamp assembly – it was left dangling from a spring that looked like a paper clip.

That was a real disappointment on a well-designed family SUV that impressed just about everywhere else.

Safety ranks high. Euro/NCAP gave the Kuga five stars for adult occupant safety, four for child protection and three for pedestrian protection. That’s outstanding in this class and puts the Kuga well ahead of its competition. Front, side and curtain airbags are standard like ABS and ESP. You also get Ford’s clever EasyFuel system, underbody skid plate protection front and rear, ‘Ford Power’ keyless start, a clever split tailgate, trip computer and a great sounding radio/CD system.

I’ve driven lots of family SUVs in recent years – none of them have left me so impressed as Kuga.

My Titanium test car costs £2000 more than the "standard" Zetec and adds climate control, cruise control, auto wipers and lights, some limited leather on the seats and a self-dimming mirror. Personally I see the Zetec as the best bargain here – unless you can wangle some Titanium discount. The test car had only two extras – metallic paint at £425 and Bluetooth with voice control at £150.

Whichever trim level you opt for one thing’s for sure – you’ll be getting a top class family SUV.

Rating: 8/10

 

FINAL THOUGHT:

There are just two trim variations for the Kuga SUV with one engine and one transmission and that’s great news for the confused buyer. The entry level Zetec is the best buy because you pay an extra £2000 for the Titanium model that comes with marginally different styling features, automatic wipers and lights, climate control, cruise control and part leather seating. Both have the same frugal and strong-hearted two-litre TDCi turbodiesel linked to a slick six-speed manual transmission. The Kuga is good-looking, drives well and is a pleasant family five-seat SUV. If anything lets its down its the abundance of flimsy plastic trim around the nose – bumper, grille and wings are all petroleum-based by-products and not all that well fitted. But the rest of the package is excellent with a solid well-planted feel on the road.

 

CAR FACTS – Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi Titanium manual

• Price: £22,500 (£23,075 as tested)
• Capacity: 1997cc
• Power: 134bhp
• 0-62mph: 10.7 seconds
• Maximum speed: 112mph
• Economy: Combined 44.1mpg
• CO2 emissions: 169g/km
• ESP: Standard
• Insurance: Group 10