Ford Kuga

Ford Kuga at a glance

The Kuga was Ford's first compact crossover developed in Europe, replacing the slow-selling Maverick in the region. It was previewed by the Iosis X concept at the 2006 Paris Motor Show and aimed at buyers of cars like the Toyota RAV4 rather than the smaller Nissan Qashqai. European sales grew from 26,761 in 2008 to a peak of 161,635 in 2019. The wider range, from the Ford Focus to the Ford Mondeo, is in the Ford catalogue.

First-generation Kuga (2008–2012)

Design and interior

The first Kuga was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007 and went on sale in the first half of 2008. It used Ford's "kinetic design", with a large lower grille, big headlights, pronounced wheel arches, high-mounted tail lights and a sloping rear window that narrows at the sides. Ground clearance is 188 mm. The cabin is closely related to the C-Max, with clear dials and plenty of storage, and the rear bench folds 60:40 to a flat floor. The tailgate has a separately opening glass section. Boot space is about 400 litres, rising to 1,405 litres with the rear seats folded. The rear seat is best for two adults, as the centre passenger has little room.

Kuga I engines and four-wheel drive

The all-wheel-drive versions use a Haldex clutch that can send up to 50% of the torque to the rear wheels when needed; from late 2008 a fourth-generation Haldex unit with an electric pump was fitted. The rear suspension is a multi-link design from the Focus, giving tidy handling with a firm ride, and the steering has electro-hydraulic assistance. All four wheels have disc brakes, with ventilated discs at the front.

Kuga I safety and trims

The first Kuga has six airbags and ESP. In its 2008 Euro NCAP test it received five stars for adult occupants, four for children and three for pedestrians. Trims were Trend, Titanium and Titanium S; Titanium added alloy wheels, rain and light sensors, dual-zone climate control and cruise control. A facelift was revealed in July 2010.

Second-generation Kuga (2012–2019)

Design and practicality

The second Kuga was previewed by the Vertrek concept at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2011 and developed mainly by Ford of Europe under the "One Ford" policy. In North America it became the 2013 Ford Escape, with about 80% of parts shared. It grew by 81 mm in length, gained a wider grille, angular headlights with LED strips and adaptive cornering lights, and an interior closely based on the third-generation Focus. Boot space rose to 456 litres, or 1,653 litres with the seats folded, and a hands-free tailgate opens with a kicking motion under the rear bumper when the key is nearby. A panoramic roof and folding tables on the front seat backs were offered.

Kuga II engines

Petrol engines were paired with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, and diesels with a six-speed manual or the PowerShift dual-clutch gearbox. Suspension uses MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear axle, with electric power steering. Options included torque vectoring, blind-spot monitoring and Active City Stop automatic braking. In Euro NCAP's 2012 test the Kuga scored 94% for adult occupants, 86% for children, 70% for pedestrians and 100% for safety assist. The facelift, shown at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February 2016, brought a new front end. In South Africa, fires in 1.6 EcoBoost Kugas led to several recalls between 2017 and 2018.

Third-generation Kuga (2019 to today)

The third Kuga debuted on 2 April 2019 and went on sale in the third quarter of that year. It moved to the C2 platform of the latest Focus, is up to 90 kg lighter than its predecessor and is longer and wider, with a longer wheelbase. In North America it is the fourth-generation Escape.

The mild-hybrid system uses an 11.5 kW belt-driven starter-generator and a 1.1 kWh battery. In Euro NCAP's 2019 test, a 2.0 diesel 4×4 scored 92% for adult occupants, 86% for children, 82% for pedestrians and 73% for safety assist. The plug-in hybrid was Europe's best-selling plug-in hybrid in 2021, 2022 and 2023. A facelift arrived in January 2024.

Rivals: how the Kuga compares

The Kuga competes with the Volkswagen Tiguan, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Peugeot 3008. Its strengths are sharp handling, a wide engine range and, in the third generation, an efficient plug-in hybrid; its weaknesses are a smaller boot than some rivals and tight rear space in the first generation. The related Ford Escape covers the North American versions.