Ford Kuga | Test Drive | Auto Class Magazine

Ford Kuga | Test Drive

Words Carlo Brema / Photos Andy Williams

Fluffy. I know, it is an adjective you may find difficult to apply when talking about cars, but it is the one that best identifies my experience behind the wheel of the new Ford Kuga, here in the Plug-In Hybrid version and with a petrol + electric combination that offers reduced consumption and 225 horsepower of overall power. We are at the top of the range for the best-selling Ford SUV, which combines the technology developed by Toyota and combines a latest generation continuously variable automatic transmission which allows interesting distances with a full tank of petrol and up to approximately 60 km with just the energy from the batteries, obviously when fully charged.

We now know what the Kuga is all about, a medium-sized SUV that does not disdain to live in the city, which is why Ford has decided to give it the PHEV treatment. We are therefore talking about reducing emissions and perfecting the management of the work carried out by the two engines, without performance ambitions despite the cavalry may suggest the opposite. The on road behavior of the Kuga is in fact that of a family car that lends itself to the most disparate needs without losing a hint of its versatility and practicality, not even with a few extra kilos courtesy of the presence of the 14.4 kWh battery and the internal combustion engine of anything but small dimensions: it is still a 4-cylinder in line, but with a 2.5-litre capacity. Then there is the gearbox, a CVT which fortunately excludes the scooter effect and is never noisy, supporting the excellent and rapid changes from electric to petrol, almost imperceptible especially when the 4 cylinder has the liquids at its optimal temperature.

Aesthetically updated and embellished with the details of the ST-Line specification, the passenger compartment remains faithful to what has already been seen on the rest of the Ford range, with numerous storage compartments, connectivity manageable via the 8″ central display and gears wheel instead of a traditional lever. By varying between the available driving modes, a more economical behavior in consumption (Eco) or more reactive (Sport) is accentuated, significantly affecting the overall mileage which however surprises in a positive way, an aspect that I would not have taken for granted, but which makes this Kuga intelligent and extremely effective not only in the city, but also on the motorway and on secondary roads. The sample under test is fitted with 18″ rims with tires with a 60 shoulder, which combined with a steering that is still rather soft make driving relaxed and much more comfortable than what would happen with larger wheels (even up to 20 inches), ergo we return to the aforementioned fluffiness of a car but with some plastics in the passenger compartment that are a little crunchy.

Having said this and with a starting price of €35,900 for the 150 hp 1.5 EcoBoost, the Plug-In Hybrid step starts at €44,650, or 6 thousand Euros more than the Full Hybrid (€38,650), which features the same 2.5, but with an 11.1 kWh battery for a maximum power of 190 hp. As far as ADAS concern we have a good level 2, while I appreciate the rubber that protect the doors popping out during the opening phase of the same. The Kuga remains true and improves itself as well as it improves life on board. We have traveled several thousand kilometers behind the wheel and more simply on board and if you are looking for a product of this type browsing through the blue oval’s price list, you are spoiled for choice among its numerous and all excellent engines available.