Driving Torque

It's All About The Motors.

Driving Torque

This is the YouTube page for Driving Torque - Articles, reviews and opinions about cars and all things automotive.
Go to www.drivingtorque.com

Driving Torque
Review by Ben Harrington from Driving Torque of the Suzuki Jimny SZ5
Suzuki Jimny Review
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_tBEwl0WmNRw
Watch as a Model X performs its Celebration Mode Easter egg in the snow
Tesla Model X Celebration Mode
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_Z04UK1MRXjE
This is what the exhaust tail pipe of a Ford Focus RS sounds and looks like when you accelerate quickly.
2017 Ford Focus RS Exhaust
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_QkKOE0J4baE
Another gratuitous exhaust video for you. This time it's the behemoth that is the Mercedes GL63 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG exhaust sounding immense
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_S7TdJrBe8aw
This is a Porsche Cayman in Sport Plus mode with a Sports exhaust, showing the exhaust revving and moving as the car is put through its paces. Great footage of over-run and even the heat haze from the hot engine.
Porsche Cayman PDK Sport Plus
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_8l_WTgJB0sk
Subscribe
  • Home
  • About
  • Ben’s Car CV
  • DTQ Partners
  • Contact

New Ford Kuga – First Drive

January 31, 2013 by benharrington 11 Comments

Ford Kuga

Ford Kuga (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Since it first saw the light of day in 2008, the Kuga has been something of a success story for Ford in Europe, selling over 300,000 units and, according to Ford themselves, attracting buyers who would previously have overlooked the brand. In such tough economic times, it’s tricky attracting sales at all so what’s the Kuga’s secret and does this new, updated model retain it’s predecessor’s magnetic pull?

The New Ford Kuga

New 2013 Ford Kuga

New 2013 Ford Kuga

Like it’s stablemate – the Focus, this new Ford Kuga is a global car for Ford. It not only replaces our first generation model but is also sold in the USA under the moniker ‘Escape‘, replacing a much larger 4×4 of the same name. Think it’s impossible to tempt an American out of his gas guzzling pick-up? You may be surprised to read that the Ford dealerships in the US can’t get Escapes into their showrooms quickly enough – it’s an incredibly popular vehicle and, with 5 NCAP and also 5 NHTSA stars, incredibly safe too.

2012 Ford Escape

The Kuga is known as the Escape in the US. This is the previous model Escape

Visually, I always found the first generation Kuga very inoffensive with a certain ‘Tonka Toy’ charm that distinguished it from the opposition. It had real road presence, bulges in all the right places and a nice shiny pair of twin exhausts that hinted at a cheeky fun factor on the road. This latest Ford Kuga has undoubtedly retained many of these endearing features but I can’t help but feel that, visually at least, it’s all got a bit grown up. Amalgamating the Kuga with the Escape has inevitably resulted in a slight compromise with it’s styling. Thankfully however, the US market have adopted our curvy Kuga more than we’ve endured their boxy Escape.

New Ford Kuga Hands-free tailgate. Works beautifully, sometimes

Hands-free tailgate. Works beautifully. Sometimes

The new model is longer (81mm) and marginally narrower (4mm) than the outgoing model which does give it a more sensible, upright silhouette and detracts from its previous squat image with its shorter, less cumbersome overhangs. Ford claim to simply be listening to market feedback who apparently demanded more luggage space. One can’t fault them for this but it just seems a shame that the trade-off for a larger boot (up 82 litres on previous model) is inevitably a loss in the looks department. On the boot subject, Ford are very proud of their new, automatic, hands free tailgate which is designed to allow items to be quickly stowed away, without fumbling around in the rain for the keys. With the ‘correct’ kick under the rear end, the system does open and close as advertised. Be warned though – looking foolish is easily achieved, either by adopting the wrong style of leg movement or, as I did, by solidly cracking one’s shins on one’s own bumper.

It’s that same story up front too. Here is where the influence of the US market is more obvious and the result is a far more angular, dramatic ‘face’. It’s all new, triangular air intakes are slightly reminiscent of Porsche’s Cayenne – certainly not the prettiest car in the world but definitely one of the more striking.

Some fantastic design features inside New Ford Kuga

Some fantastic design features inside

Inside the new Kuga, there’s a reassuring air of quality that seems to be indicative of most current Fords. The standard of materials used and imagination in design are largely unseen in this price bracket and are testament to Ford’s commitment to forgetting mistakes made in the past and establishing themselves as a marque of quality once more.

Ford were keen to point out the various innovative features they’ve added to the new Kuga, all aimed at a more satisfying, safer driving experience. The AWD system now boasts Torque Vectoring Control, Torque Steer Compensation, Curve Control for over-zealous cornering and Active Nibble Compensation for, erm……

New Ford KugaLearning the intricacies of exactly how all these systems work is both unnecessary and slightly boring. What isn’t boring however is what they all add up to on the road. Our test route, high in the hills above Valencia offered many bends with varying angles and elevations to really stretch the capabilities of a lofty SUV. Ford insist that the S in SUV stands for Smart in this instance and when it comes down to how the Kuga drives, I’m inclined to agree. Yes, the roads around Valencia offer a surface quality that we in the UK can only dream of but, either way, the Kuga was resolutely unshakeable. The AWD system on our test vehicle apparently analyses feedback from the aforementioned driver aids 40 times every 16 milliseconds and I could well believe it. The result is a sensation not dissimilar to Ford’s own Focus with its limpet like qualities; no mean feat for a tall 4×4 with running gear that’s designed to also be able to cut it off-road.

The new Ford Kuga will be offered with a range of engines; 2.0l Diesels in either 140PS or 163PS guise and Ford’s 1.6 EcoBoost petrol with either 150PS or 180PS. Our test cars came equipped with the Duratorq Diesel engine (163PS) and I’m sad to say, this is the Kuga’s weakest link. This Diesel engine is unusually keen to rev but, even with the Kuga’s valiant attempts at sound deadening in the cabin (including thicker glass), when pushed hard, the reverberations and clatter were intrusive, antiquated and completely out of sync with the car’s funky image.

New Ford Kuga Rear

We like twin tail-pipes

The EcoBoost engines could prove to be a real highlight for the Kuga, not only by producing a more pleasant noise but by also improving handling further due to their comparative lightness. The only stumbling block may be that Ford have decided to offer the 150PS variant in FWD only, reserving the higher output lump for 4WD. Not that I’m envisaging the vast majority of Kugas ever experiencing much more by way of off-roading than a grass verge, but any potentially adverse effect on the 4WD model’s impeccable road handling would be a real shame. If, however, the FWD EcoBoost Kuga does tow the party line and sticks to the road like glue, it’ll surely become a common sight in the UK as its economy and CO2 figures aren’t a million miles away from its Diesel counterparts, with acceleration becoming far more spirited. Couple this with the entry-level Kuga being available for £20,895, a full £1,000 less than the equivalent outgoing model and it could be a great package.

Conversely, I feel that the 180PS model will sell in very limited numbers as it offers no hike in performance due to the extra weight of its 4×4 system, whilst fuel consumption and CO2 emissions stumble to unacceptable levels in this segment (36.7mpg combined and 179g/km CO2).

With improvements in almost every area, stunning handling and a very welcome price drop, the new Ford Kuga has little to dislike and with this segment expanding 40% since 2008, I see very little reason why the Kuga won’t continue to take a hefty bite. However, Ford predict that it’s Diesel Kugas will outsell the petrol variants 3:1. Armed with the mighty EcoBoost, I’m not so sure. I definitely plan to get my hands on one soon though, to provide my full verdict.

By Ben Harrington

Specifications as driven; Ford Kuga Duratorq 163, Price – from £25,545, Engine – 2.0l Diesel, Layout – Front engine, 4WD, Power – 163bhp, Acceleration – 0-60 9.9s, Maximum Speed – 123 mph, Economy –  47.9 mpg combined, Emissions –  154g/km CO2

Related articles
  • Review: Ford Kuga SUV (dailyrecord.co.uk)
  • Review: 2013 Ford Escape Titanium Ecoboost (Video) (thetruthaboutcars.com)
  • Ford Beating General Motors in Race to Europe Turnaround – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)

Filed Under: Road Test, SUV Tagged With: Escape, Ford, Ford EcoBoost engine, Ford Motor Company, Four-wheel drive, Kuga, Sport utility vehicle, United States

Trackbacks

  1. Mitsubishi Shogun LWB DI-DC SG4, Driven and Reviewed « Driving Torque says:
    February 20, 2013 at 11:01 am

    […] and it’s time to see whether it can still cut it in today’s highly competitive 4×4 segment or if it should simply retire back to the Land of the Rising […]

    Reply
  2. Ford Focus vs Ford Fiesta; A Tale of Two STs | Driving Torque says:
    March 19, 2013 at 10:11 am

    […] Since the dawn of time, well, since 1963 anyway, our quirky little island has been caught up in an unrelenting love affair. Yes, we’re quite keen on GTis, SRis, GTEs and various other alphabet-soup inspired monikers, but what we ceaselessly lust after is a certain breed of breathed upon family hatches and rep-mobiles, namely Fast Fords. […]

    Reply
  3. All-New Ford Ranger Wildtrak – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    April 26, 2013 at 10:25 am

    […] Ford Ranger Wildtrak Double Cab Auto, £30,353 inc VAT, 3.2l TDCI, 4WD, 200bhp, 0-62mph – 10.4s, 109mph max, 26.7mpg combined, 274g/km […]

    Reply
  4. Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC SR – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    July 7, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    […] and weight well. The chassis may not be quite up to the awesome standards set by Ford’s Kuga but the difference isn’t startling. If pushed, the CR-V is fairly planted with little body […]

    Reply
  5. All new Ford EcoSport – First Drive at Barcelona launch | Driving Torque says:
    December 13, 2013 at 8:04 pm

    […] the flesh, the Kuga lineage is very apparent in the EcoSport’s styling, again no bad thing, but there are a few […]

    Reply
  6. Ford Ka Studio Connect – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    April 14, 2014 at 4:09 pm

    […] of the 2nd gen Ka have been disappointing for Ford, and I can’t help but assume this is mainly due to the look of the thing. The original model […]

    Reply
  7. All New Ford Fiesta; how does it compare to its predecessor? - Driving Torque says:
    February 3, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    […] time, looking completely different. That trapezoidal nose has actually graced the front end of many Fords, including the Fiesta, for a while now. By adding some shiny brightwork, giving the new model a […]

    Reply
  8. All-New Ford Ranger Wildtrak - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 4, 2015 at 10:30 am

    […] a load cover which I’d say is essential), but for some reason, as I stated previously, Ford have decreed that if you want the Wildtrak extras, you must also have the 3.2 litre Duratorq […]

    Reply
  9. Honda CR-V i-DTEC SR - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 4, 2015 at 11:22 am

    […] and weight well. The chassis may not be quite up to the awesome standards set by Ford’s Kuga but the difference isn’t startling. If pushed, the CR-V is fairly planted with little body […]

    Reply
  10. All new Ford EcoSport; First Drive Review - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 2:42 pm

    […] realities of this target market though; they’ve wholeheartedly accepted that the image which SUV ownership provides is all important – but the last thing these same buyers want is the […]

    Reply
  11. New Ford C-MAX and Grand C-MAX - First Drive Review says:
    April 12, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    […] spec cars upwards come with Ford’s excellent SYNC 2 infotainment system. It’s high-res display and common-sense approach to […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Driving Torque

I'm Ben Harrington and I'm a car lover, freelance motoring journalist and family-man (I'll let you decide the order!) I started Driving Torque in 2010 to share my love of all things motoring with the wider world. Since then, … continue reading

Driving Torque’s Instagram Posts

driving_torque

Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day was this; the unashamedly macho Ford Mustang Mach 1. A full review will follow later this year, hopefully. #ford #fordmustang #forduk #carsofinstagram
What do you do when you own two VW vans? Why, you What do you do when you own two VW vans? Why, you go and drive the latest VW Multivan, of course! The Multivan is not, I repeat, is not based on a van, though. Got it? Good. #vw #volkswagen #notavan #carsofinstagram
Managed to get a first drive of the Hyundai i20N a Managed to get a first drive of the Hyundai i20N at Millbrook yesterday. I wasn’t sure anything could get close to the Fiesta ST in real hot-hatch terms, but then, this…… #hyundai #i20n #carsofinstagram
We’ve spent the last week in the company of the We’ve spent the last week in the company of the @bmw X5 M50i. Hugely powerful yet surprisingly economical 😲 #bmw #x5 #mpower #carsofinstagram
I’ve had worse weeks……. #porsche #boxster #b I’ve had worse weeks……. #porsche #boxster #boxster25years #carsofinstagram
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Driving Torque’s Twitter Feed

Ben HarringtonFollow

Freelance motoring writer and Editor of Driving Torque. @NGMWcars member. Classic VW owner. Husband and father to a wonderful wife and two amazing young ladies.

Ben Harrington
DrivingTorqueBen Harrington@DrivingTorque·
18 May

https://buff.ly/3MgBS7H #kia #ceed #sportswagon #review #roadtest #wagon

Reply on Twitter 1526997309602537472Retweet on Twitter 1526997309602537472Like on Twitter 1526997309602537472Twitter 1526997309602537472
Retweet on TwitterBen Harrington Retweeted
steveberry62Steve Berry@steveberry62·
15 May

Visited Glamis Castle today in the @mazdaukpr CX30. A lovely drive North that was made even better by the Mazda’s comfort and ride. 50+ MPG, too. A perfect day.

3
Reply on Twitter 1525887958045302785Retweet on Twitter 15258879580453027852Like on Twitter 152588795804530278511Twitter 1525887958045302785
Retweet on TwitterBen Harrington Retweeted
YTimesMotoringAndy Harris@YTimesMotoring·
12 May

The new Range Rover Sport has been unveiled.

All you need to know:

https://yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/New-Range-Rover-Sport-Revealed

@LandRover_UK @LandRoverUKPR

Reply on Twitter 1524707382131105795Retweet on Twitter 15247073821311057955Like on Twitter 15247073821311057956Twitter 1524707382131105795
DrivingTorqueBen Harrington@DrivingTorque·
12 May

https://buff.ly/3KGDRkx #bmw #x5 #msport #review

Reply on Twitter 1524708718167969793Retweet on Twitter 15247087181679697931Like on Twitter 1524708718167969793Twitter 1524708718167969793
DrivingTorqueBen Harrington@DrivingTorque·
9 May

https://buff.ly/38IdKMY #porsche #boxster #718 #25years #review #roadtest

Reply on Twitter 1523742352338264064Retweet on Twitter 1523742352338264064Like on Twitter 15237423523382640641Twitter 1523742352338264064
Load More...

© 2022 · DrivingTorque.com · Site designed and built by Kobestarr.com