Is the new Ford Kuga Facelift the best Ford you can buy?
Exterior – Front
So, let’s start with the design at the front of the new Kuga facelift and straight away we get a new front-end design that we have sort of seen on the new Focus but this time it looks that bit better. We get a set of new slim headlights with angle eye looking daytime running lights. We also get another line up to which completes the new light bar which connects the headlights. Something we haven’t seen on a Ford before. Lower down we get this new grill design that looks sportier than before. It also houses the new Ford logo which has a darker blue and the lettering is now white. The grill does make it look sportier too than the previous one. The lower central air vent is also different and is sportier too. The side vents are now very slim and aid cooling much better than before too. There is still a bit of chrome at the front which I do quite like. Finally, to finish the front of we get a new bonnet which makes the headlights look slimmer.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side and there aren’t that many changes but there are a few to talk about. To start with the basic Titanium and newly announced Active trim levels get black plastic trim along the side to give it a rugged look. The ST-Line and ST-Line X models get body coloured plastic trim which gives this a sportier look. The wheel designs are all new and to make the Kuga much more modern and overall makes this car feel like it’s more than a facelift and like a new model.
Exterior – Rear
So, moving round to the back and there are changes. To start with we get a new set of taillights that look very similar to the Focus Facelift. We also get the new logo on the back and the Kuga lettering can now come in black on the ST-Line and above. The bumper is the same as before, but I am ok with that. Finally, one very small change is that the boot opening handle has now moved upwards, underneath the Kuga lettering to make the rear end look cleaner which I think it does. Right, let’s have a look at what engine and gearbox options you can have with the new Ford Kuga Facelift.
Car and engine specs and price
So, for engine choices there are 2 options. You can either have a petrol engine or a petrol plug in hybrid engine. Let’s start with the petrol engine. This is a 1.5 litre Ecoboost petrol engine. This has 148 bhp and a 0-62 time of 9.8 seconds which isn’t that bad. This can only be had with a 6-speed manual though. Now before you say anything about the dreaded Ecoboost engines I just want to point out that this engine is different from the earlier models. All fords from 2020 onwards have a timing chain which should last the lifetime of the car. This makes them much, much more reliable over the older ones. Let’s have a look at the plug-in hybrids next. This is a 2.5 litre Duratec engine with 179 bhp. This can do 0-62 in 9.3 seconds, and it has an electric only range of 42 miles. There is also another version with 240 bhp. Both have a CVT gearbox, and both are front wheel drive. The price of the new Ford Kuga Facelift starts at £32,095. Let’s have a look at the interior.
Interior – Design
So, climbing inside the new Kuga Facelift and there are some changes. To start with we get the new interior design mostly taken from the Ford Focus Facelift. We get the new sync 4 infotainment system which is easy to use, and it has a very clear display. The only downside is that the climate control buttons are located on the screen which can be fiddly at first. The only good thing is though is that they stay in the same place. Lower down the dashboard and there is a row of buttons where the climate control system used to be. This houses the start stop button, volume knob, driving modes and a few shortcut buttons that used to be on the centre console. Talking of the centre console, this is mostly the same as before as in we get the same design with the gear shifter dial, cup holders and electric parking brake but where the shortcut buttons used to be is now a little cubby hole. Personally, this could have been implemented better, but I still like the design. The steering wheel is the same as before, but the instrument cluster does get some new graphics like what the new Mustang has. This makes the interior feel more modern. The material quality is also roughly the same as before too with a few new materials around the place. Right let’s have a look at the rear seats.
Practicality
So, getting into he back and legroom as well as headroom is decent enough for most adults especially if you are over 6 foot. If you do want that bit more room, you can slide and recline the rear seats back to give you more legroom or slide them forward for more boot space. The overall materials are again good but there are a few more cheaper and more noticeable plastics in the back for example the door card. You do get your own air vent as well as an arm rest though. Let’s have a look at the boot.
Boot Size
Opening the boot, you are welcomed with the same boot size as before at 412 litres which is useable. Folding the rear seats down and we do notice that they don’t lay completely flat which will make sliding things to the front that bit harder. We do get 1,534 litres though which again is decent for this size of car.
Summary
So, in summary then what do I think of the new Ford Kuga Facelift. Well, it is a decent car and if you have a ford focus and you are looking to change it for another ford then this would be a go od contender. Overall though the Ford Kuga facelift improves on styling and technology. It is also one of the best mid-size SUV’s out there at the moment. Especially for fit and finish and looks.
Exterior 4.5/5
Interior 4.5/5
Practicality 4/5
Total 13/15
Model | Ford Kuga ST-Line X |
Engine | 1.5l Turbo, 148bhp, 0-62 = 9.8 Seconds, Front Wheel Drive |
Transmission | 6 Speed Manual |
Price | £39,705 |
On Sale | Now |
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