Ford Kuga (2013-2020) Review

• February 2013 The first of the all-new Ford Kugas arrive in Britain.
• February 2014 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine with Durashift six-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive added
• August 2014 New top-of-the-range Titanium X Sport trim offers chunkier panels on the outside, rear-view camera and sat-nav.
• March 2015 Power from the 2-litre diesel engine is increased to 180hp. A 1.5-litre petrol EcoBoost engine is also introduced, replacing the less efficient 1.6-litre petrol.
• December 2015 New Kuga Titanium Sport model has 18in alloy wheels and automatic parking. A new, less-powerful, 120hp version of the 1.5-litre petrol engine is offered.
• December 2016 The first updated Kuga models arrive with a new design that has a wide six-sided grille at the front, less complicated interior and efficient 1.5-litre 120hp diesel engine.
• December 2016 The top-of-the-range Ford Kuga Vignale arrives with a high-quality leather on the seats and improved customer service.
• April 2019 Ford introduces replacement Kuga, available with hybrid, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid options as well as petrol and diesel engines.

Petrol: 1.5 EcoBoost 120PS, 1.5 EcoBoost 150PS, 1.5 EcoBoost 182PS Diesel: 1.5 TDCi 120PS, 2.0 TDCi 150PS, 2.0 TDCi 180PS

There are some good engine choices available with the Ford Kuga but the least expensive one - the 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine with 120 horsepower (also written as 120PS) - is not one. Its main virtue is that it’s cheap, but you’ll find it slow to accelerate and it’s no more economical than the more powerful 150 horsepower (hp) version of the same engine.

That 150hp engine accelerates faster and feels quick enough for driving in town or on motorways. Official figures state that fuel economy is 45.6mpg, but the Equa Index, which calculates fuel consumption in real-world driving, suggests that you should expect 36.2mpg.

You can choose a more powerful petrol engine with 182hp, but this only comes with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox, which makes it slower to accelerate and less economical.

Diesel engines are a much more popular choice for the Kuga, because they use less fuel, but are more expensive, though, so low-mileage drivers may be better off paying less for a petrol model.

Again, the cheapest option is slow: the 1.5-litre 120 hp diesel is the most sluggish Kuga of the lot, taking 12.7sec to accelerate. If you have the patience, then your reward comes with better fuel economy. Officially it’s 67.3mpg but the Equa Index suggests that you should expect 44.8mpg.

That’s better than the more powerful 2-litre 150hp diesel engine, which is 4mpg worse. Even so, this is a popular choice because the engine is quiet when you’re driving at a steady speed, and the car responds quickly when you accelerate. It’s £850 more than the lesser diesel and you can choose this engine with either two-wheel drive or less fuel-efficient four-wheel drive in Zetec trim only.

The most powerful 182hp diesel engine only comes with four-wheel drive in Titanium, ST-Line or Vignale trim. Compared to the 150hp diesel, acceleration from 0-62mph is faster by a second, which you do notice when driving, but fuel economy is similar. It’s the only engine that offers a choice between a manual or automatic gearbox.

Zetec, Titanium, ST-Line, Vignale

There are four different Ford Kuga trim levels, offering different amounts of standard equipment. You also have the option to add more features by paying individually for some options.

The cheapest Zetec cars come with 17in alloy wheels, air conditioning, digital radio, heated windscreen and Ford’s Sync system, which can read out new text messages. The cars also have a start button, so you don’t need to put the key in the ignition to start it. This trim level isn’t available with the most powerful 180hp diesel engine.

For a large, tall car, rear parking sensors are a notable omission, but you can add those for £275. If you did want sat-nav, this can be fitted for £895, which includes a big 8in touchscreen and more advanced voice control.

Based on official prices, this is a cheaper option than upgrading to the next trim level, Titanium, which does include the parking sensors, sat-nav and touchscreen, but costs an additional £3,400. You do get other luxuries with this car too, including part-leather seats, mood lighting, windscreen wipers that automatically activate when it rains and headlights that switch themselves on when it gets dark.

Keyless entry is included, so you don’t need to take your key out of your pocket, while the side mirrors are motorised, so fold in at the touch of a button.

ST-Line cars are supposed to be sportier and cost around £1,500 more than Titanium versions. You don’t get more power from the engines but extra panels on the outside make the car look chunkier and lower to the ground, larger 18in dark alloy wheels, automatic parking, sports seats and a firmer suspension that is expected make the car feel more stable and responsive in corners, but less effective at soaking up bumps. Keyless entry and mood lighting are not included.

If you want heated seats, a rearview camera or panoramic sunroof on any of these cars, then you’ll have to pay extra.

Top-of-the-range is the Kuga Vignale, fitted with heated full leather seats and fitted with a more expensive Sony sound system. The boot is motorised, and you can open it by poking your foot underneath the bumper. You also have the other benefits of owning a Vignale model, so your car will be collected from your door when it needs servicing and delivered back to you.

The price is an additional £3,250 over ST-Line models. The least powerful petrol and diesel engines are not available in Vignale trim.

The Kuga was mid-table in the 2016 Auto Express Driver Power survey, being ranked 107 out of 150 for reliability. Owners were generally more disgruntled by rattles than exasperated by major failures, and Ford’s track record suggests that the car is less likely to suffer from mechanical problems than many alternatives: Warrantywise, which offers aftermarket cover for secondhand vehicles, rates Ford as the ninth most reliable manufacturer out of 36, based on warranty claims.

This version of the Ford Kuga has never been recalled, so if you’re buying a used example you don’t need to worry about making sure any recall work has been carried out.

The Ford warranty offered on new Kugas is fairly basic for a modern car, lasting three years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. If you buy a used model with some remaining warranty, then this will be transferred to you.

Since it first went on sale, the Ford Kuga has been a popular car and it has helped to keep second-hand prices high.

Now that a new model has gone on sale, early examples of the car, are now more affordable. You should be able to get a good petrol or diesel car for around £12,000.

The most powerful diesel Kuga always came with four-wheel drive as standard. From 2013 until March 2015, this car was the 163 horsepower (hp) diesel Kuga. That engine was then upgraded with extra power, taking it to 180hp.

If you want a petrol model, then aim for one of the more efficient 1.5-litre EcoBoost engines, which were introduced from March 2015.

It’s also worth looking out for Kuga Titanium X Sport models. Until the arrival of the Vignale in December 2016 on the updated car, these were top-of-the-range models, stacked with equipment, including a rear-view camera, sat-nav, automatic parking, 19-inch alloy wheels and chunkier bumpers. They were expensive when new, but cost little more than a less well-equipped Titanium X model now.