First drive: Ford Kuga

Search: Ford Kuga

The all-new Kuga is a key model for the blue oval brand and it's their first entry into the highly competitive crossover market. But, can the production version of the 2006 Paris Motor Show iosis X Concept carve itself a niche in what's probably one of the most competitive areas of the market? We headed to Jerez to find out...

On-road bias?
The Kuga isn't Ford's first foray into the off-roading market. Ford would probably hope we'd forget about the two versions of the Maverick. These were tie-ups with the Nissan and Mazda and they made little impact on UK buyers. Designed with an on-road bias, you'll not find any diff locks or low-range gears on the new Kuga. Instead, under the sharp, kinetic exterior styling is a modified C-car chassis similar to the C-MAX with the Haldex intelligent AWD system.

Clean looks
Highlights of the new Kuga's exterior, from the front, include the now characteristic trapezoidal upper and lower grilles, the Mondeo-like swept back headlights and the 3D bonnet with its distinctive power blisters. At the sides, like the Mondeo and Focus before it, there are no rubbing strips. This, along with the strong shoulder line, dynamic undercut and rising beltline give the Kuga a clean look.

Distinctive rear
At the back there are intricately styled, high-mounted rear lights and a sculpted rear bumper, a tough-looking skid plate and twin rear exhaust pipes to complete the look. Another clever piece of Ford design has to be the split rear tailgate. Made of light-weight plastic, the upper section can be opened independently to aid access to the luggage area. So does the styling work? Yes, I think it's a handsome addition to the Ford range, that's sure to find favour against blander rivals.

Just one engine
The sole engine choice is the familiar 136bhp 2.0-litre TDCi diesel. A 197bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo version arrives later in the year. The five-cylinder version is unlikely to please the environmentally aware buyer, but the diesel boasts a class-leading 169g/km CO2 emissions and excellent 44.1mpg Combined consumption figures.