Ford Kuga Pre Model 2.0 TDCi Titanium X (163ps) 5dr Car Review - February 2012

One of the reasons that many people will want to drive one of the crossover vehicles is that it does give the driver the higher position of a 4x4. This does improve the visibility, but for people who are quite tall they may find the level of space given in the front seat to be a little problematic. The engine responds well to the driver, but the handling does seem slightly delayed between turning the wheel and the car reacting.

In terms of the performance figures, the Kuga is snappy under acceleration delivering a competitive 9.6 second time from 0-62mph, and the top speed of 121mph is more than enough for most drivers. The four wheel drive really only comes in to play when the traction is required, with the intelligent power system generally sending most of the power through the front wheels.

The Ford Kuga has been designed so that it looks more like a car than a traditional 4x4, and the layout of the lights and the grill at the front end are similar to that found on the Focus and other Fords. The rear end is tidy, and the fact that the screen can open separately to opening the whole boot is a very nice touch. Inside, the leather seats and the centre console give the car a good finish.

The Titanium X is the highest level of trim available on these cars, and the list of equipment included as standard is quite impressive. Cruise control is ideal for those driving longer distances, and the leather seats also have the added bonus of being power heated seats too. The Panoramic sunroof is lovely for driving in the summer, and Bluetooth connectivity and hands free kit will be useful for those looking to work on the go.

Considering that one of the main selling points of the Kuga crossover is that it is meant to deliver the extra practicality of a larger vehicle, the boot space is disappointing, and the legroom available to those in the back of the car is also limited. The seats do fold flat to give a reasonable load space should you need to carry something quite large in the car.

The Kuga was awarded five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests for adult occupants, and the only omission in the usual range of airbags is that there is no driver’s knee airbag in place. Driving aids such as ABS, ESP and traction control are all in place to help ensure the driver stays in control. An alarm and all the other usual security kit is in place, and the secure spare wheel could come in handy.

The list price for this particular version of the Ford Kuga is £28,145, and although there is a lot of equipment and luxuries included for the price, it still feels quite expensive. For example, the top of the range Nissan Qashqai comes in at over a thousand pounds cheaper, and throws in a satellite navigation system as standard.

The 2.0 litre diesel engine delivers a reasonable fuel performance of an average 47.1mpg, which is quite good for a vehicle of this size, and the resale value for these vehicles are quite high. This is also combined with a three year warranty and one year’s breakdown cover, which is fairly standard for cars in this class.