More information, a brief history and our verdict on the Ford Kuga

The Kuga is Ford's largest SUV available to buy or lease. It sits above the ever-popular Ford Puma in the range – and the Kuga is proving to be a similarly well-liked new car with buyers, currently sitting well inside the UK’s top 10 most popular new cars. 

This is a crowded sector to stand out in, so the Ford Kuga is clearly doing something right. Challengers include the Volkswagen Tiguan, Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Vauxhall Grandland and Skoda Karoq. 

The original Ford Kuga was introduced in 2008. It had a sporty appearance and even sportier feel from behind the wheel. In short, it was a great car to drive, and proved instantly popular. The second-generation version arrived in late 2012, offering more family-friendly space and better refinement. 

This latest Ford Kuga was launched to buy or lease in 2019. It combines the attractive appearance of the original with the practicality of the second-gen Kuga, and adds in contemporary levels of interior refinement and technology. 

There are also now electrified Ford Kugas to buy or lease, with both hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions offered. These line up alongside a regular 1.5-litre turbo petrol version, but you can no longer buy a diesel-engined Ford Kuga. If you really want a diesel, you will need to look to the second-hand car market. 

• Ford Kuga models, trims, specs, engine sizes and more

The model line-up of new Ford Kugas to choose from is typically comprehensive, as you’d expect from a best-selling brand like Ford. Along with the three different types of engine, there are affordable entry-level Zetec versions, better-specified Titanium, sporty-look ST-Line and the lavish Vignale models at the top of the range. 

The single regular petrol engine engine is a 1.5-litre EcoBoost turbo, producing 150PS. The two hybrids both use a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine; the difference comes in the size of the battery and the overall power of the electric motor. 

Insurance groups are surprisingly reasonable for the Ford Kuga, with the 1.5 EcoBoost 150 Zetec starting from group 14. This makes it scarcely more expensive to insure than the smaller Ford Puma. 

• Ford Kuga 1.5 Ecoboost 150 petrol: The core Ford Kuga petrol produces 150PS for 0-62mph acceleration in 9.7 seconds – pretty good for an entry-level engine. It averages up to 42.8mpg and emits from 149g/km of CO2. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard - you can’t have an automatic. 

• Ford Kuga 2.5 Ecoboost 190 FHEV petrol: The ‘full hybrid’ (FHEV) Ford Kuga has a much larger 2.5-litre engine and additional ‘self-charging’ hybrid tech. Fuel economy improves to 51.4mpg and CO2 emissions drop to 125g/km, which for company car drivers, means a more favourable 30 percent Benefit-in Kind rating. A CVT automatic gearbox is standard. 

• Ford Kuga 2.5 Ecoboost 225 PHEV petrol: The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ford Kuga has a much larger battery that can be recharged by plugging it in. This gives it a pure electric range of up to 35 miles and cuts official CO2 emissions to just 23g/km, giving a 12 percent Benefit-in-Kind rating. That’s why it’s so popular with company car drivers. Total power of 225PS means similar acceleration to the regular hybrid, despite the extra weight of the batteries. 

Ford Kuga features as standard & optional extras

Even the entry-level Ford Kuga Zetec offers a generous standard spec for those looking to buy or lease a new car. Alloy wheels are standard, as are useful front and rear parking sensors, while this version also gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. 

The Ford Kuga Titanium comes as standard with larger 18-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlights, a hands-free electric tailgate and a digital instrument cluster. 

The Ford Kuga ST-Line is the model to choose if you want a sportier look. It has more extroverted body styling, including a rear spoiler and black roof rails, while red brake calipers hide behind the standard alloys. There are sports seats inside, too. 

Want to go even further? Then buy or lease a Ford Kuga ST-Line X, which adds extra-large 19-inch alloys and a panoramic glass roof. 

The idea behind the Ford Kuga Vignale is to include all the optional extras you’d normally hope to indulge yourself with as standard. The spec includes heated leather seats front and rear, an electric driver’s seat and a heated steering wheel. Vignale models also get more chrome on the outside, to contrast them with the moodier ST-Line cars. 

The Ford Kuga’s exterior dimensions are:

• Length: 4,614mm
• Width: 1,883mm
• Height: 1,666mm
• Ground clearance: from 160mm