Ford Kuga (2013-2016) Review and Prices

When the facelift Kuga arrived in 2016 a new diesel engine replaced the outgoing low-power 2.0-litre TDCi. The 1.5-litre unit produces 118hp and is claimed to return fuel economy of 64mpg – beating its rivals from Kia and Hyundai and making it the most frugal choice in the Kuga range. Shop elsewhere, though, and you can do better – the clever people at Nissan manage to eke out 71mpg from the 1.5-litre Qashqai.

Ford Kuga diesel engines

Regardless of which one you go for, the diesel-powered Kuga models make the most sense because they have lower running costs and feel quicker than the petrols thanks to their low-down torque.

Only offered with front-wheel drive, the basic diesel isn’t the nicest sounding engine out there – a revelation, we know – but thanks to short gearing it feels eager at low speeds. It emits 115 g/km of CO2 emissions for cheap annual road tax of £30.

You can also have a 148bhp 2.0-litre TDCi diesel which was the best-seller in the previous Kuga. It’s the perfect all-rounder with plenty of torque for towing and cheap running costs – combined fuel economy sits at 60mpg and 122 g/km of CO2 emissions result in a £110 annual road tax bill.

The 2.0-litre is also available in two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive forms, plus there’s a 178hp that drives all the wheels. It uses more fuel with a combined figure of 54mpg and CO2 emissions of 135g/km for £130 annual road tax.

Ford Kuga petrol engines

There are also two 1.5-litre Ecoboost engines to choose from which are hushed and refined. The problem is that their small capacity doesn’t produce much torque unless you’re revving the daylights out of them, in which case you can forget about decent fuel economy. Be careful, though, and you can get 45.6mpg from the low-power 118hp version while 143 g/km of CO2 will set you back £145 in annual road tax.

Go for the 180hp 1.5-litre and, although it may sound powerful on paper, it can only be equipped with an old-school automatic gearbox which saps power and results in combined fuel economy of 38mpg and a hefty £210 annual road tax courtesy of 171g/km of CO2 emissions.

The Kuga’s steering is feelsome and direct, letting you place the car on the road with confidence. This is still a high-sided SUV, so some body roll is to be expected, although you can sense Ford’s engineers have done their best to keep it contained. However, since the original Kuga was released rivals have had time to catch up and some – such as the Seat Ateca – are even more engaging.

Pick the sporty ST-Line model and you get lower and stiffer suspension that makes it even better around corners, but it’s quite firm, so don’t expect the same cosseting ride you’d find in a Nissan Qashqai. Other than that the Kuga is quiet on the move with only a little wind noise coming into the cabin at motorway speeds courtesy of the shovel-like door mirrors.

Ford hasn’t forgotten that some SUV owners like to occasionally get their Kuga’s tyres dirty, so a four-wheel-drive system is available with all but the most basic 1.5-litre engines. It has no clever off-road tech, but should provide you with peace of mind during the winter months.