Ford Kuga Trend 2013 review

Appetites for SUVs don't look like being satisfied yet and Ford's new Kuga morsel on the market promises to make the menu choice even harder.

Adding a front-drive entry-level model as well as a diesel to the line-up that made a cameo appearance on its pricelist from February last year, the Kuga goes on sale next month from $27,990 for the petrol-powered front-drive manual - a sizeable $11,000 drop to buy into the Ford cat family. Ford Australia marketing general manager David Katic says the price marks the Kuga as a "serious contender.''

Value

The Blue Oval has come out swinging the cat, as it were, with the entry-level Kuga - the Ambiente front-wheel drive petrol six-speed manual - starting from $27,990, rising to $31,490 if you want the more-powerful all-wheel-drive and a conventional six-speed automatic.

Standard fare includes cloth trim, stop-start and brake energy recovery fuel saving systems, 17in steel wheels, fog lights, a reach'n'rake adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth phone link, USB and auxiliary inputs for the six-speaker sound system and power-adjustable heated exterior mirrors.

There's also rear parking sensors, halogen headlights, manual front seat adjustment, splitfold rear seats with rake adjustment, keyless ignition, air conditioning, trip computer and cruise control. The mid-spec auto-only Trend starts from $36,240 for the AWD petrol-auto, rising to $39,240 for the dual-clutch turbodiesel auto AWD. 

For the extra outlay the Trend offers 18in alloy wheels, leather trim additions, power adjustment for the driver's seat, an auto-dimming centre rearview mirrors, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, automatic headlights and the Sync nine-speaker sound system with digital radio reception.

The Titanium flagship retains the same drivetrain, asking $44,740 for the petrol and $47,740 if you prefer a diesel/dual-clutch drivetrain, adding 19in alloys, a glass sunroof, bi-xenon headlights with LED running and tail-lights, leather trim, front seat heaters, ambient LED interior lighting, power-folding exterior mirrors, the hands-free tailgate, front parking sensors, aircraft-style rear fold-down tables for rear occupants, keyless entry and ignition, satellite navigation and a reversing camera.

There's an optional (on all bar the Ambiente) Technology Pack available for $2650 that adds the Active City Stop (automatic braking at up to 30km/h), adaptive cruise control, blind spot and lane departure warning systems, as well as auto high beam and the driver impairment monitor, which  monitors driver behaviour to prevent fatigue-related problems.

Technology

The new Kuga claims a 25 per cent lower thirst for petrol (between 6.7 and 8l/100km) by way employing the 1.6-litre EcoBoost direct-injection turbo petrol engine - the entry-level car gets a 110kW/240Nm tune or the AWD models upgrade to 134kW, still down on the outgoing (but thirstier at 10.6) Kuga's 147kW/320Nm output.

The two-litre turbodiesel - not seen here in the outgoing car - is largely a carryover engine, producing 120kW and 340Nm with a thirst around 6.3 litres per 100km. The new Kuga's all-wheel-drive system takes stock every 16 milliseconds to control the power split front to rear, which can be up to 100 per cent front or rear as required.

The Sync infotainment system brings with it Emergency Assistance, which uses a paired mobile to summon help and provide GPS location to emergency services in the event of an accident serious enough to require airbag deployment or the emergency fuel shut-off.

Design

Sharper looking than the outgoing car, the new Kuga has the same wheelbase at 2690mm but is 81mm longer, 4mm narrower and 8mm lower - the boffins have given the rear occupants and the load area the benefits of revised packaging to improve rear space.

The roomier cabin is more comfortable - thanks to extensive seat development - and also quieter, says Ford, who have concentrated on, among other things, re-shaping exterior mirrors and A-pillars to reduce wind noise. Cargo space has risen from 360 to 406 litres when the rear seats are occupied, or when folded the volume has gone from 1355 to 1603 litres when only two-up.

Safety

A structure boasting more than 30 per cent of high and ultra-high strength steel - including the A and B pillars and door sills - has helped get the Kuga five stars from NCAP, as does a front chassis subframe that detaches in severe frontal impacts.

The safety features list also includes a driver's knee airbag, dual front, front-side and curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, roll-over and trail sway control systems.

Drive

Kuga is wading into the competitive SUV market with an arsenal worth considering. It looks good in the metal, not just a Focus on stilts. Seat comfort front and rear is good - better than the firm cushioning might first suggest - and the rear seat space is improved somewhat.

Cargo space has also grown appreciably, although the space-saver spare points to the on-road bias of the little Ford SUV. The mid-spec Trend model in all-wheel drive guise has the upped power output and a conventional six-speed auto, a drivetrain that works with intent to get the SUV going while not slurping as greedily as its predecessor.

Around town its quiet and smooth, with a ride leaning towards firm but rarely uncomfortable and only a wind rustle around the mirrors to catch the ear - perhaps due to lower noise levels from elsewhere.

The small turbo petrol powerplant is serviceable but it’s the turbodiesel that is likely to prove the better all-rounder - also smooth and quiet, the extra torque on offer is obvious from the first few minutes on the road. The all-wheel drive system is front-biased but shifts drive aft without much provocation, dealing easily with unsealed road surfaces securely. 

Open road running is the Kuga's forte, with an easy cruising manner; it can hustle through back roads as well, but the light steering could do with a little more meat for the driver. It's certainly at the top of the heap for road manners and dynamic ability, although just shaded by the CX-5 for steering and diesel outputs. 

Complaints are few - there are no rear vents on the base-model Ambiente, which in manual front-wheel drive guise impresses otherwise, with a slick gearshift from the six-speeder and a livelier demeanour than the heavier auto AWD models - the entry-level car was only let down by excessive road noise from the Goodyear rubber, which was more noticeable than the noise from the Continental tyres on the Trend and Titanium models.

It has more enthusiasm for the press-ahead driving than the entry-level Mazda opponent, Ford could do worse than offer higher-spec models in this FWD guise. Other markets also get the two-litre petrol models and Ford could also do worse than to look at adding that model to the line-up - in the same way Mazda has recently added the 2.5 to the CX-5 range.

The optional Technology Pack adds a number of key active safety features, but also undoes Ford's good work by returning the indicator to the lefthand stalk from the preferred right-hand side elsewhere in the range.