• Ford Kuga an oasis of tech

    by  • July 3, 2013 • Car Reviews, Test Drives

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    2013 Ford Kuga exterior front static

    The new Ford Kuga is bigger than the outgoing model

    If you’re in the market for a spacious family car that will be required to negotiate difficult terrain then the Ford Kuga AWD may be the car for you.

    It’s a beautiful car to drive. A five door SUV, it’s big and rugged looking and sits high up off the ground. I don’t think it’s as good looking as the outgoing model though.

    Inside, the cabin is spacious, with great leg room back and front. The Kuga is a true five seater, comfortably accommodating five adults. The cloth upholstered seats are comfortable and I also liked the high driving position.

    The boot in this car is also very big and houses a spare wheel. The test car featured the optional handsfree tailgate, which could be opened or closed simply by waving your foot underneath it (with the key on your person of course) – one of the many advanced technologies in this car.

    2013 Ford Kuga interior cockpit

    The cabin in the Ford Kuga is nicely designed

    I found the boot easy to load, because there is no lip in it, and the rear seats can be folded to increase the size of the cargo area.

    The test car also had a beautiful panorama sunroof, but I missed having an on screen visual or aural indication for peace of mind that it was fully closed.

    Behind the wheel, there were loads of tech goodies for the driver to get to grips with, including adaptive cruise control, Active City Stop collision warning, lane keeping assist and blind spot alert.

    I found the collision warning system to be extremely sensitive – but it’s probably perfect for daydreamers.

    I have to admit it frightened the heart out of me the first time it went off. I was about to overtake a cyclist, in good time and with no danger to the cyclist, when it started beeping and the screen started flashing red. Vehicles travelling in front of you belatedly turning provoke the same reaction.

    The instrument panel in the Ford Kuga is easy to read with one option on the trip computer showing all information on the one screen.

    The cabin in this car is spacious and well designed, with the exception of the infotainment unit, which remains very busy.

    2013 Ford Kuga interior boot rear seats folded flat

    The boot in the new Ford Kuga is larger than the old one and can be made even bigger by folding the rear seats

    I particularly liked the chrome surround USB port in the centre arm rest – the chrome meaning you can actually see it in the gloom of the storage unit.

    The sound system in the Kuga is also great and it played all of the tracks on my USB stick.

    The arm rest, meanwhile, actually worked as one and didn’t get in my way when I was changing gears.

    The test car was also very well specced, with the infotainment unit housing a radio/CD/USB/Aux/SatNav/Bluetooth and Ford’s SYNC connectivity system. This hooks up to your phone and reads text messages aloud. It also contacts emergency services if you’re in a crash.

    On the road, the 2-litre TDCi 140ps six-speed manual test car was excellent and I loved driving it.

    Our route took us on city, country, mountain and motorway roads and the Kuga was a great car to drive in all conditions.

    2013 Ford Kuga interior panoramic roof

    The optional panorama sunroof made the cabin feel bright and airy

    It was smooth in the city and at high speeds, with seamless gear changes. The cabin was also very quiet.

    The car also handled steep hills very well, with the AWD system coming into its own, and I enjoyed driving on winding country roads.

    While it had nice acceleration, the Ford Kuga wasn’t the fastest at the lights but once it got into its stride it proved to be a steady and swift climber and had no problem reaching or maintaining 120kph.

    Overall, the Ford Kuga ticked all the boxes for me. I found it to be comfortable, spacious and well specced, and, most importantly for me, I loved driving it.

    The Ford Kuga is available now, with prices starting from €33,450. Prices for the AWD test car start from €37,950.

    Tech Spec
    Engine: 2.0TDCi 140ps (diesel)
    Acceleration: 0-100kph in 10.7seconds
    Top speed: 188kph
    Fuel Economy: 5.9l/100km
    CO2 emissions: 154g/km
    Annual road tax: €390

    Visit the Ford Ireland website or its Facebook page for further details.

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