Ford has unveiled the redesigned Kuga, which comes with a new design, more equipment, and improved hybrid technology. The compact SUV from the American brand now features a mid-cycle refresh of its third generation, launched in 2020, at a time when Ford is preparing to offer a range of 100% electric passenger and commercial vehicles in Europe by 2035.
Aesthetically, the new Kuga features a modern and updated design, with the biggest changes in the front section highlighted by a grille framed by a full-width LED light bar, available as an option, which flows into the new 100% LED headlights. The Ford Blue Oval is now placed in the center of the grille, while the hood has a distinct bulge and defined character lines, emphasizing the ruggedness of the Kuga.
In the rear section, the updates include a new bumper and updated taillights. Additionally, there is a new rear diffuser.
Ford also announced that the Kuga now offers greater differentiation between the versions in the range, which are divided into Titanium, ST-Line, ST-Line X, and the new Active.
The new Active version stands out for its more adventurous look, with specific bumpers, exclusive 18 and 19-inch alloy wheels with machined and painted finish, as well as a higher ground clearance of about 10 mm at the front and 5 mm at the rear, to facilitate off-road excursions.
The interior of the Active version features exclusive seat and carpet upholstery, as well as Brush Dark Wood finishes with a matte effect on the instrument panel and door trims. The Active X versions also benefit from Sensico suede-effect finishes on the seats with 18 adjustments.
For those who prefer a sportier design, the Kuga is still available in the ST-Line variant, which features a unique front panel design with a larger “shark nose” grille and a discreet lower spoiler on the front bumper, emphasizing its sporty nature.
The ST-Line versions also feature additional body-colored elements, including the lower front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and lower diffuser element. The ST Line X variant adds chrome lower blades on the bumpers, red brake calipers, and protective plates.
In terms of interior, the major novelty is the introduction of Ford’s Sync4 infotainment system, which uses a 13.2-inch touchscreen and offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as over-the-air updates (OTA) and is equipped with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.
The interior of the redesigned Kuga maintains the practicality of its predecessor, with the second-row seats featuring longitudinal adjustment of 150 mm, providing over 1 meter of legroom in the rear seats or up to 553 liters of cargo space.
In addition, the interior design has been simplified, with fewer physical buttons, while the main controls and information display have a clear and practical design. Both the instrument panel and door trims now feature a larger decorative element with an exclusive finish for each version, with new trims and matching seat stitching, depending on the specification.
Another interesting detail is the circular transmission selector, which frees up space in the center console.
In terms of engines, the Kuga no longer offers diesel variants, with electrified versions gaining more weight. Therefore, Ford maintains the plug-in hybrid version, with a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle gasoline engine, but gains a larger traction electric motor and an improved power-split automatic transmission, allowing for a maximum power of 243 hp, compared to the previous 224 hp, and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.
The new electric motor is powered by the same 14.4 kWh lithium-ion battery, which offers a 100% electric driving range between 60 and 69 km.
In addition to the plug-in hybrid variant, the Kuga also offers a Full Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FHEV) version with self-charging function that provides purely electric driving capability, with the option of front-wheel drive or intelligent all-wheel drive. The 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle gasoline engine is combined with an electric motor, a generator, and a 1.1 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Ford announces a range of up to 900 km with a full fuel tank, and the ability to drive in pure electric mode in the city for up to 64% of the time.
In addition to the hybrid versions, the renewed Ford Kuga is also offered in a version equipped with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine, which has 150 horsepower, an announced consumption of 6.3 to 7.2 l/100 km in WLTP cycle, and CO2 emissions of 144 to 163 g/km.
It is already known that the renewed Kuga will continue to be produced at the Ford factory in Valencia, Spain, and the brand has announced that the first units will arrive in the market in this first month of 2024.
