A Ford has unveiled the refreshed Kuga, which comes with a new design, more equipment, and improved hybrid technology. The compact SUV from the American brand now presents a mid-cycle facelift 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, flowing towards the new 100% LED headlights. The Ford Blue Oval is now placed in the center of the grille, while the hood now features a distinct bulge and defined character lines, emphasizing the ruggedness of the Kuga.
In the rear section, the novelties include a new bumper and updated taillights. In addition, there is also a new rear diffuser.
Ford also announced that the Kuga now offers greater differentiation between the versions of 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.
As for the interior of the Active version, it features exclusive seat and carpet upholstery, and Brush Dark Wood finishes with a matte effect on the instrument panel and door trims. On the other hand, Active X versions also benefit from Sensico suede-effect finishes on the 18-way adjustable seats.
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 more sporty nature.
Le versioni ST-Line presentano anche elementi aggiuntivi dello stesso colore della carrozzeria, inclusi i paraurti anteriori e posteriori, i sottoporta laterali e l’elemento diffusore inferiore. La variante ST Line X, invece, aggiunge lamelle inferiori cromate sul paraurti, pinze freno rosse e protezioni.
Nell’abitacolo la grande novità è l’introduzione del sistema di infotainment Sync4 di Ford, che utilizza uno schermo touchscreen da 13,2” e offre connettività Apple CarPlay e Android Auto senza fili, nonché aggiornamenti remoti (OTA o over-the-air) ed è dotato dell’assistente vocale Alexa di Amazon.
L’interno del rinnovato Kuga mantiene il pratico senso del predecessore, con i sedili della seconda fila dotati di regolazione longitudinale di 150 mm, per offrire più di 1 metro di spazio per le gambe sui sedili posteriori o fino a 553 litri di spazio nel bagagliaio.
Inoltre, il design interno è stato semplificato, con meno pulsanti fisici, mentre i principali controlli e le informazioni presentano un design nitido e pratico. Sia il cruscotto che le rifiniture delle porte presentano ora un elemento decorativo più grande con una finitura esclusiva per ogni versione, con nuove rifiniture e cuciture dei sedili coordinate, a seconda della specifica.
Un altro dettaglio interessante è la manopola circolare del cambio automatico, che libera spazio sulla console centrale.
In terms of engine options, the Kuga no longer offers diesel variants, with electrified versions gaining more weight. In this way, Ford maintains the plug-in hybrid version, with a 2.5L Atkinson cycle gasoline engine, but gains a larger traction electric motor and an improved power-split automatic transmission, which allows for a maximum power of 243 hp, compared to the previous 224 hp, and an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.
Powering the new electric motor is the same 14.4 kWh lithium-ion battery, which promises a 100% electric driving range between 60 and 69 km.
In addition to the plug-in hybrid variant, the Kuga also features a FHEV (Full Hybrid Electric Vehicle) version with self-charging function that offers pure electric driving capability, with the option of front-wheel drive or intelligent Ford all-wheel drive. The 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle gasoline engine combines 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 possibility of driving in pure electric mode in the city for up to 64% of the time.
In addition to the hybrid versions, the updated Ford Kuga is also available in a version equipped with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine, which produces 150 hp, with a claimed fuel 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 updated Kuga will continue to be produced at the Ford factory in Valencia, Spain, and the brand has announced that the first units will arrive on the market in this first month of 2024.
