Review of the new Ford Kuga 2.5 Duratec

Ford's Kuga 2.5 Duratec features the rip-snorting five cylinder 200PS engine from the brand's Focus ST hot hatch. Now normally, big, powerful engines in SUV 4x4s aren't an especially good idea but with this car, things could be different. The handling is in a different league from other compact 4x4s owners downsizing from larger models could just find in this car exactly what they're looking for.

With sales of large, performance-orientated luxury 4x4s falling through the floor, Ford hope the Kuga's time may have come. True, it doesn't have the badge equity to tempt those who may have decided that their Range Rover Sports or Porsche Cayennes just don't suit the current economic mood. But this top petrol version certainly has the firepower under the bonnet and a standard of handling that will shock many used to lumbering, leather-lined off roaders.

Performance-minded compact 4x4s are few and far between. Yes, Audi makes an 2.0 TFSI petrol version of its Q5 with a similar output but if you compare to the comparably-specified SE version of the German car, it's £4,000 more than this Ford and not as well specified, nor can it go that much faster than this Kuga. Put your foot down in the Ford and sixty from rest will flash by in 8.2 seconds on the way to a top speed of 129mph. Go for the automatic version and the figures are 8.8s and 126mph. 300Nm of torque gives it prodigious pulling power too.

Bolt such a powerful 200PS engine into a Honda CR-V or a Toyota RAV4 and, quite frankly, the result would be awful, at least when it came to going round corners. It says a great deal for the basic Kuga's dynamic excellence that that isn't the case here. The ride is reasonably firm and that helps the Kuga resist body roll when cornered vigorously, plus it's also less liable to become unsettled over bumps in the road. The accurate steering makes it easier to position the car too. Show this car a straight, well-surfaced road and it even serves up a good standard of ride comfort and refinement. Ford's marketing slogan for this car is 'feel the difference' and you absolutely can.

"A standard of handling that will shock many used to lumbering, leather-lined off roaders.."

Outside, the detailing is exquisite, Ford hitting just the right tone between sporting aggression and nuggety cuteness. The interior isn't quite as successful as the exterior. For a start it's surprisingly small, the Kuga being one of those increasingly rare cars that doesn't pull all manner of packaging tricks out of its hat. Space in the back is tight for anything other than kids and drivers who are long in the body will find headroom an issue when getting in and out.

Of course, this high seating position will be a huge bonus for ladies and shorter guys, but those with short legs will find that they'll need to shift their seat forward to such an extent that the heavily raked windscreen starts getting very close. The centre console appears to have been lifted from the C-MAX but a few more of that car's practical touches wouldn't have gone amiss, especially for rear seat passengers.

The second row of seating has a 60/40 split and can fold completely flat to maximise the load space. Underseat storage beneath the second row with further storage under the floor of the luggage compartment area offers maximum practicality. The Kuga has a generous luggage capacity of 1,355 litres when in two-seat mode, while the enclosed luggage compartment achieves a volume of up to 410 litres.

Only the plushest Titanium trim level is offered with this engine. That gets you part-leather trim, rain sensing wipers, automatic headlights, cruise control, blue tinted glass and dual climate control. Options include a rear facing camera which is useful due to the rather poor rear visibility caused by the Kuga's high rear end, a panoramic roof, a USB connector and a DAB radio.

The pricing of the Kuga is interesting. You'll need a £24,000-£25,000 budget for this car, with a premium of around £1,200 being demanded on top of the base price if you want the automatic version. That might look expensive at first glance but it won't be a problem for the down-sizing large SUV customers that Ford is targeting. It's also £10,000 less than Land Rover will charge you for the comparably powerful Freelander i6.

Overall cost of ownership is a tough thing to tie down, due in no small part to the vagaries of fashion. Should the Kuga retain its desirability, then residual values will remain strong and ongoing running costs should be reasonable. That doesn't always happen. Remember when the Chrysler Crossfire or the 'new' Beetle were hot tickets? That didn't last for too long, but the Audi TT and the MINI have retained their appeal. It'll be interesting to see how the Kuga fares in that regard.

Fuel economy of course isn't anything like as good as the 2.0 TDCi Kuga variant (which regularly returns around 44mpg). Expect 28.5mpg on the combined cycle, a figure that drops to 27.4mpg if you choose the automatic version. On a run however, you should be able to massage that figure up to around 38mpg if you exercise a restrained right foot. This figure is helped by some slippery aerodynamics and a tall sixth gear on the Getrag Durashift gearbox. Emissions range between 234 and 244g/km of CO2, so this variant won't make it on to too many Fleet Managers' choice lists.

Sales of this top Kuga variant will probably be modest - but perhaps they shouldn't be. It really does make a lot more sense than a much larger 'sporty' SUV that needs twice as much power to achieve pretty much the same kind of performance. Plus with the 2.5-litre Duratec engine fitted, you can properly exploit all of this car's impressive handling ability. The 2.0 TDCi diesel version continues to make more sense but if you allow your heart to rule your head, this top petrol model is a tempting proposition.

TOP 5 KUGA DEALS

The results below show the top KUGA deals on buyacar

Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi 163 Titanium 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £21,282 Read Kuga Reviews	Save £4,353
Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi 140 Titanium 5dr 2WD Diesel Estate
Price £19,636 Read Kuga Reviews	Save £3,999
Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi 140 Zetec 5dr 2WD Diesel Estate
Price £17,991 Read Kuga Reviews	Save £3,644
Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi 163 Titanium 5dr Powershift Diesel Estate
Price £22,578 Read Kuga Reviews	Save £4,602
Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi 140 Zetec 5dr Powershift Diesel Estate
Price £20,522 Read Kuga Reviews	Save £4,158
VIEW MORE DISCOUNT KUGA DEALS