Ford has ditched diesel on most of its cars including the Kuga, its popular mid-sized SUV, said Auto Express. The full hybrid FHEV sits below the plug-in hybrid, with a more limited range and a more affordable price. It delivers on its potential as an efficient family SUV, with low running costs for those not ready to make the leap to a plug-in just yet. It can be run on electric only, but for short distances only – and at low speed.
It’s roomy in the front and the back with seats which adjust every which way, allowing you to vary space in the boot at the expense of rear-seat legroom, said The Daily Telegraph. But even with the rear seats slid forward the boot is small compared to rivals such as the Tucson or RAV4. The entertainment screen is decent enough, but the graphics aren’t great and the cheap-feeling plastics leave the Kuga feeling a bit tacky.
As with conventional hybrids, the Kuga FHEV starts silently on electric only, but before long the 2.5-litre petrol engine kicks in and the engine note climbs to the top of the rev range, said Autocar. It is a smooth transition though, and the whining noise settles down when you ease off. The ride is a bit on the firm side of comfortable; however, the excellent damping controls the suspension on all but the sharpest bumps. Price: from £33,595.
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