YETI

| SUMMER SPECIAL 2020

We’ve rated the old-shape Kuga as a good rather than great new tow car. But as a pre-owned buy, it’s very good value. A high-spec 2018 diesel 4x4 can be bought for less than £18,000, which you can easily spend on a new supermini these days.

Stability is a given when towing with the Kuga. At 60mph it feels solid and secure, and when we towed at higher speeds on a test track, the Ford remained firmly in charge of the caravan.

Go for the four-wheel drive version, which we tested back in 2018, and it copes confidently with hill starts as well as high speeds.

Punchy performance

There’s a choice of petrol and diesel engines, and we really rate the Ecoboost turbocharged petrols. However, if you choose the 180hp diesel, you’ll enjoy a good balance between punchy performance and fuel economy. There’s enough poke to easily tow a mid-sized family caravan.

The Kuga’s cabin isn’t quite as impressive as its towing manners. The standard of finish is rather ordinary, considering how much the Kuga cost as a new car, and there’s not as much luggage space as you’ll find in most rivals.

Ford is usually the master of making mainstream cars fun to drive, but the Kuga is fairly straitlaced and sensible from the driver’s seat.

However, all of those drawbacks are forgivable when you consider the price you’ll pay for a used Kuga, especially with the new generation launching this summer. Look through the classifieds and you’ll find plenty of well-priced examples to choose from.