TOP OF THE HEAP

Ford’s Kuga still fighting fit in the packed SUV market

It is incredible how Ford manages to keep on the top of the sales charts, despite everimproving rivals and the vagaries of fashion.

After all, selling cars is as much an art as it is a science. You can produce the quickest, cleanest, most comfortable and prettiest vehicles on the road, but if your car doesn’t hit the right emotional button, it can be toast.

Part of Ford’s success is down to the SUV market, something which would have seemed unlikely a generation ago. Now Ford is a fully paid-up member of the SUV squad with a raft of offerings including the Kuga, tested here.

This is the second generation of Kuga and it is an impressive car. Ford are past masters at taking a good car like the first-generation Kuga and making it better.

It has a refreshed look which together with a fabulous specification list makes it one of the best buys in a very competitive class.

Kuga is smart, spacious, decent on the road and very well equipped, which is good enough to give it the nod over many of its rivals. It looks more like an SUV than a crossover and it has plenty of fourwheel-drive options meaning it can hold its own in tricky conditions.

So, what’s not to like? Well, there are better dashboards and bigger boots and some of its newer rivals are more handsome but I quite like the Kuga’s rough and ready looks.

Kuga is, in fact, an important car for Ford. The company sells one in nine of all cars in the UK and it has maintained its position at the top of the market for generations. Vauxhall, meanwhile, which also makes a fabulous range of cars, has slipped to third place behind Volkswagen.

So, how has Ford stayed on top? Thanks to hard work by a huge army of dealers and by having a core of strong models including Kuga.

The original Kuga was disappointing to drive but the new one is much classier. The second-generation car on sale today was actually launched in 2013, although it was heavily facelifted in late 2016.

It competes against key rivals such as Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5. Most buyers choose the 2.0-litre (TDCI) diesel engine, either with 148bhp or 178bhp. Both build speed well when the turbocharger kicks in. Tested here is the meatier of the two engines.

The tested St-line version has a sports suspension and if, like the vast majority of drivers, you tend to drive on roads rather than fields, you will appreciate this set-up. The gearbox is excellent, too.

The cabin is comfortable and has a premium feel and even basic Zetec models get a DAB radio, Bluetooth and multi-function steering wheel, along with a USB socket to charge your phone. The eight-inch colour touchscreen brings a very good satellite navigation system.

Kuga is quite spacious in the front. A central cubbyhole doubles up as an armrest, and offers a deep storage area that will hold a 500ml bottle. Kuga’s 456-litre boot smaller than most others in this class, is a neat rectangular shape.

St-line models are the sporty option so get a bodykit, sports suspension, 18-inch wheels, black detailing, floor mats with red piping and a self-parking system which means it can steer itself into a parking spot.