On the road: Ford Kuga ? <b>car review</b> | Technology | The Guardian |
| On the road: Ford Kuga ? <b>car review</b> | Technology | The Guardian Posted: 17 Apr 2015 10:00 PM PDT Ford Kuga: 'On distances, it was magnificent.' Photographs: Simon Stuart-Miller for the Guardian I thought this was called the Ford Cougar. I wanted, no, wait, expected a champagne-coloured convertible that I could lean out of at traffic lights and pick up younger men. In fact, it is a Kuga, and it's the opposite: the definitive family vehicle, sturdy, high off the ground, broad in the beam, four-wheel drive, solid as a rock. I was never going to pick up anyone in this car, figuratively, but plenty of people wanted a lift. On distances, it was magnificent; it munched up motorways, the engine never happier than giving a burst of effortless speed. The driving posture is upright but cushioned, so that you feel like a grown-up, but one who grew up willingly, wasn't dragged there kicking and screaming. It's the first time I've crossed the Severn Bridge without the beginnings of a panic attack as I plan my next move after getting blown clean off it (I've undone my seat belt before, to aid my underwater escape). This is a very weighty car – it's trying to beef itself up as an SUV proposition. There are loads of downsides – mainly consumption and emissions – but it is a different driving sensation, secure and pampered, as if you could live in it. The controls are intuitive; it's the first car I've encountered in months whose parking camera actually turns round with your head. Some decisions you will be called upon to make: turbocharged petrol or diesel (I had petrol, and it was poky), six-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic (I had the manual; the gear changes are very smooth, again, fostering the impression in oneself of professionalism and maturity); front- or four-wheel drive (I had front, and it was slick). The steering is so sharp for a car of its bulk that I actually over-steered for the first short while, before I remembered I was in a Ford. They're famous for their precision, but it's such a boring thing to be famous for, nobody ever remembers except for the people who already own them. It is bit more sports than utility, in that you can feel every bump, but the handling is sharp, so you never feel actively endangered… think of this as the mild turbulence of the driving world. If you were regularly going up country roads, maybe with a horse box or trailer, you might feel as though you'd made a mistake. But if you're going to knacker it like that, you should've bought a Hyundai to start off with. If you have always wanted a car that, from the outside, makes you look like a Soccer Mom, while from the inside, makes you feel as though you are on a secret mission – to drive, unperturbed, an extremely long way, while actively enjoying it – then this may have been accomplished.  Ford Kuga detail Price Entry OTR price £25,395 (£28,390 OTR price as tested) • Follow Zoe on Twitter.  |
| <b>Car reviews</b> | First drives | Expert road tests by CAR Magazine Posted: 09 Feb 2015 03:03 AM PST Reviews from the expert road testers at CAR magazine in the UK. We test vehicles impartially and cover everything from sports and supercars to everyday hatchbacks and family estates. Use our search widget to find the car you're interested in |
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