Ford has revealed the new Kuga, the company’s most
electrified SUV ever with three electrified options. The range will include the Kuga
Plug-In Hybrid, the Kuga EcoBlue mild-hybrid diesel and the Kuga Hybrid
(self-charging), together with two diesel and two petrol engine options. The all-new Ford Kuga is the
company’s first SUV to use the C2 platform, also found in the latest Focus,
making it longer, wider and with a more generous wheelbase. Ford claims that
the new model is up to 90kg lighter than the outgoing Kuga.
The new plug-in hybrid powertrain of the 2019 Ford
Kuga partners a 2.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor
and a 14.4kWh battery pack for a combined 222 hp. As Ford’s first
plug-in hybrid model in Europe, the Kuga PHEV is going to offer a pure electric
range of over 50 km and just 29g/km of CO2 emissions.
The self-charging Kuga Hybrid also uses a 2.5-liter
four-cylinder petrol engine together with an electric motor and a lithium-ion
battery pack but Ford didn’t release any output figures yet, as it’s expected
to join the range later in 2020. The Kuga Hybrid will be available in front-
and all-wheel drive versions.
The mild-hybrid Kuga EcoBlue diesel is powered by
the company’s 147 hp 2.0-liter diesel engine that’s been paired to a belt-driven
starter/generator and a 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack. Ford expects the mild
hybrid diesel version of the new Kuga to emit 132g/km of CO2.
The engine lineup also includes the more
conventional options of the 118hp 1.5-liter and 187 hp 2.0-liter EcoBlue
diesels, as well as the 1.5-liter EcoBoost in 118 hp and 147 hp flavors. The non-hybrid engine options will be offered with either a six-speed
manual or a new eight-speed automatic transmission. Ford will offer both front-
and all-wheel drive versions.
The longer by 20mm wheelbase and the 44mm wider body
means that room inside has improved by a lot, with rear passengers now getting
20mm more shoulder room and 36mm more hip room. And despite the new Kuga being
20mm lower than the outgoing model, Ford was able to improve headroom by 13mm
in the front and by 35mm at the back. The second row of seats can now be moved
backwards, offering best-in-class rear legroom, always according to Ford.
The new Kuga also incorporates the FordPass Connect
modem technology, featuring not only a WiFi hotspot but clever features such as
Vehicle Locator, remote door lock/unlock, remote start, and more via the
specific mobile app as well.
Other interior highlights include the new
fully-digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster, the 8-inch SYNC3 infotainment
system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wireless charging pad and an
optional B&O sound system. As before, the new Ford Kuga’s range offer both the sportier ST-Line
and the luxurious Vignale trim options, as well as Titanium and the base Trend.
