- Characterful and responsive 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine
- Impressive ride/handling balance
- Accurate, well-weighted steering
- Transmission has wide gaps between ratios and is slow to kick down
- Above average fuel consumption
- Limited rear seat space
- Tyre noise
Review: Ford TE Kuga (2012-13)
Overview
Released in February 2012, the Ford Mk.1 Kuga was a mid-size, all-wheel drive SUV. Manufactured in Saarlouis, Germany, the Kuga was powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Furthermore, the Kuga range consisted of Trend and Titanium variants.
Duratec engine
The 2.5-litre ‘Duratec’ turbocharged petrol engine had double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 9.0:1. Over the combined ADR 81/02 test cycle, the Kuga achieved fuel consumption of 10.6 litres per 100 km.
Dimensions and suspension
Based on the same C1 platform as the Mk.2 Focus , the Kuga was 4443 mm long, 1842 mm wide, 1710 mm tall and had a 2690 mm long wheelbase. Furthermore, the Kuga had MacPherson strut front suspension and independent ‘Control Blade’ multi-link rear suspension.
| Variants | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trend, Titanium |
2.5-litre turbo petrol I5 | 5sp auto | 147 kW at 6000 rpm | 320 Nm at 1600-4000 rpm |
AWD system
The TE Kuga was fitted with a Haldex all-wheel drive system. Under normal driving conditions, the system provided a 90:10 front:rear torque distribution. As a pro-active all-wheel drive system, electronics could pre-tension the clutch – via the feeder pump – and activate all-wheel drive before wheel slip occurred. As a result, torque was evenly distributed between the front and rear axles (i.e. 50:50) when the clutch was locked.
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the TE Kuga included dual front airbags, front side airbags, full-length curtain airbags (i.e. for front and rear occupants), ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters.
Euro NCAP crash testing
In Euro NCAP crash testing , the Kuga – fitted with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine – received a five star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 32.69 out of 37. In the offset crash test, protection from serious leg injury was marginal for the driver and protection for the driver’s chest and head was assessed as adequate. Maximum points were awarded in the side impact and pole tests.
Features
Standard features for the Kuga Trend included 17-inch alloy wheels with 235/55 R17 tyres, an eight speaker sound system with MP3-compatibility, CD player and auxiliary inputs (3.5 mm/USB/iPod), air conditioning, cruise control, front and rear fog lights, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity with voice recognition, a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, 60/40 split and folding rear seats, remote central locking, power windows and heated mirrors, three 12 volt power outlets, a trip computer and an immobiliser. The Kuga also had a separately opening tailgate.
The Kuga Titanium was further equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/50 R18 tyres, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, leather upholstery, a six-way power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, folding rear seat tray tables, a heated windscreen, electrochromatic rear vision mirror, panoramic glass roof, rear privacy glass and floor mats.
Brochure
Related links
- Press Kit: Ford TE Kuga (February 2012)
- Ford Newsroom: Ford Kuga – Key Features at a Glance (February 2012)
- Wikipedia.org: Ford Mk.1 Kuga
