Kuga Appeals to Sport(ier) Utility Vehicle Market

GENEVA – Ford says its new Kuga small SUV is a perfect fit for customers who want to marry off-road capability with on-road performance.

To that end, Milton Wong, Ford-chief program engineer, tells WardsAuto that the ’17 Kuga will be offered with a sports-handling package in the European market. The package will include revised shocks, dampers, springs, anti-roll bars, bushings and steering system.

Wong suggests the move to increased performance capabilities in large premium SUVs, such the Bentley Bentayga and the Geneva-premiere Maserati Levante, can be echoed in the small-SUV sector.

“There is certainly a niche market for a sporty compact SUV,” says Wong. “The sports customer will appreciate the handling of a car that is more agile and provides more control.”

The most powerful Kuga employs a 2.0L turbodiesel producing 177 hp in all-wheel-drive models (148 hp with front-drive). Entry-level cars get new 1.5L turbodiesel producing 118 hp. A 1.5L EcoBoost turbocharged gasoline also will be available.

The sports-handling package is for the European market only, but Wong says “we are always looking at our customer perception and feedback around the world” to determine whether to offer the option elsewhere.

Technology abounds in Kuga.

The new Kuga is outfitted with Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system and a range of advanced driver-assistance systems including semi-autonomous park-assist, collision avoidance, cross-traffic alert and adaptive lighting.

Ford promises even more sophisticated autonomous technology such as traffic-jam assistance and fully active park assist will filter into the range over the next three years.

“Our customers are more demanding about technology these days and with Kuga, which has always been a very smart SUV, we’re making it even smarter,” Wong says.

“The technologies we're bringing into the ’17 Kuga are really about making the drive simpler, safer and more enjoyable.”

The Kuga led Ford’s SUV surge in Europe beginning in 2008 and sales hit a record 102,000 in 2015, up 19% from 2014. Ford expects its SUV offerings, including the Edge and EcoSport, to surpass 200,000 sales in Europe this year.

The new Kuga arrives in fourth-quarter 2016, with pricing expected to be competitive against the vehicle’s main rival, the Volkswagen Tiguan.