Crossovers for residents of the CIS countries have long been something more than just one of the classes of cars. Today it is a dream of many car enthusiasts who want to get all the benefits of an SUV in a stylish package and at a price close to the usual car. I decided to try my luck in this segment and the famous auto concern Ford, releasing to the masses an updated version of its offspring - the crossover Ford Kuga 2.
General impressions of the test drive
The Ford Kuga always seemed a bit larger in size and a slightly elevated version of the familiar Focus wagon from the same company. He sorely lacked a certain brutality, anger, masculinity. Licked body forms were relevant only for the aforementioned "Focus", but not for cars, with the application for an SUV. And the Ford company fixed it in time, having restyled the model in the middle of 2016. Now, instead of a little toy decorative radiator protection, there is a massive hexagonal grille, which has already brought a significant amount of aggressiveness to the design of the car. The changes affected many other elements of the car, but more on that later.
Let's put it bluntly - it’s difficult to call this restyling global, as the company has managed only a pinpoint improvement. The main features of the interior and exterior, as well as habits on the road will be familiar to the owners of the previous version of the car, even though Ford is positioning Kug 2 as a completely new model, which has almost nothing in common with its predecessor.
However, this fact cannot be attributed to the minus of the car. The car is also balanced, beautiful, well managed, the cabin is distinguished by its ergonomics and high quality finishing materials, a lot of electronic assistants appeared, which further increase comfort from moving not only in the urban jungle, but also in off-road conditions. Auto absorbed all the advantages of the previous version, worked on the bugs and came out in a new role, becoming even better.
But of particular interest is the fact that Ford, for some strange reason, decided to take as much as 100 cc from the old Sigma engine. working volume, burying, thereby, the version of the Ford Kuga 1.6. The company is not particularly generous in justifying the decision, and the version of some sources that all this was done for the sake of the sacred Chinese minimum tax regime does not seem plausible. The only good news is that the new “one-and-a-half” has not lost its power from this, showing all the same characteristics.
Car appearance
As mentioned earlier, the first thing that catches your eye is the modified grille. It has become much bigger and more massive, which added some spitement, which the first generation Ford Kuga lacked so much.. Also, the front and rear bumper, the shape and size of the bonnet were changed, and the front optics changed into beautiful, bright and extremely effective bi-xenon headlights. The back of the car now boasts modified lanterns and a tailgate.
Кто-то может сказать, что обновленная «внешка» автомобиля Ford Kuga 2 сильно напоминает другие модели автомобилей компании, и по-своему окажется прав. Добавившая респектабельности, шестиугольная решетка радиатора практически свела на нет всю индивидуальность автомобиля, сделав его неким подобием Ford Edge. Измененная оптика, немного другая штамповка капота и обновленный обвес сложно назвать радикальными изменениями, поэтому основные штрихи предыдущего поколения здесь видно невооруженным глазом любому, кто хотя бы раз лицезрел «старый» Kuga.
Salon and interior
But the interior of the Ford Kuga 2, has changed much more than the appearance. The ancient and bulky chetyrehspitsevy wheel became a relic of the past - it was replaced by a new, three-spoke “steering wheel”, which more conveniently lies in the hand. The classic mechanical handbrake has also sunk into oblivion - instead it is now emblazoned with the control button for the parking brake, next to which the cup holders are conveniently located, a 12 volt socket and a compartment for a mobile phone. Also, an additional niche for small things appeared in the central tunnel, the torpedo was modified, the door cards and dash panels began to look much richer. The climate control system has been completely redesigned, and the multimedia system has acquired a large color display.
By the way, Ford has finally saved mankind from the previous version of its proprietary multimedia system SYNC 2, about which you can find a lot of bad things in the network. She was severely scolded for an incomprehensible interface, a hindered review at the touch of a button, and extremely poor performance. Now its place was taken by the Blackberry SYNC 3 system, which, unlike the Microsoft brainchild, has a 10 times more powerful processor, which has eradicated all the "glitches".
But visibility restyling Coogee 2, someone may not like it because of the rather wide front struts. It is clear that this was done for the sake of safety, but this greatly impairs the control of the traffic situation. When turning left, you have to strain your eyes and neck a little, so as not to touch anything extra. But, after a couple of hours of driving, you get used to it and everything happens on the “automaton”, without causing severe discomfort.
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But what really surprises in the updated cabin Kuga 2 - it is indecent high-quality finish. Plastic along the entire length of the dashboard, and partly on the door cards, is very soft. The steering wheel is trimmed with such material that you simply don’t want to let it go. All the "twists" of the air conditioning system rotate with a very pleasant effort, just like premium cars from German manufacturers.
The leather seats of the Ford Kuga 2 look almost like those of the Ford Explorer (in a sense, very expensive), which are quite comfortable on long journeys and support the rider well when cornering. Head restraints generally deserve special praise. Although it would seem that this element is the last thing that you can pay attention to, but they do add noticeably more comfort and are strikingly noticeable.
Summing up, we can say with confidence that the new Ford Kuga has one of the most ergonomic salons in its class. The control keys of the various systems are located in such a way that it is easy for both the driver and the front passenger to reach them.
Control and comfort
The chassis of the car also has not undergone global changes, which in itself is a big plus, because the previous generation did not have any particular complaints regarding the handling and general driving sensations of the owners. New Ford Kuga behaves on the road extremely obediently and predictably. Any turn of the wheel causes an instant response from the car, and the driver’s trajectory will remain so no matter what. Sometimes you even get the feeling that you are driving on rails and not on public roads.
When cornering at high speeds, the new Kuga evokes sensations similar to the control of eminent sports cars due to an accurate and intelligible reaction to the steering, minimal heel and extremely high stability. One thing is for sure: in its class, in terms of handling, it is one of the best. The real competition Kuge 2 in this sense can only be VW Tiguan. Fans of active driving will be fascinated by what he is capable of, despite the fact that the car was not originally created for racing tracks.
The suspension easily swallows up almost all minor irregularities of domestic roads, so that vibrations and noises reach the driver only with muffled echoes. But lovers of "mersedesovskogo" comfort there will be nothing to catch, because the strong potholes on the pavement all the same can deliver discomfort. This is the price of good handling, for the sake of which Ford engineers decided to install a slightly harsh suspension in their offspring.
But in versions of the Ford Kuga 2 ST-Line suspension is even more tightened. In addition, 19-inch wheels do not add smoothness, and the steering is set to even greater sportiness, due to which considerable efforts are made to elementary steering. Moreover, these settings can be very different depending on the version of this very ST-Line. For example, diesel Coogee of this modification on the "mechanics" can very easily change the direction of movement from the minimum effort on the steering wheel, but more powerful versions with gasoline engines require some physical training to control.
In addition, acoustic comfort here, although it can not be called bad, but raises a number of questions. Particularly sensitive drivers can hear the roar of the wheels, and the side mirrors rustle a bit at high speed due to their not the smallest size. Although, as you can expect uncompromising comfort from a compact crossover. If you are looking for real comfort from Ford, then you need at least Explorer, but this is a completely different money. Ford Kuga 2, simply because of belonging to its own class, already deserves some indulgence, so it is not particularly worth it to find fault with it.
But this does not interfere with moving on it for long distances. Comfortable chairs and a lot of different adjustments will allow you to customize your "workplace" so that even at home, sitting on your favorite couch, you will not get as much comfort as from long-distance trips on the new Kuge. To control the traffic situation, you do not have to turn your head 360 degrees - everything is perfectly visible in large mirrors. And if we talk about more expensive versions of the Kuga 2, then there you will be helped by various electronic systems like Active City Stop, which is designed to automatically slow down the car when the distance between other cars or the obstacle is sharply reduced. Or the system CTA (Cross Traffic Alert), which allows you to leave parking lots safer. The essence of its work is to warn the driver with sound signals about the exit on the path of another car.
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Even the basic versions of the Ford Kuga 2, equipped with front wheel drive, can show a lot on the off-road. Narrow and winding roads, generously sprinkled with ice and huge Russian snowdrifts on the sides, do not particularly strain the driver. The car behaves confidently and goes forward. Should I even talk about all-wheel drive versions. Even the 1.5-liter Ecoboost motors do an excellent job with the assigned duties, quietly scrolling all 4 wheels in exactly the specified direction. Despite the fact that this is a classic "SUV", off-road characteristics of the Ford Kuga 2 are sometimes just surprising, in the best sense of the word. Moreover, the ground clearance of 200 mm further increases your chances of overcoming various obstacles.
But do not think that on the Kuge can drive through any swamp. This is a city car, and the energy intensity of the suspension is quite strongly limited here. On deep ruts, you can easily attach the suspension before the breakdown, having felt all the quality of Russian roads. Someone can attribute this feature to the minuses, but in our opinion, this is quite expected for a city car.
But the fact that the torque in all-wheel drive versions is transmitted to the rear axle rather sharply is a significant disadvantage. As the manufacturer promises, the lock should work automatically, based on data from the ABS sensors, the force applied to the gas pedal, the angle of rotation of the wheels and heaps of other parameters, but this is hard to believe. Ford Kuga 2 also will not be pleased with the presence of either a mechanical differential lock or the ability to adjust the driving mode, depending on road conditions, as is the case with many competitors in the class. In simple terms, the all-wheel drive is installed here just to make it just.
Also, a significant disadvantage for off-road lovers from Russia can be the complete absence of Ford Kuga 2 cars on the market, with a manual transmission. Like diesel engines, the manual transmission has ruined the meager demand for such a layout of the previous generation Coogee among our compatriots. That is why Ford has decided to stop the supply of cars of this line, coupled with "diesel engines" and "handles." But do not get upset, because with all these shortcomings, the car quite successfully combines smoothness, stylish design, comfort from control and the ability to climb a little further into the forest than ordinary cars.
Specifications
The main parameters of the Ford Kuga 2, supplied to Russian car dealerships, regardless of configuration, are:
- Length: 4530 mm;
- Width: 1837mm;
- Height: 1693mm;
- Wheelbase: 2689mm;
- Ground clearance: 200mm;
- Trunk volume is 455 or 1600 liters of usable space, if you fold the rear seats.
The only exception is the weight of the machine. Depending on the configuration and the installed engine, the weight of the car is:
- 1,577 kg for a 150-hp 1.5-liter EcoBoost;
- 1685 kg for the same engine, but already for 180 "horses";
- 1585 kg for a proven 2.5-liter atmospheric engine
Bundling Ford Kuga 2:
As mentioned earlier, the Ford Kuga 2 engine range for our consumer was represented only by petrol versions of the engines: the newest EcoBoost with a turbine on board and a volume of 1.5 liters, which in different versions, produces 150 or 182 hp, as well as all familiar from the previous generation atmospheric unit, a volume of 2.5 liters. Bundling a new Ford Kuga totaled four different options: Trend, Trend Plus, Titanium and Titanium Plus.
Options Ford Kuga 2 Trend - had on-board fog, heated electric mirrors, turn signal repeaters, multifunction steering wheel with 2-plane adjustment, Start / Stop system, central locking, power windows on all doors, air conditioning and a proprietary multimedia system for 6 speakers. Optionally, there could be added a package of "Comfort", through which the car could appear heated steering wheel, front seats, windshield and separate climate control.
Options Ford Kuga 2 Trend Plus - Had all of the above, plus alloy wheels and roof rails. And for an additional fee, the owner received a more “cool” multimedia system for 9 speakers with USB, keyless access, electronic boot drive and a beautiful color display on the dashboard.
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Options Ford Kuga 2 Titanium Plus - the top version is also available with 18 wheels, a reversing camera, an increased number of all kinds of seat adjustments, a panoramic roof, a GPS system and an electric mesh.
Цены Ford Kuga 2 (руб*):
For the version with a 1.5-liter engine for 150 hp:
- Titanium — 1,81 млн;
- Trend Plus - 1.71 million
For the version with the same engine, but at 182 hp:
- Titanium — 1,9 млн.;
- Titanium Plus — 2,1 млн.;
Price for the atmospheric 2.5 for 150 hp and front-wheel drive:
- Titanium — 1,69 млн.;
- Trend - 1.49 million;
- Trend Plus - 1.58 million
* Recommended price Ford Kuga 2 for dealer centers in Russia.
Choice of used car
Сегодня, купить Ford Kuga 2 в б/у состоянии можно по цене, которая начинается с 1 млн. руб. Самым распространенным вариантом для продажи в России является версия Ford Kuga 2.5, с атмосферным двигателем на 150 л.с. Именно он зарекомендовал себя как лучший вариант в плане надежности, мощности, относительно невысоко расхода топлива, да и просто потому, что не сильно любят у нас турбированные моторы.
Due to the relative "freshness" of this car, the owners of the new Kuga have not had time to properly identify the weak points and significant shortcomings of the model. But the main points that are worth paying attention to when buying a used car are still known. It's simple - most of the sores, as well as the pros and cons migrated here from the previous generation.
Turbocharged Ford Kuga engines have a fairly small resource due to the small volume and high liter capacity. In order to carry on the weight of the machine, they often have to work in the zone of high revolutions, which significantly increases fuel consumption and accelerates the wear of the connecting rod-piston group. Also, this feature increases the requirements for quality and periods of oil change. That is why, when you buy a turbo version of a car, you should pay special attention to the state of the turbocharger and make sure that there are no extraneous noises during engine operation, which can indicate the wear of internal parts.
Body Ford Kuga, in general, does not cause any complaints regarding corrosion resistance, unless of course your potential purchase has not been in an accident. All without exception, the body of this model is processed by the method of full immersion in the zinc melt. Given this, the manufacturer gives a guarantee against perforation for as much as 12 years.
Also, you should pay special attention to the state of the automatic transmission. Cases when she starts kicking or even squeaking on small runs are not rare. All because of fault, as a rule, poor-quality oil or frequent driving in the "Schumacher" mode. Gearboxes in Kugi are quite gentle and require a reverent attitude. Do not spare money on high-quality computer diagnostics of all systems of the car before purchase, otherwise it may result in bitter tears and empty pockets.
The other “jambs” of the Ford Kuga car include: knock of the steering rack, crunching of bearings and turning bearings, problems with signaling and keyless entry, unpleasant clicks in the steering column, improper speedometer operation, vibration of the hood at idle, problems with opening the tailgate frequent failure of the tire pressure monitoring system and incorrect readings of the washer fluid level sensor.
findings
When compared to classmates, the restyled Ford Kuga 2 stands out against their background with its beauty, practicality, off-road performance and amazing handling. If the listed qualities are priority for you, then this machine will definitely appeal to you. Summing up, it is safe to say that among the representatives of this class you are unlikely to find the best option for purchase, in terms of price and quality.
