New third-generation Kuga SUV to be revealed in just days, using Focus platform and style
Ford has officially teased the next Kuga, while confirming that the wraps will come off third-generation crossover next week on Tuesday 2 April.
Due to arrive in dealers towards the end of 2019, the Mk3 Kuga is being tasked with not only stealing sales from the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan and Renault Kadjar, but also assisting with reversing the brand’s fortunes in Europe and helping boost its profits in the region.
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Though we’ve still got a few days to wait before the new car is revealed, the short teaser clip issued by Ford confirming its arrival builds on previous spy shots to suggest that the new car will have a strong Focus connection in design. We can spot sporty ST-Line like touches, Focus-like headlights, while the new tailgate boasts a distinctive flat edge too, just like on the Focus hatchback. The Kuga badge is also spelt out across the middle of the tailgate. Our exclusive images preview how it should look.
The Kuga is Ford’s strongest-performing SUV on the continent; the firm sold 153,800 examples in Europe last year despite the car falling behind rivals in terms of comfort, refinement and availability of plug-in hybrid powertrains. But that is due to change with the Mk3 model, because it moves to a new platform that has electrification at its heart.
Beneath the skin the Kuga shifts to Ford’s new C1 architecture that first appeared on the latest Focus hatch. The C1’s flexibility will let engineers stretch the wheelbase to create a more spacious cabin than that currently found on the existing model.
The latest spy shots from the US, where the Kuga is known as the Escape, back that up, and clearly show the dramatic design overhaul, too. Prototypes seen testing outside Ford’s HQ in Detroit reveal a look that’s heavily inspired by the latest Focus. Our exclusive images preview how the finished Kuga could look.
It’s all set to change beneath the surface, too, because the newcomer will adopt Ford’s latest generation of engines. The firm’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit, which is a popular choice in the Fiesta and Focus, is not expected to be offered in the SUV due to its increased size and weight.
As a result the range will kick off with the larger-capacity 1.5-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost motor, which is related to the engine found in the Fiesta ST. Two versions are expected to be offered, with either 148bhp or a more punchy 180bhp. Both could have 48V mild-hybrid technology to help further reduce CO2 emissions.
Despite its relative slump in market share, diesel power still makes up a large proportion of sales in this segment, so the firm’s 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre EcoBlue engines will continue to be offered in the new Kuga.
But adding real substance to the brand’s range of electrified vehicles will be an all-new plug-in hybrid version of the Kuga. The SUV’s powertrain is expected to comprise Ford’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder motor backed up by a small electric motor to help deliver CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km.
At the other end of the range it’s feasible that a Kuga ST could be developed, giving the brand its first performance-based SUV in Europe. Ford Performance recently launched ST variants of the Edge and Explorer in the US, although neither model has made its way across the Atlantic.
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What do you think of our exclusive images of the new Ford Kuga? Do you like the look? Let us know your thoughts below…
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