Perhaps it's because these places traditionally favor SUVs, or because these regions are strongly associated with rally battles for many, and the Kuga's new engine just moved over from the Ford Focus RS.
BURIED PIT
Yes, the fresh engine pulls well from the very bottom. True, to realize that under the hood hides a 2.5 turbo, and with two hundred horses, you'll first have to train the adaptive automatic transmission properly. Once the gearbox understood that we need everything from the engine, the Japanese Aisin automatic began to shift its five gears noticeably more briskly. And then acceleration to 100 km/h started approaching the claimed 8.8 seconds. Next came the turn to experiment with manual mode. And here it turned out that its use is exactly one: engine braking on a descent. That's all. Because in "drive" mode, the gearbox's brains manage shifts more promptly than when manually manipulating the selector lever.
EXIT INTO SUBSPACE
Well, as for the rest, what is this euro-crossover like? Yes, it's basically a rich guy: here you have various electronic driver assistants, cruise control, dual-zone climate, heated seats, Bluetooth, USB port in the music system, and lumbar support. Plus a panoramic sunroof, a two-piece tailgate, and a start/stop button. Of course, most of this goodness comes at an extra cost. But still, it's worth noting: there is, there is an opportunity to equip the interior so that it starts to resemble the inside of an intergalactic yacht. True, space behind the pilot is only enough for short passengers. But the trunk is spacious, although personally I'd prefer the opposite. After all, it's much easier to load the seats with cargo than to make a passenger quickly lose weight.
We managed to appreciate the all-wheel-drive transmission, where the rear axle is engaged by the latest fourth-generation Haldex coupling, on the sand of a ski slope. The coupling is indeed fast-acting and engages smoothly. True, as our past experiences have shown, it's not designed for prolonged spinning in mud.
THE BEST OF THE BEST?
And what, after all, sets the Kuga apart from its competitors, of which, according to Ford's calculations, there are about fifteen? A credit program at 2.9% for a year, a service interval of 15,000 km for diesel and 20,000 km for gasoline. And also a "face with a common expression," which, however, resembles a Cheburashka pondering its gender identity. And, of course, a 200 hp engine. This is the most powerful among relatively affordable crossovers. But also the most expensive – the real price at dealers starts from about $47,251 (378,000 UAH). For any decent equipment – alloy wheels, alarm, radio, etc. – you'll add about another $1,688 (13,500 UAH). Although in our interesting times, you can probably take advantage of sales – they say that until the end of September, Ford will sell its crossover under a promotion about 100,000 cheaper.