Diesel Ford Kuga

 

The interior is Volkswagen-level, and the handling and steering are like a Mitsubishi Outlander XL. The rear row is cramped, like in a Nissan X-Trail, and the trunk is almost like a Qashqai's. Among competitors, only the Jeep Liberty/Compass has a two-liter diesel. Women like this car, but Ford didn't make an automatic for them. And we miss it. Diesel with an automatic transmission is our favorite combination.

Don't listen to those who say a manual is better off-road. Only those who don't know how to work with an automatic can think that way. In all our tests, an SUV with an automatic never performed worse than with a manual. But the manual constantly let us down. Just recall the Jeep Wrangler hopelessly stuck in the Lyubertsy quarry, the UAZ Patriot that reeked of burnt clutch across half of the Zavidovo reserve, or the Skoda Octavia Scout that couldn't climb a gentle sandy slope at the Sychovsky quarry. All of them had a manual. Now the Ford Kuga, which we brought to have fun in the Moscow region dunes, stands there, guiltily smelling of burnt clutch. What can it do? There's only one trim — manual.


Worse, this useless-on-sand Ford gearbox has as many as six gears. They are short, so before every traffic light you have to get to fifth. What would you think of a person who sits behind the wheel and constantly jerks his right hand?

At 40 km/h, second gear is already hard, at 80 it asks for fourth, and by 100 km/h you need to engage fifth. Overall, it's dynamic. But fussy. Maybe it's convenient on the highway? Where can you even drive long on sixth, occasionally shifting to fifth, and for overtaking — to fourth? Yes, if you manage to get the lever into the right gap between first and sixth!

Once, somewhere between Moscow and Vladivostok, in a Skoda with a similar gearbox, I tried to engage fourth but hit sixth. The revs dropped, the engine wanted third, but instead I slapped in fifth again. All this happened during an overtake when a KamAZ was flying toward us. I still remember it.


The only reason manufacturers now put a six-speed manual is fuel economy. Great, but what's next? Seven gears? Eight?

SUFFERINGLY KICKING
Now for the good stuff. Next year, a version of the Ford Kuga with an automatic transmission will be released. The only current two-liter diesel will be joined by a 2.5-liter gasoline turbo engine with a couple of hundred horses.

For now, we're driving the diesel, and this engine can't help but please. In our test, it consumed only nine and a half liters of diesel. Although the mode was harsh — from long wheelspin in sand to quick accelerations up to 180 km/h where it was safe.

In similar conditions, a gasoline engine of the same displacement would have consumed at least 15 liters. In fact, those who are used to working energetically with their right hand will like not only the savings but also the dynamics and elasticity. Especially on the highway and in city "checkers" games. Finding gaps in dense traffic is helped by a frankly sporty, short, and sharp steering wheel. After just a couple of maneuvers, you understand: the Kuga is made for an active driver.



THE GUARD IS TIRED
What a wonderful combination: sportiness and efficiency. But what does it give off-road? Ford representatives in their brochures directly urge you to try the trendy crossover in the pampas. We didn't hesitate: we immediately burned the clutch, and after a while we even stopped, noses down in the sleeves.

After the clutch, we overheated the coupling or drove the "intelligent all-wheel drive" crazy, which distributes torque between the wheels. At first, the Kuga easily climbed fairly steep slopes, but by the end it was sufferingly kicking on barely noticeable bumps. However, most likely, it's the coupling — we've seen the effect of Haldex coupling fatigue more than once.


THE STONE WILL BE HEARD
We'll arrange more serious off-road tests when the version with an automatic transmission appears. Then we'll also check the claimed system of modern shock absorbers, which, according to the press release, eliminate "unpleasant head movements from side to side when driving off-road."

Perhaps then the Kuga will gain a more holistic image in our eyes. For now, we have to praise it in parts. For example, for the pleasant and not price-appropriate quality of the interior trim. Combined materials — different types of plastics and even soft inserts under the elbows in the doors. Visually and tactilely — only positive emotions.

The cabin is quiet; sound insulation deserves a special mention. Even the mirrors have precise aerodynamics so they don't "hum." But this cabin can't be called spacious — a tall driver has to move the seat all the way back (the adjustment range is barely enough), and only a small child can sit behind him. On the other hand, what did we expect? This is a car for the young and dynamic.