The new Ford Kuga delivers an even more technologically advanced, refined and affordable sports utility vehicle (SUV), making driving simpler, safer and more enjoyable for growing numbers of SUV customers in Europe.
The new Kuga offers Ford’s sophisticated SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system, innovative driver assistance technologies, an ergonomic and comfortable interior, and powerful and efficient engines including Ford’s 120 PS 1.5-litre TDCi diesel that returns 4.4 l/100 km (64.2 mpg) and 115 g/km CO2. *
The new Kuga also features Ford’s Perpendicular Parking technology that helps drivers park hands‑free in spaces alongside other cars; an enhanced version of the Active City Stop collision avoidance system; and Ford’s Adaptive Front Lighting System for optimised visibility in low light. Further advanced technologies include Hands-Free Liftgate and Ford Intelligent All Wheel Drive (AWD).
“New Kuga offers cutting-edge new features and technologies that will help drivers stay connected, comfortable, safe and stylish on the road,” said Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “The sophisticated redesign has given Kuga a fresh and modern feel, while SYNC 3 enables drivers to communicate with their vehicle and connected devices in seamless ways that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.”
Seamlessly connected with SYNC 3
The new Ford Kuga enables drivers to control audio and navigation functions plus connected smartphones using simple, more conversational voice commands, with Ford’s new SYNC 3 connectivity system. Ford has drawn on more than 22,000 comments, and insights gained from research clinics and surveys to ensure the new version is the most customer‑centric system to date.
SYNC 3 delivers faster performance, simplified commands, and supports five additional languages. ** Simply by pushing a button and saying “I need a coffee,” “I need petrol,” and “I need to park,” drivers can locate nearby cafés, petrol stations or car parks, and find train stations, airports, and hotels.
Kuga drivers can operate SYNC 3’s 8-inch touchscreen in the same way that they use their smartphones. A new interface features larger, easier to operate buttons and enables pinch and swipe gestures for the first time.
iPhone users can activate Apple CarPlay, the smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car allowing drivers to make phone calls, access music, send and receive messages, get directions optimised for traffic conditions, and more while they stay focused on the road. Android™ users can activate Android Auto™. Android Auto makes apps and services that drivers already know and love, accessible in safer and seamless ways including Google Search, Google Maps and Google Play. Software can be updated over-the-air via Wi-Fi.
SYNC 3 also delivers SYNC AppLink for customers, enabling voice-activation from the driver’s seat of a range of smartphone apps that include Glympse, Aupeo, Spotify, MyBoxMan, HearMeOut, AccuWeather, and Los 40 Principales.
“Whether you are craving your morning cappuccino on your daily commute or covering the cost of a journey by transporting a package, SYNC 3 brings to life innovative new ways of staying connected on the move,” said Christof Kellerwessel, chief engineer, Electronic and Electrical Systems Engineering, Ford of Europe. “Designed to complement modern smartphones, with an intuitive 8‑inch touch screen, SYNC 3 understands more natural speech, is faster, and offers an easier-to-read graphical interface.”
Sophisticated technology for stress-free parking
The new Ford Kuga makes driving and parking simpler for customers using sophisticated Ford driver assistance technologies. New Perpendicular Parking functionality enhances the semi-autonomous Active Park Assist technology specified by almost half of Kuga customers last year. Using additional ultrasonic sensors, Perpendicular Parking at the push of a button enables drivers to locate parking spaces alongside other cars as well as parallel to the road, and steers the vehicle into them while the driver controls the accelerator and brake.
Additional sensors enable technologies that also help Kuga drivers as they manoeuvre out of parking spaces:
New Kuga offers an enhanced version of Ford’s Active City Stop collision avoidance system, which now operates at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph), increased from 30 km/h (19 mph). Active City Stop uses sensors at the front of the vehicle to look for stationary objects in the road ahead and pre-charges the brakes if the vehicle is approaching an object too quickly. If the driver still does not respond the system reduces engine torque and automatically applies the brakes to reduce the impact of collisions, or avoid them altogether.
The latest generation Ford MyKey technology allows new Kuga owners to programme a key for younger drivers that can inhibit incoming phone calls; restrict top speed; prevent deactivation of driver assistance and safety features; reduce audio system maximum volume, and disable the audio system altogether if occupants are not using safety belts. The enhanced MyKey system offers a greater number of choices in both the speed limiter and speed minder settings.
Stylish Kuga
The new Kuga features Ford’s latest design language for a bold and sporty look that is shared with the EcoSport compact SUV and new Edge large SUV. A large upper trapezoidal grille and a smaller lower grille are flanked by sleek new headlamps incorporating LED daytime running lights and complemented by stylish fog lamps.
Restyled taillights complete the sporty look, while a new range of 17- 18- and 19-inch alloy wheel designs also are available in variety of finishes including Luster Nickel. Two new colours, Guard Grey and the vibrant Copper Pulse, are offered throughout the range. A power-operated retractable tow bar automatically stores itself out of sight below the rear bumper when not in use, to retain the new Kuga’s sporty looks.
The new Kuga’s meticulously crafted interior has been refined to offer a more ergonomic, stylish and comfortable experience for occupants.
The steering wheel and air-conditioning controls are even more intuitive, and feature fewer and more easily distinguishable buttons and switches, making the controls easier to recognise and navigate. The steering wheel is also offered with heated leather to improve comfort in cold weather, while all automatic new Kuga models will feature paddle-shift controls that enable drivers to manually select gears while keeping their hands on the wheel.
New convenience features make Kuga even more user-friendly; an electronic parking brake is effortless to operate and frees room for improved storage in a centre console that now also features a storage area capable of accommodating a variety of bottles and cups, and a new USB connection point for integrating and charging mobile devices. A door lock indicator now tells drivers at a glance whether the doors are locked.
The New Kuga also offers Hands-Free Liftgate that can be opened or closed using a kicking motion beneath the rear bumper. The technology, which was specified by more than 1-in-3 Kuga customers in Europe last year, helps parents to easily access the boot when returning to their vehicle with shopping, pushchairs or toddlers.
The Ford Performance-inspired new Kuga ST-Line and luxurious new Kuga Vignale also are available for the first time, offering customers greater choice of styling and specification as part of the most comprehensive Kuga line-up ever.
Kuga ST-Line delivers bold exterior and interior styling including unique alloy wheels and sport seat designs, and joins the Fiesta ST-Line, Focus ST-Line and Mondeo ST-Line as part of Ford’s new range of ST-Line models. The new Kuga ST-Line also will offer the sportiest Kuga driving dynamics yet, with chassis enhancements including optimised suspension and steering for reduced body roll and sharper responses.
The upscale Kuga Vignale is offered in exclusive specification including unique Vignale pearlescent Milano Grigio exterior colour, with the model’s premium character further heightened with unique hexagonal-quilted Windsor leather featuring prominent tuxedo-style stitching for the seats and door interiors.
Vignale is the highest expression of the Ford brand in Europe; a contemporary, upscale product and ownership experience bringing together award-winning design, high-quality craftsmanship, advanced technologies and exclusive specifications. Kuga Vignale follows the Ford Mondeo Vignale, S-MAX Vignale and Edge Vignale in Europe.
Powerful and fuel-efficient engines
The new Kuga features Ford’s latest TDCi diesel and EcoBoost petrol engines for optimised performance alongside low CO2 emissions for reduced running costs.
Offering 4.4 l/100 km (64.2 mpg) and 115 g/km CO2, Ford’s 120 PS 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine with six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive (FWD) delivers a 5 per cent fuel efficiency improvement compared with the outgoing 120 PS 2.0-litre TDCi.
Further sophisticated diesel powertrains include:
Ford’s 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre TDCi engines feature advanced new diesel engine technologies including a lean NOX trap for cleaner exhaust emissions, components with a special Diamond Like Coating that reduces friction, and a sophisticated Variable Nozzle Turbocharger for enhanced engine breathing.
Ford’s turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engines feature advanced technologies including high-pressure direct fuel injection and Twin-independent Variable Cam Timing. Kuga EcoBoost powertrain options include:
Ford fuel-saving technologies offered across the range include Auto-Start-Stop and Smart Regenerative Charging that selectively engages the alternator and charges the battery when the vehicle is coasting and braking to recapture energy that would otherwise be lost.
Enhanced visibility and safety
The latest Ford technologies and sophisticated body engineering help drivers see more clearly and enhance safety on the road for new Kuga occupants and other road users.
Ford’s Adaptive Front Lighting System is available for the first time on Kuga. The system monitors ambient light conditions and automatically optimises visibility by adjusting the beam angle of the new bi‑xenon headlights to one of seven settings depending on the vehicle’s speed, steering angle and distance to an object in front.
The Adaptive Front Lighting System features a Weather-Dependent Lighting mode that automatically adjusts headlights to help drivers spot roadside hazards in extreme heavy rain. After detecting a downpour, the system shortens and widens the headlight beam to better illuminate the side of the road and reduce glare for other drivers from flooded roads.
The new Kuga’s sculpted bonnet features a wider, uninterrupted central dome that not only serves to complement Kuga’s sporty new looks, but also incorporates a structural design that more closely controls deformability and flexibility of the bonnet, improving pedestrian protection in an accident. The bonnet and rear liftgate also have been re-engineered to help mitigate damage to more expensive-to-replace components following a collision.
New Kuga also offers advanced Ford technologies, including:
“Sophisticated technologies like our Intelligent All Wheel Drive enhance safety and confidence for our customers,” Bakaj said. “Intelligent All Wheel Drive measures how the car’s wheels are gripping the road surface and can make adjustments in less than 20 milliseconds – 20 times quicker than it takes to blink.”
The new Ford Kuga follows the introduction of the larger Edge SUV earlier this year, and an updated compact EcoSport SUV last year. Ford is bolstering its SUV line-up just as it has been predicted by industry sales analyst IHS that sales in the SUV segment are poised to increase to 27 percent of all vehicles sold in Europe by 2020.
New Kuga and the Edge are among five all-new or redesigned Ford vehicles that will compete in the SUV and crossover space in the next three years.
Kuga spearheaded the company’s SUV expansion for Europe after first going on sale in 2008, and sales increased to a record 102,000 in 2015 – up by 19 per cent compared with 2014 ***. Kuga sales in September 2016 grew by 4,800 units year-on-year to 14,500, with 95,300 sales for the year, making it the best nine months and September since launch.
Ford EcoSport sales grew by 1,800 units to 6,400 in September year-on-year, and sales were up more than 60 per cent in the first nine months of the year with more than 44,600 sold. Ford Edge customer orders have exceeded 7,800 since the model’s European launch. Ford sold 144,906 SUVs in the first three-quarters of 2016 – more than a 41 per cent improvement on the same period last year.
“SUVs have grown from a tiny niche in Europe to one of the most significant automotive trends of the past decade,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. “Every time someone predicts SUV sales will cool down, they are proven wrong. That’s because SUVs have widespread appeal with men and woman, young and older people.”
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*The declared Fuel/Energy Consumptions, CO2 emissions and electric range are measured according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulations (EC) 715/2007 and (EC) 692/2008 as last amended. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are specified for a vehicle variant and not for a single car. The applied standard test procedure enables comparison between different vehicle types and different manufacturers. In addition to the fuel efficiency of a car, driving behaviour as well as other non-technical factors play a role in determining a car's fuel/energy consumption, CO2 emissions and electric range. CO2 is the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming.
**New languages for SYNC 3 include Czech, Danish, Norwegian, Polish (including voice control) and Swedish (including voice control). They build on the European languages already available for SYNC: Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and U.K. English
***Ford of Europe reports its sales for the European traditional markets where it is represented through National Sales Companies. They are: Austria, Belgium, Britain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 203,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. To expand its business model, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities with investments in electrification, autonomy and mobility. Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products and services, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 53,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and approximately 68,000 people when joint ventures and unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 24 manufacturing facilities (16 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and 8 unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
