Ford Kuga Hybrid review

The Ford Kuga is a family SUV that you’ll genuinely enjoy every journey in, because it’s a hoot. It’s like a Ford Focus with a loftier viewpoint and greater practicality. And this plug-in hybrid version – called the Kuga PHEV – brings super-low running costs into the equation, too. Never mind having your cake and eating it, that’s the equivalent of buying the bakery as well.

We reckon the Kuga looks a little like a Focus that’s let itself go (a few pies as well as cake). The latest Kuga is smarter than previous ones, with a large grille, piercing headlights and curves all over the place. Higher-spec models on larger wheels look more imposing but even lower trims wear their smaller alloys well.

The Kuga PHEV’s interior is similarly curvy, with a central touchscreen display prominently placed on the dash. The 8-inch screen is easy to use and comes with smartphone connectivity, which means it’s useful – and the air-con controls are physical buttons, which is good.

As for space, adults will have to squeeze in to fit across the rear bench, but there’s enough legroom and headroom back there. The Kuga’s back bench also slides forwards and backwards to swap between legroom and boot space, and you can even have the outer seats heated.

Kuga is decent to live with and drive, but you'll need to plug it in every time you stop or it'll be very inefficient and expensive to run.

The Kuga’s boot could be better, though, because it’s smaller than those in non-PHEV Kugas, which are also smaller than those of many rivals in the first place. Still, it’s big enough for some suitcases and other holiday stuff, or a big weekly shop.

As with most PHEVs, whether or not you buy one depends on your daily motoring needs. So, if you have a short urban commute, consider it so you can benefit from short drives of electric-only driving. Bear in mind, however, that models such this Kuga PHEV are at their most efficient if they’re plugged in whenever you can, so basically every time it’s standing still.

Ford Kuga Plug-in Hybrid range and charging

The Kuga PHEV has an electric-only range of 35 miles. Using a 3kw three-pin plug at home, a it will take around five hours to charge from empty to full, and a 7kW fast charger will cut this time to two hours. A charge to 80% takes just 1.6 hours.

You should enjoy driving the Kuga plug-in hybrid. The combination of 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and electric motor produces 225hp (there’s also a 190hp version available), and the Kuga can cover the 0-62mph sprint in 9.2 seconds before going on to a top speed of 125mph. So, not exactly thrilling.

However, the sharp steering, plentiful grip and decent performance mean that it’s enjoyable to drive on country roads. Good visibility and a decent turning circle make it simple work in town, too, while it’ll prove comfy and quiet on the motorway.

It’s efficient, too, with an official CO2 output of 32g/km and an average economy figure of 201.8mpg. Again, you’ll need to plug it in whenever possible if you’re to get anywhere near these figures, but it should be pretty thrifty.

The Ford Kuga is a big improvement over previous models and the value-for-money factor is there as long as you stick to the middle of the trim range. It’s comfortable, practical and full of kit – it’s just a shame the boot isn’t as big as we’d like.

If you don’t mind those minor negatives, configure your Kuga Hybrid by tapping on the button below.