Family day out in new Ford Kuga
Getting away from the grind of the city is always something to look forward to and when the team at Ford SA lay it all on for you, all the better.
The plan was take the recently refreshed Ford Kuga with its all-new 1.5l EcoBoost engine for a drive into the countryside on a family outing.
I loaded up my mountain bike and all my riding gear and hooked up with a few good friends on the Saturday – for an early morning ride at the Central Park MTB Trails in Modderfontein.
Sunday was a full-on family day as my girls and I hit Harties for a ride up the cableway and a nice lunch on top of the mountain.
These improvements to the Kuga’s diesel and petrol engine range are said to deliver lower CO2 emissions and reduced fuel consumption. And the entire range is equipped with advanced technologies to help improve efficiency and aerodynamics, featuring auto-start-stop and the innovative Active Grille Shutter, which are now standard across the board.
The expanded line-up now includes four derivatives powered by the new 1.5l EcoBoost petrol engine, which replaces the previous 1.6l naturally aspirated unit that suffered a little up here on the Reef.
The new powertrain comes in two guises, starting off with a 110kW version for the two front-wheel drive six-speed manual derivatives available in Ambiente and Trend specification.
A 132kW version is employed on the new addition to the range, the 1.5 EcoBoost front-wheel drive automatic, the model we got to drive, as well as the AWD model – both of which feature the smooth-shifting six-speed auto transmission with SelectShift manual control. Common across the 1.5 EcoBoost engines is a punchy 240Nm torque peak, available from 1 600rpm all the way to 4 000rpm.
And this change to turbocharged power, extra torque and slick-shifting auto box makes for a car that is very pleasant to drive regardless if you are in traffic on your own or out on the open road with the whole family on board.
It is by no means lightning fast, but, being a family car, it is nice to know that you have some real safety systems on board.
The Kuga enjoys a Euro NCAP five-star safety rating, along with ABS with Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with Traction Control and Hill Launch Assist. And a full complement of seven airbags.
The Kuga is a well-priced family SUV when it comes to power, performance, fuel economy and luxury.
