- The stylish Kuga features taut, muscular lines and full surfaces creating an athletic appearance
- The Kuga offers comfortable and spacious seating for up to five adults
- The split tailgate offers flexibility and convenience with separate access to either the upper tailgate section only or both sections simultaneously
PRETORIA, South Africa, 21 Nov., 2011 -Ford’s ‘kinetic design’ form language has become an established and recognised part of the company’s brand DNA. The Kuga’s taut, muscular lines and full surfaces are a crucial part of the brand’s ‘kinetic design’ signature elements.
The Kuga adopts bold upper and lower trapezoid grilles, dramatic, swept-back headlamps and a sculpted, muscular bonnet features. When viewed in profile, the Kuga is just as athletic. Bold graphics are evident from front to rear, with a rising belt-line and kick-up at the rear window.
Bold wheelarches are filled with standard 17-inch wheels that have been developed for the Kuga to enhance the rugged, sporty looks of the car. The bold wheelarches are linked by integrated rocker mouldings which extend along both side doors and run parallel with the high, pronounced shoulder line. The side ‘undercut’ further highlights the dynamic intent. Collectively, these elements make the vehicle look muscular and strong.
The unique door mirrors have integrated side indicators and the design has been optimised to deliver exceptionally good levels of Sound Quality and Vibration (SQ&V) as free airspace is created between the mirror housing and the door.
Brushed aluminium effect roof rails neatly top off the profile view and add symmetry to the chrome used on the waistline. A small roof-mounted spoiler and panoramic glass roof section (available on the Titanium) add further premium touches and contribute to Kuga’s design modernity and longevity.
With a wheelbase of 2690 mm the overall footprint of the Kuga is compact and its proportions are balanced by relatively short body overhangs to the front and rear.
The rear design is equally purposeful and gives the Kuga a solid stance, and incorporates ‘kinetic design’ signatures.
A rear diffuser-like skid plate extends visibly from beneath the rear bumper and houses the sporty-looking twin exhaust pipes which are standard on all series. The lower skid plate also houses the low-slung fog lamps. The large, split rear lamps are a dominant horizontal feature of the rear end. Other neat details include a third LED brake light integrated into the body coloured rear spoiler and rear parking sensors (available on the Titanium) blended into the painted bumper.
The exterior design features naturally incorporate a wealth of practicality that provides much more than first meets the eye. The split tailgate offers maximum flexibility and convenience with separate access via micro switches to either the upper tailgate section only or both sections simultaneously.
The size of the open upper section has been engineered to allow convenient access to the luggage compartment. When the upper section is opened access can be gained to the luggage area without having to move the standard tonneau cover, enabling smaller items to be placed in the luggage compartment quickly and easily. The quick-release tonneau cover can also be completely removed.
Interior styling
The interior of the Kuga has a spacious feel. The clean, ergonomic design of the instrument panel and centre stack converge into a large centre console for maximum accessible storage.
All interior components contribute to a comfortable surrounding for the driver and front seat passenger. The high seat position contributes to the light and airy environment for passengers and provides the driver with a commanding view of their surroundings. The bonnet is visible to the seated driver and front seat passenger and enhances the ‘on top of the road’ feeling.
The eye-catching interior incorporates fine leathers, high quality fabrics and gloss finishes on key areas. Colour-matched details and integrated colours highlight the instrument panel and door trims, creating a complete, unified look of design-led quality and sportiness.
The interior styling is perfectly complemented by attention to detail and the ergonomics of the primary controls; steering wheel, pedal positions and gear shifter as well as multiple seating positions, switches, in-car entertainment and infotainment features. All are carefully situated and all have their own special attention to detail.
Everything from the amount of pressure that is necessary to activate the ‘Ford Power’ start button to the thumb indents on the steering wheel are all carefully considered to offer the most inviting and satisfying experience to driver and passengers. Other thoughtful additions include additional stowage areas for small items plus dedicated areas for drinks, sunglasses, coins, pens and a power socket for additional electrical devices.
Interior versatility
The Kuga offers comfortable and spacious seating for up to five adults. The Kuga offers occupants the benefit of 1,008 mm of headroom and a shoulder width of 1,422 mm for the driver and front seat passenger.
Supporting the car’s ‘cockpit’ feel driving position is an optional 6-way power adjustable seat for the driver that provides effortless adjustments for fore/aft, seating height and backrest recline.
The foam used in the seats is designed to offer optimum comfort, ergonomic performance and support. This is complemented by a leather finish with increased ‘pluspadding’, an additional layer of foam immediately beneath the leather trim that provides added comfort and very high levels of refinement.
Second row passengers benefit from high levels of comfort and features. The comfortable rear seating provides 1,395 mm of shoulder room and 987 mm of headroom, giving generous space to accommodate adult passengers.
Detailed actions taken by the Sound, Quality and Vibration (SQ&V) team mean that any wind, road and powertrain noise has been specifically addressed with the result that front and rear passengers can easily have a conversation across the cabin’s length without the need to raise their voices.
The interior is further enhanced by three-12V powerpoints that are available in the front console, the rear of the centre console and load compartment.
The second row seating has a 60/40 split and has been designed to fold completely flat to maximise the usefulness of the available load compartment in two-seat mode. Underseat storage is a practical feature for the second row with further storage under the floor of the luggage compartment area which is divided into compartments to offer maximum practicality. A luggage compartment sill height of 758 mm aids the loading of heavy items into the car.
Adaptable and Functional
Ford’s customer research confirmed that potential owners wanted a wide area to access the load compartment for the occasions they need the full volume. However, equally they wanted to be able to access the load compartment quickly and easily for smaller items without opening the whole tailgate.
The result is that the Kuga offers a split tailgate, a convenience feature that provides the ability to open a portion of the liftgate for access to the main luggage compartment whilst parked in height-restricted conditions. This feature also enables easy access to the luggage compartment for when smaller items need to be placed into or removed from the car.
The seat backs of the second row fold flat to allow larger, more bulky loads to be transported. When the second row seats are folded forward to maximise the load area – to a length of 1,578 mm to the back of the first row seats – they form a completely flat area without an awkward step to negotiate luggage over or around. It is not necessary to remove the headrests of the rear seats to fold them forward. However, headrests can be removed and stored under the seat.
The Kuga has a generous luggage capacity of 1,355 litres when in two-seat mode, while the enclosed luggage compartment achieves a volume of 360 litres.
Four exposed D-ring tie-down points are located across the rear seat back and up the inner rear panel of the car. This helps to tether loose items safely and reduces noise levels of items moving around whilst driving.
A ‘one-touch’ push function for the rear tonneau cover and flexible netting in the luggage area (available on the Trend) that automatically moves is joined to the tonneau cover for maximum security. A privacy glass to help keep belongings in the rear luggage area is standard on the Titanium.
