2008 Geneva Motor Show: Ford Kuga

• Competes with: Honda CR-V, Saturn Vue
• Looks like: Ford’s found a good replacement for the Escape
• Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbo-diesel with six-speed automatic
• Hits Dealerships: 2008 for Europe, not planned for the U.S.

What you see here is a really good-looking compact SUV from Ford. It will go on sale in Europe this year, but there are no plans for it to come to the U.S. That’s really, really too bad because the Ford Kuga looks like it could replace the current Escape in Ford’s line-up pretty easily and with some style.

Don’t believe us? The Kuga is almost identical to the Escape’s length and weight and comes in either front- or all-wheel drive. What’s really different of course is that the Kuga will go on sale with just one engine, a diesel. The 2.0-liter turbo-diesel will put out just 136 hp but a whopping 236 lb.-ft of torque which should propel it just fine. Mileage using metric conversion would be roughly 37 mpg combined city and highway.

Ford would have to tackle the diesel issue before adapting it for American consumers but we see no reason why they shouldn’t try. Perhaps they could bring it over at the same time as the new Fiesta in 2010. The company has previously said that it will leverage its global products in its latest turn-around strategy for the U.S. and we don't think they'll stop at the Fiesta. Check out the photos below and tell us if you think this should be the next Escape.

Comments

Ford does not have the werewithall to properly engineer the Kuga for the American market. This is just one of many reasons why the Japs are better at designing, building and bringing to market cars. For the record I have a new Taurus as a company car and think it's great, better than my previous car, a Camry.

I'm guessing this won't come here simply for the same reason the current Euro Focus won't - they are on the same platform (i think) and as such were never engineered for sale stateside. However, being a new model maybe they did take into account the challenges of selling here.

It certainly looks great, and the interior is nice too. It certainly makes the Escape look about 15 years out of date.

Guys,
Ford has said that it would use more of its global products in the U.S. as part of its turnaround plans. I don't think the Fiesta will be the last vehicle we get from Europe. The Focus is problematic because of costs. The Kuga would go for much higher $ and make more money here. Like I said, its dimensions are almost identical to an Escape so why is it engineered differently for Europe?

I think Ford should bring this over. I don't think cross engineering it would be that hard or take too much effort. European styled cars are very popular here anyway. I think we also need the diesel and a little four banger as well. Americans have to get over their diesel phobia.

I was simply talking from an engineering point of view. I may well be very wrong, but I understood that the reason they didn't bring the Euro Focus here was because it was never designed to do well in federal crash tests etc, and would have been prohibitively expensive to engineer to do so.

I'm guessing, but may be wrong, that any other car on that platform would also suffer the same way, hence my doubts on this car.

I think it is a GREAT idea to bring more Ford of Europe products over. They are WAY ahead of the current Ford product line. If they can get the costs right they would be a hit. I'd especially like the see the S-Max/Galaxy over here. It could rvitalise a dead market segment.

My other question, i guess, is how much would people be prepared to pay for a Kuga? I know a literal comparison is not representative of how much it could cost here, but in the UK, this will be retailing in excess of $30k in base trim.

Mart,
Nope, the Euro Focus not coming here had nothing to do with engineering, everything to do with cost/marketing.

It was designed for the Euro market though like you said which prefer smaller vehicles and will pay a higher premium for one with nicer interior materials like VWs. A VW Jetta in the U.S. would be the best example of what a Euro Focus would cost here (roughly).

Now, the platform you mention is very flexible and underpins everything from the Mazda3 to Volvo S40, C30 and C70 here in the U.S. That is the same Global C1 platform used for the Kuga.

A platform really is just the base underpinnings of the car and what you put around it (body, interior, drivetrains) are all very adaptable.

I don't think this would fit in well with the rest of the ford lineup, as it would be expensive as Mart pointed out. However, I do think that this would be a very nice entry level Lincoln Crossover.

Another thing- I think it is funny how lots of people can't wrap their minds around the fact that the Euro Ford Lineup isn't sold here. Face it, they have the Ford bagde on them, but they are high end cars. Ford needs an image remake really bad, but they don't need another car that is not going to make them any money. The last focus never made any money- even when it was new and at the height of its auto enthusiast popularity because it was expensive to build.

They could just drop everything that Mercury currentle sells and make Mercury a really upmarket brand that sells the Euro Fords- I think that would be a really good idea, that way the whole marque would be unified and all be priced, sold and looked apon as the upmarket cars that they are.

Just my oppinion
Broq

Broq,
The current thinking is that like with GM's Opel/Saturns, Ford can better afford to sell the European models here if they cut out enough R&D and other costs. Think of how much they'd save by not having to whip up an all-new Escape for example.

A compact SUV is also a good type of vehicle to do this to since they're typically more money than a mid-size sedan.

I must admit, it seems a no-brainer that it MUST be cheaper to not have to design two entirely different models for different markets.

Obviously, I'd imagine Ford will make less money per car here than they do in Europe, but the economies of scale involved with making a car for worldwide consumption must be great. Esepcially now that US consumers seem to have a taste for higher quality cars, and now that Euro cars have grown large enough to avoid the whole Ford Contour/Mondeo small back seat issue.

Personally I feel that as quality improves, prices will slowly creep up for cars here. Perhaps not so much that they are as comparitively expensive as in Europe, but enough that adding quality to vehicles doesn't mean the company cannot make money.

If it means we get more intersting vehicles on the US roads, then I will applaud it.

Dave - good point about the Volvo and Mazda - forgot about that!

This Kuga has got very Jag-like headlights and taillights. 'Guess it makes sense since most large cats have similar traits. :)

Ford should avail this vehicle to the USA market. This would be a great opportunity for Ford to enter and compete against the upcoming high mileage turbo diesels from the German and Japanese automakers. And not to distant offerings of diesel cars/trucks by Mahindra.

American's typically prefer a quality vehicle with the ability to go where they wish, economically, in style. This is the first American brand that offers fulfillment of that wish. Foreign brands such as the the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V offer this wish list now, but limited in economy. Ford's FUGA with 37 mpg would have a competitive advantage. Bring the FUGA NOW!

The Kuga is a great looking vehicle, and I'm sure it would sell in great numbers here in the U.S. Too bad Ford doesn't have the cojones to do the right thing and make it available to Americans. This thing would do a lot to help Ford turn things around. GET WITH IT, FORD!

this should definitely come to the U.S. to replace the geriatric Escape as soon as possible.

leave it to ford to tell us they're going to give us the fiesta, then design an attractive SUV that has the same design cues, and then say there's no plans for the states. ford REALLY upsets me...

i dont like ford at all.... life long honda owner, but this cuv is nice! its a shame they dont kill the escape and bring this over. ford cant ger it right

I dunno, I think this is a better Mazda Tribute replacement than anything.

4x4, diesel and a stick and it would be the first ford i would ever consider buying.

I received my new Ford Mondeo Wagon 1.8L TDCI Ghia this week. Quality wise it is very, very, very close to what the German big three have to offer. My father in law has a new Audi A6 wagon and the space / quality difference is a lot smaller than the price difference.

Everything in the new mondeo feels German. Funny in thing is that they are actually engineered in Cologne, Germany, as far as I am aware. So maybe it is not that surprising in that respect.

As far as the size goes: it is about as big as you want a car to be in the UK. Any bigger and you will struggle to park etc. (4.83m x 1.89m is ruffly 16'1" x 6'3"). That is big enough for me.

I have never driven a Ford US car before. I have driven nearly every car Ford Europe sold here in the last ten years (one of the cars I didn't drive was the US made Probe) and I can honestly say that the quality and ride of the cars is on par with Volkswagen and getting closer and closer to Mercedes / BMW / Audi.

Oh, that 1.8L TDCI engine? 125hp / 340Nm torque engine that makes me travel effortlesly up and down the motorway in 6th gear with my cruise control on 95mph (going more than 30mph over the 70mph speed limit means you lose your license in the UK). It is the smaller version of the 2.0L engine in the Kuga...

Dave,
"Ford has said that it would use more of its global products in the U.S. as part of its turnaround plans."

Tell you what, I believe when I see it. Let time prove the truth.

This thing would sell like CRAZY in the US. Bring it with the diesel and a refined four, like Jeff Dunn was saying, run ads that say "37 mpg" with nice shots of the interior, and watch as Amercans flock to Ford lots.

Simply amazing. Ford is in big trouble. You don't need to be an automotive analyst to realize their current thinking isn't working. I consistently see interesting, quality designs on their European models and yet they continue to block their sale in the US. We get the same old boring designs that always play it safe.

This Kuga is a good example. It would be a stunning replacement for the aging Escape. The interior is a big step up. Instead of this, we'll get a minor refresh in a year or two and the much needed Sync system will remain wrapped in cheap plastic. Have I driven a Ford lately? No, and I doubt that I will.

I like it...and I would purchase it, even if it is a diesel. I think its very stylish.

I suspect that the cost of retooling here in the US is not something that Ford can undertake all at once. Ford has made great strides in reducing labor and health care costs and now needs to move to global platforms. Think of the savings!

Ford needs to put this vehicle in America right now, even if I means a hike in the price. Because no American SUV can match it's fuel economy, not even an Escape Hybrid. The interior is beautiful, and I wish more American Fords can look this good.

Ford needs to put this vehicle in America right now, even if I means a hike in the price. Because no American SUV can match it's fuel economy, not even an Escape Hybrid. The interior is beautiful, and I wish more American Fords can look this good.

Ford Kuga. It certainly looks great, and the interior is nice too.
Ford Kuga vs Nissan Qashqai?

you are the best.

This thing (the Kuga) looks fabulous. Why does Ford have such super neat cars for Europe and then give us the dudd models? If the Kuga were available here and got 37mpg combined city/hwy driving, I would have 2 questions--where is the nearest Ford dealer and where is my checkbook?