Test Drive Ford releases new mid-size Kuga SUV

Ford’s mid-size SUV Kuga is driven on a highway near Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. The model is the U.S. carmaker’s first diesel-engine SUV introduced in Korea. / Courtesy of Ford Korea

By Jhoo Dong-chan

Ford Korea has introduced the Kuga mid-size SUV here, aiming to boost its presence in the nation’s fast-growing recreational vehicle (RV) market.

The U.S. carmaker’s diesel-engine SUV model has already been a longtime bestselling model in the European market, targeting young motorists in their 30s.

“The model is the first mid-size SUV with a diesel engine introduced in Korea, aiming to attract young male motorists who enjoy dynamic outdoor activities,” an official of the U.S. carmaker’s sales affiliate in Korea said.

“I believe the Volkswagen Tiguan SUV will be our competitor.”

The 2017 Kuga SUV was offered for a test drive during its introduction event at Heyri Art Village in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday.

The 2017 Kuga SUV mounts a 2.0-liter TDCi diesel engine with a six-speed power-shift transmission that produces a maximum 180 horsepower. Its maximum torque of 40.8 kg.m comes at around 2,000 rpm.

Despite its high torque, it was a bit lagging at low speeds, but it accelerated progressively when the turbo kicked in at around 2,000rpm. The SUV smoothly reached high speeds until the speedometer gauged 170 kilometers per hour. As it exceeded 100 kilometers per hour, wind noise started to be audible.

It also has a range of 12.4 kilometers per liter.

The Kuga SUV was comfortable during most of the test driving session, especially at low speeds, but started to shimmy on a road with lots of patches or in high-speed conditions.

Its steering features very intuitive maneuvering, precise enough to offer some enjoyment on the right road, and there’s plenty of grip and well-controlled body lean.

The 2017 Kuga SUV’s interior is a bit disappointing as the center fascia comes off as unorganized. A novice or first-time Kuga driver may experience difficulties in controlling air conditioning as well as the interior electronics.

The trunk is sizable enough as it offers 456 liters, or 1653 liters when the rear seats are folded down.

The Kuga SUV’s price ranges between 39.9 million and 45.4 million won.