New Ford Kuga ready to pounce with facelift due in 2024

Ford is making us wait for the updated Kuga after already launching the mid-size SUV in the US

Do good things come to those who wait? Well, we’ll find out shortly when it comes to the Ford Kuga as the European facelift is almost upon us. The US saw the updated Kuga way back in 2022 and while our version will look a little different, we pretty much know what to expect.

Ford’s apparent apprehension over launching the facelifted Kuga here in the UK is understandable when you factor-in how popular the current model still is. The third-generation Kuga arrived in 2019 and is still a regular in Britain’s top 10 best-selling cars list. 

As we’ve said, the US Kuga (badged ‘Escape’) has already been on sale for a while now. Our spy photography shows we can expect the European car to look almost identical to the Escape.

• New 2023 Ford Mustang: powertrain, technology and specs

Our latest glimpse of the Kuga facelift suggests two distinct trim levels. The white car looks to be an entry-level model and could be called ‘Active’ – judging from the unpainted wheel arches, unpainted bumpers front and rear and the silver faux skid plate to the rear. It also has unpainted black wing mirrors and a different set of alloy wheels compared to the blue car.

There’s a more upmarket look to the blue car. The faux side air intakes don’t incorporate a fog light, it has a different grille insert (more akin to Ford’s ST-Line models) together with body coloured bumpers, skid skirts, wheel arches and wing mirrors.

Both cars feature a narrower grille than the outgoing Kuga, with the Ford embedded in a similar fashion to that seen on the facelifted Focus. There are also new LED headlights with a central light bar and a redesigned bumper. The facelift brings a new design of rear light signature as well. As we can see there’s chrome tip dual-exit exhausts too – a feature of the Kuga’s sporty design language.

We also expect the new Kuga to get an update inside. The latest version of Ford SYNC4  infotainment will appear, ​​operated via a new 13.2-inch central touchscreen, although the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster will probably remain. The US-spec Escape can be had with various safety systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, collision avoidance and pedestrian detection. Optional extras include a head-up display, panoramic roof and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

The engine lineup should change with the facelift, with a line-up kicking off with a 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol, a 187bhp 2.5-litre petrol hybrid and a 222bhp 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid petrol. All-wheel drive versions of the Kuga are available in America, but Ford is likely to stick with front-wheel drive models of Kuga in the UK.

Given this is the first time we’ve seen the facelifted Kuga testing in Europe, a full reveal isn’t expected until 2024. Pricing for the new Kuga should start slightly higher than the current car’s £33,380 starting price tag.

Check out the latest Ford news and reviews here…

Source: Read Full Article