Ford Kuga AWD 163 tdci manual any opinions please

[raywell]

Well i ordered the passat, but through a change in my ability to get into the damn thing it's all change again, thankfully i could cancell the Passat without any cost.
I'm now very close to ordering a new Kuga, Just a little concerned with it being a new model, re how it tows and what the economy on the 4WD is like, Last thing i want to do is get one and not be able to afford to tow with it. Any views really welcomed even opinions from owners of the mk1 kuga awd would be very helpfull thanks

Thanks

Ray

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Hi Ray
We have had 2 Kugas
The first was a 2WD 136bhp and the present one is a 4WD 163bhp both diesels
They both towed our Swift Challenger 570 superbly
The 163 bhp does just under 40mpg on short runs and about 25mpg towing
Our first requirement is ease of entry/exit as my wife is a long time Prakinsons sufferer and the Kuga is great for her
The seats are also very supportive on long trips
We are really happy with the Kuga and rate it our best car ever

 

[raywell]

Hi John,

Thank you for your response. I also have mobility issues and getting into and out of cars is getting to be an issue hence our interest in the Kuga. My local agent loaned me the Titanium X AWD 163 for the afternoon yesterday and we were very much impressed with it, enough so that we may be tempted to abandon VW after ten years. Could i trouble you and ask your opinion and views on the 2 wheel drive 140? We have come to a conclusion that for the realistic amount of times we need AWD that the 2wd would most likely fulfill our needs, and also hopefully be a little more economical.

regards

Ray

 

[emmerson]

Raywell, as you appear to be a VW fan, have you considered the Tiguan? Surely very similar to the Kuga, but with the right badge.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Hi Ray no problem in commenting further
The 2WD is the same as the 4WD for towing but weighs a bit less
The 4WD is only in operation when it thinks its needed so on tow its just 2WD unless you lose traction on a field etc
There is no manual selection of 4WD as there is on the Nisan XT
Our main reason for changing to 4WD was to get more weight but there has been no difference noted towing
We had the 136bhp first which was more than adequate
We have the Titanium with various extra packs and I've fitted a Pioneer sat nav radio head unit with rear view camera
We didn't fancy the glass roof on the Titanium X
We opted for the 17in wheels rather than the 18in ones that we had on the previous model and find as anticipated its a better ride
The Ford engine and gearbox are very smooth and the ride is less harsh than the VW I believe
We haven't noticed any worse fuel consumption with the 4WD and on a 50 mile trip to Wallasey the 4WD did well over 50mpg
Have you considered a Ford Direct low mileage car
Our first Kuga had 3500 miles on the clock when we got it and never felt anything other than a new car but was a big saving on cost
In 3 years we have had no problems with the Kugas that required return to the garage other than routine service
We did need to call out Ford Breakdown in France when we left the doors open and flattened the battery

 

[raywell]

Thank you very much for your replies, Emmerson, yes we are also looking at the Tiguan but at the moment the Kuga looks to be better spec imo. A big positive to the Kuga Titanium X is the standard fitting of Bi Xenon headlights. I have them on my current car and find the difference between xenon and halogen to be almost night and day if you pardon the pun.
John, Thanks very much for your detailed reply, The major reason for considering the 2 WD is that when i had the 4wd for an extended test drive i found a menu which gives a graphical display of power distribution to the 4 wheels. On setting off from a stop or even when slowing to the lower end of the speedo, it showed that the 4 wd traction automatically operates until about 20 mph. That was the case even when driving like a nun ;-) It mattered not how gentle i was on the gas it always utilised the 4wd on set off and pulling away from sharper corners etc.

I will keep you informed of our decision this weekend

Thanks again

Ray

 

[WatsonJohnG]

That's interesting about the 4WD and a good thing for us as we live at the top of a steep hill with passing places
The XT had hill start which was good too
I don't have the display you saw--or if I have I haven't found it yet
As to the lights if you are used to them on the present car you don't want to not have them again
We joke that we need to consult the handbook for light switch position if out in the dark anytime
Good luck with choosing

 

[Surfer]

I would go for the 4wd as it offers better traction in all roads conditions, like heavy rain, snow and occasionally on a muddy field. Difference in fuel is about 5mpg, but if you get 39mpg no big deal. When towing the AWD may be more economical than the 2WD, but not sure.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Ray this confirms what you were saying
http://www.kugaownersclub.co.uk/Kuga/Kuga-All-Terrain-with-Intelligent-AWD-Capability.asp

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Hi again Ray
I had a sit in a new Kuga yesterday and was impressed
The salesman talked about the display you mentioned showing wheel torque etc and I don't have it on my car so will stop looking for it

The new car also has hill start I was told which is good if you have problems with clutch control !
The dashboard looks more modern but that means I couldn't install my double din size radio/sat nav/reversing screen unit and it would be quite expensive to purchase as a Ford extra pack
I really liked the Titanium model seats and the extra boot space although still with an emergency reduced size spare wheel
Let us know how you decided and if a purchase is made report back as I may be interested in 12 months time when my car is 2 years old
Regards
John

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Hi again Ray
Just wondered if you did the deed and opted for the Kuga

 

[xtrailman]

I would go for the 4wd as it offers better traction in all roads conditions, like heavy rain, snow and occasionally on a muddy field. Difference in fuel is about 5mpg, but if you get 39mpg no big deal. When towing the AWD may be more economical than the 2WD, but not sure.

The Kuga is part time 4x4, no way does it drink another 5mpg above the fwd.
Besides which if you actually read the above post from a owner of both, the differeace wasn't even noticed.

Now if you said there was a difference of 5mpg in auto and maual, i could believe that.