84: Ford Kuga – Surprisingly fun but left behind in the SUV rush

The Ford Kuga seems to get a bit left behind, in attention terms, compared to the rest of the mid-size SUV brigade. While others, such as the VW T-Roc, the Nissan Qashqai, and the Hyundai Santa Fe, grab all the available airspace, the Kuga seems to trot along behind, in slightly lonely fashion. Which is a little unfair, as it is actually a pretty decent all-round SUV, especially from a drivers’ perspective.

It is one of the few such cars that you can actually have genuine, real, fun driving - being closely related to the Focus and Mondeo means that the steering is sharp, the body control firm, and the chassis nicely tuned. What probably doesn’t help are the price tag (too high by far); the fact that the boot is on the small side for a car such as this (barely more than what you’d get in a Focus hatchback); and the interior looks and feels a touch lo-rent in places.

It does score in infotainment terms, where Ford’s SYNC3 touchscreen system is second only to the VW Group stuff in terms of user-friendliness. The 1.5 diesel engine is smooth and has decent torque, but don’t ignore the smooth 1.5 turbo EcoBoost petrol. Pricey Vignale version is just too expensive for what it is - an accusation that could be levelled at the whole Kuga lineup, really.

Best model: 1.5 TDCI 120hp ST-Line for €29,931