In a nutshell:
- New Ford Kuga Full Hybrid joins mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid in the range.
- Capable of doing 600 miles between fill-ups, it’s also completely self-charging.
- A combined 190 PS equates to a 0-62 mph time of 9.1 seconds.
- Available now, priced from £33,600 to purchase outright.
If you want the economy of a diesel without the associated emissions, this new ‘full hybrid’ Ford Kuga could be the car for you.
Ford says its new creation is able to travel for a huge 600 miles between fill-ups, through a mix of petrol-electric and pure-electric driving.
And if you’re confused about what a ‘full hybrid’ actually means, worry not, because you’re most certainly not alone.
First thing to know is that the Kuga already comes as both a plug-in hybrid and a mild hybrid. You can already lease those models, starting from around £368 per month for the ‘EcoBlue’ MHEV.
The mild hybrid version uses a small electric motor to support the engine during acceleration and cruising, but this electric motor isn’t strong enough to power the car on its own.
The plug-in hybrid is slightly different in that it does have an electric motor that can power the car for short distances - but the battery for this motor needs plugging in and recharging.
But the great thing about the full hybrid Kuga is that it can do all the things a plug-in can do - ie, switch between electric and petrol power - but it’s also self-charging and doesn’t need to be plugged in.
That’s particularly attractive if you don’t want electric cables snaking out of your front door every night.
With the full hybrid Kuga owners enjoy a 2.5 litre petrol engine that replenishes a 1.1 kWh battery, also using regenerative charging when coasting or braking.
And the new Kuga will also automatically switch between power configurations according to the driving scenario, delivering ‘diesel-rivalling convenience of over 600 miles total driving range’, according to Ford.
So how does this compare to the other electrified Kugas?
Ford says the full hybrid will give you fuel economy of 48.7mpg, CO2 emissions from 130 g/km, and adds: “The total driving range is also more than 30 per cent greater than that of the Kuga Plug-In Hybrid, which offers a greater pure-electric driving range of up to 35 miles.”
With 0-62 mph acceleration of 9.1 seconds, the 190 PS Kuga is not the quickest SUV on the block, but certainly not the slowest.
And while the Kuga is an automatic, Ford have even gone so far as to mimic the traditional gear shift to try and improve the driving experience.
A spokesperson explains: “We’ve listened hard to customers to make sure the Kuga Hybrid really delivers when it comes to driving appeal. The simulated gear-shift function makes the SUV more engaging to drive with the familiarity of traditional ‘cog swaps’, plus the added benefit of limiting engine noise.”
If you fancy one, you don’t have to wait - as they’re already available to order.
You can choose the Kuga Hybrid in a variety of traditional Ford trims, including ST Line Edition, ST Line X Edition and Vignale variants.
Meanwhile the firm’s ‘FordPass Connect’ system - which allows over-the-air software updates and mobile phone app integration - comes as standard, as does a handy wireless charging pad.
