Ford offers a two wheel drive version of the Kuga at even keener pricing starting at €32,565 before delivery charges. And as there are no distinctive 4x4 badges to spot the difference, this option will attract drivers who want to stay on the tarmac.

That value is not just skin deep. Ford offers an impressive safety package in the Kuga and that was confirmed by its high rating in the recent EuroNCAP test. The standard features on the Zetec models included Electronic Stability Programme, 6 airbags as part of Ford's Intelligent Protection System, air conditioning, 17-inch wheels, 6-speaker remote radio CD, electric heated door mirrors, front fogs, trip computer, keyless start with Ford Power button, body colour rear spoiler and leather steering wheel.

The higher specification Titanium models come with the above plus, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual zone climate control, cruise control, partial leather trim, tinted glass, automatic wipers and headlights and auto-dimming rear view mirror. The Titanium offer is the expensive extra adding more than €4,500 to the price and I'm not sure if that's worth it for most drivers.

I had the Titanium version with AWD as the test car and for general road driving apart from a gravelly patch failed to engage the AWD ability. That will be the case for most drivers as the system engages automatically with a clutch type drive when one of the front wheels slips.

The AWD ability might be useful for trailer pullers when the going gets tricky. The Kuga will deliver a towing performance that's at the top of its game at 2.1 tonnes with a braked trailer. Only the new and more expensive Volkswagen Tiguan can marginally beat that.

The Kuga will score well in driver position and comfort. The only downside for me was a significant level of road noise. Rear legroom is not the most spacious and I expected a better level of rear seat adjustment. The boot is spacious for this sector and the boot door splits for easier loading. The overall Kuga offer makes it one of the best SUV's around. It scores on style, performance, economy and value; there's no better measure of motoring value.

Ford Kuga TDCI Zetec - Technical Details

Top speed: 180km/hr
0 – 100km/hr: 10.7 seconds
Economy: 6.9 l/100km (44.1mpg)
CO2 emissions: 169g/km
Car Tax: €430 Band D
Price: €34,400 before delivery charges

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