Ford Kuga 2024: The Facelift in Detail

At first glance, the 2024 Kuga doesn’t shout for attention. It whispers refinement. The most noticeable tweak? A clean new front with a split grille and a connecting light bar that runs between the DRLs. It adds visual width and modernity to the SUV without pushing too hard for flair. In Titanium trim, the underbody inlay adds ruggedness to its otherwise urban stance.

The Sync 4 infotainment system is all-new, and with Alexa voice control baked in, there’s a whiff of tech-savviness you wouldn’t expect from what is essentially a family SUV. The 13.2-inch touchscreen is now your control hub,for everything. No knobs, no buttons. Love it or loathe it, this is the direction Ford has taken.

Driving with a trailer? The navigation mode automatically reroutes around narrow passes, helpful for towing enthusiasts. And speaking of towing, the facelift gives electrified models like this hybrid a bump from 1.7 to 2.1 tons. Not a small feat for a compact SUV.

LED headlights are now standard. The optional Matrix LED units, which I had on this test car, performed impressively on the dark winding backroads of Rotenberg. They adapted quickly to oncoming traffic, dimming and illuminating with surgical precision. On a foggy night near Esslingen, I was particularly grateful for them.

Kuga: Plenty of Space in the Interior and Trunk

Inside, the Kuga is deceptively spacious. Parked by the Rotenberg chapel with all doors open, it easily swallowed our two-person camping kit, camera gear, and a week’s worth of groceries. The rear seats? They slide. Need more trunk space? Slide them forward. Need legroom for lanky adults? Slide them back. Simple, practical.

I’m six feet tall. My co-driver’s closer to 6’2”. Neither of us had to argue about headroom or shoulder space, a rarity in this class. Even with the panoramic roof, the sense of airiness remains.

The rear trunk (in this hybrid AWD version) gives you between 365 to 1355 liters. That’s 80 liters shy of the petrol-only Kuga, thanks to the battery pack, but there’s a handy false floor with an extra 70 liters of hidden space, perfect for tools, boots, or charging cables.

Loading our gear after hiking around Uhlbach vineyards, I appreciated the low loading lip. No awkward lifts or scrapes. Just toss, push, close. Job done.

Operation Largely via Touchscreen

This is where the Kuga draws a line in the sand. Almost all functions, HVAC, audio, nav, even heated seats, live inside the touchscreen. Ford’s Sync 4 is fluid and surprisingly intuitive, but it does take some adaptation. On the go, glancing at a screen instead of reaching for a familiar button isn’t ideal.

The screen’s lower section houses climate controls permanently, which helps. But I missed a physical dial for volume or map zoom. Fortunately, there’s still a volume knob.

The multifunction steering wheel is the real headache. With 18 buttons, some as small as aspirin tablets, it’s way too cluttered. On a fast bend above Rotenberg where I needed to reduce the volume quickly, I accidentally triggered voice control instead. Not fun.

Wireless Android Auto worked flawlessly, as did the inductive charging pad. The connectivity suite is robust, Bluetooth, navigation with real-time traffic, voice commands, and even a mobile app that keeps tabs on fuel and vehicle status.

Kuga Hybrid with 6.5 Liters Test Consumption

It clocked the Kuga Hybrid AWD at 6.5 liters per 100 km, and I’d agree. In city use, where the hybrid system can flex its muscles most, I managed 5.3 liters. Around Rotenberg’s tighter curves and on the Autobahn toward Ludwigsburg, that figure rose. At one point on a stretch of unrestricted highway, it touched 8.3 liters.

Country roads were a mixed bag, mid-sixes were common depending on throttle use and elevation. The CVT does the job quietly most of the time, but push it hard and it buzzes unhappily.

So, is it efficient? Yes,if driven with finesse. Is it a magic fuel-sipper? No. But for a 4.6-meter-long AWD SUV, 6.5 liters is commendable.

Three Out of Five Stars in the Ecotest

The facelift improved the engine’s CO emissions under stress, but particulate levels were still a sore point in the Ecotest. It met legal limits, but stricter internal benchmarks meant a loss of points.

In the combined tally, the Kuga landed three out of five stars. Respectable, not revolutionary. The takeaway? It’s cleaner than many, but still has room to evolve, especially on the emissions front.

Disappointing in the Evasion Test

Here’s where the Kuga stumbled, literally.

In the evasive maneuver test, the Kuga showed its weight. Quick lane changes and rapid countersteering exposed the limits of its suspension. There was pronounced body roll, and the steering lacked urgency.

I noticed something similar while dodging a cyclist who abruptly veered off a shoulder lane near Obertürkheim. The Kuga corrected itself, but not with the sharpness or control I would’ve liked.

Ford’s focus here is clearly comfort, and while the suspension is soft enough to eat up cobbles and minor potholes, it doesn’t invite quick direction changes.

Technical Specification

Category	Specification
Engine Type	2.5L Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder petrol
Hybrid System	Full Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FHEV)
Electric Motor Output	Approx. 88 kW (120 hp)
Combined System Power	Approx. 183 PS (135 kW)
Battery Type	Lithium-ion
Battery Capacity	~1.1 kWh
Transmission	eCVT (Electronic Continuously Variable Transmission)
Drive Type	Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Fuel Tank Capacity	54 liters
Fuel Type	Petrol

Performance	Value
0–100 km/h	~9.3 seconds (estimated)
Top Speed	~196 km/h
Towing Capacity (Braked)	2,100 kg
Combined Fuel Consumption	6.5 L/100 km (as tested)
CO₂ Emissions	~148–157 g/km (WLTP range)

Conclusion

The 2024 Ford Kuga Hybrid AWD isn’t here to dominate headlines or blow your socks off. It’s a responsible adult in a world of show-offs. With its generous space, balanced hybrid performance, and surprisingly elegant new face, it continues to offer a solid package for families, commuters, and weekend adventurers.

Driving it through Rotenberg’s vineyards, past hikers and wine cellars, you begin to appreciate its quiet competence. It won’t challenge a spirited driver, but it rewards the practical, thoughtful one.

It’s not perfect, the steering could be sharper, the touchscreen less cluttered, and the suspension firmer for emergency maneuvers. But it’s honest. And that counts.