Go further in this Ford

I don't particularly enjoy doing test drives in the summer. Cars tend to turn into furnaces in the sun. But off I dutifully went to collect a Ford Kuga one Saturday morning and the considerate people at Gasan started up the Kuga and let the air conditioning run for a few minutes.

From the outside looking in, it was relatively quiet - the engine was the proven 2-litre diesel TDCi.

The Kuga is inspiring to look at. The Focus chassis it is based on has been slightly lengthened and is broader. However the Kuga is a crossover: a normal car disguised as an SUV. It has swept back front lights to side ventilation beneath the lights to the front splash guard, two striking wedges on the bonnet and a single wedge that travels along the side of the car to trail the rear window.

The tail gate is 'bi-functional', giving owners the option of opening the upper end only, or bringing the whole tail gate up, to maximise on the space plus individual compartments beneath the luggage carpet.

On the road, the Kuga will quickly dispel the feeling that you are, in actual fact, driving a medium size SUV. While driving in a high position, drivers actually feel they are behind the wheel of a family car.

The drive is easy and the engine delivers power instantly. Shifting into sixth gear was a pleasure. The Kuga Trend spec, which I had for the morning, boasted an impressive Sony sound system. I was obviously more interested in the sounds coming from the engine, that is, if you can hear it.

There is an instant sense of security when driving the Kuga: the interior is well built, with a good quality dashboard and trim. There is a choice of three steering settings.

The Kuga has a glass roof and with the scorching sun, I imagined this would be an issue. The roof, however, is equipped with sun blinds both front and back, diminishing the intensity of the sun.

My first stop was coming up and I pulled over to the side of the road. The Kuga Trend is keyless but I could not locate the power button. There was nothing to indicate this button existed. I called for help: imagine my amazement when the people at Gasan led me to the button in the middle of the dashboard. It is just the size of a €2 coin.

Back on the road, the Kuga displays a roll-less effect in tight corners. At no time did it roll or go sideways. I was driving a two-wheel drive version but this did not take anything away from the Kuga's spirit.

Back seat passengers should be comfortable. However, try to keep the middle head rest down as this might obscure rear vision. It is a plus that the Kuga is fitted with reverse sensors. The side mirrors have integrated side repeaters to give an ample vision. And in a tight spot, these fold electrically.

There's no electronic braking of individual wheels: Ford considers this to be counter-productive on some surfaces even though other 4x4s come with it. There is no hill-descent control either, underlining the Kuga's role as a mainly on-road car.

There are no new or unusual features with this Kuga, apart from the split tailgate, but it does come with an array of comfort and convenience gadgets: from an optional 230-volt power socket to a vast panoramic glass roof. The safety kit includes anti-rollover mitigation electronics, trailer stability assist, ABS anti-lock brakes and ESP stability control.

At a glance
• Fuel: Diesel
• NCap rating: 5 star
• Engine: 1997 Tdci
• CO2 emission: 169 g/km
• Transmission: 6 speed
• Top speed: 112 mph
• 0-62 mph: 10.7 secs
• Fuel consumption: 44.1 mpg (combined)
• Length: 4,443 mm; width: 1,842 mm; height: 1,710mm
• Price: from €37,300