It’s here at last – Ford’s new 4x4 has broken cover. These are the first official pictures of the Focus-based off-roader, the Kuga, which is set to go
on sale early next year.
Following on from the exciting Verve – the stunning replacement for the Fiesta, which we revealed in last week’s issue – and the sleek new Mondeo, the sporty SUV shows that style really is at the top of agenda at Ford.
Initially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September last year as the Iosis X, and later with some official sketches, the showroom-ready Kuga is every inch as attractive as the original concept. With its bold, twin-split trapezoidal grilles, huge headlights and lower protective metal tray, the Kuga has plenty of visual presence. That’s complemented by chunky wheelarches, large alloys and a raised ride height.
The rising waistline forms distinctive angular C-pillars, while at the rear, there’s a sporty roof spoiler, classy tail-lights – which sit on the leading edge of the pronounced shoulders – and another undertray.
What’s more, plenty of design cues taken from the Iosis X have made it to production. The same ‘Ice White’ body colour is available on the finished model, and so are the show car’s 19-inch alloys. There’s also the option of a panoramic glass sunroof. In fact, the only major difference over the concept is the profile of the roofline. Gone is the rakish coupé look, replaced by a more upright roof to give decent headroom in the rear.
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