Category: Small 4x4s 
Price Range: £20,900 to £22,900
Great to drive, practical interior, class-leading emissions, fine residuals.
Bland looks, rear headroom tight with panoramic roof.
Kuga may not be the most visually appealing 4x4, but under the skin it's one of the best.
It's been a long time since we've come away from driving a Ford and not declared it anything other than at the very top of its class. Therefore, the Ford Kuga brings with it a great expectation in a class where it seems handling and performance has been of a secondary importance.
The Kuga has been given a head start. It's built on the firm's C-platform that underpins both Focus and C-Max and is regarded as the best in the business.
Such is the flexibility of this modular platform the wheelbase has been stretched 50mm and the track widened by 43mm. Importantly, Ford has adapted its 'Control Blade' rear suspension for the Kuga and it's this innovative independent rear suspension that gave the Focus its sharp, involving and entertaining handling.
The new all-wheel drive hardware is the latest-generation Haldex system. In most circumstances the Kuga is front-wheel drive until slippage is detected when a clutch in the rear differential is engaged shuffling the torque rearwards.
So how does the Kuga drive? Behind the wheel it's easy to find a comfortable driving position, although our particular seating arrangement meant visibility was restricted by thick A-pillars.
To get the thing started you have to press the somewhat needless 'Power' button (what's wrong with simply turning a key?) and then the gruff diesel erupts. Once it's warmed up and you get going the 134bhp 2.0-litre is less vocal and the sound-deadening in the cockpit does its job effectively. Against the clock the PSA-Ford developed unit offers sprightly performance, shifting the 1.6 tonne Kuga to 62mph in 10.7 seconds, which is pretty standard for the class. A 197bhp 2.5 5-cylinder joins the range at the end of the year as will an auto version.
Off the mark the Kuga is smooth and quick thanks to the maximum 236lb-ft of torque being generated from 2,000rpm, but the most impressive part of the Kuga is when the corners arrive.
Its Focus DNA hasn't been suffocated by the added weight and 4x4 hardware. The Kuga feels agile, light and grippy despite our test's teeming wet conditions.
Here is a small 4x4 you'll want to drive. Unlike the riotous Subaru Forester, the Kuga is less prone to tail-out handling, but it's nicely poised, balanced and delivers far less body roll.
Like the Focus, the suspension delivers a composed ride. Bump suppressions and damping are class best. It was extremely unflustered even on roads with sharp ridges, potholes, huge undulations and nasty camber changes.
The Kuga also has surprisingly sharp steering and it's quite possibly the best in the segment if you leave it in the 'normal' setting. Switch to Sport adds artificial stodginess while comfort makes the steering unnervingly light.
