Photo: Ford
Four years after the second-generation Ford Escape entered production, the European counterpart received a mid-cycle refresh just in time for the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Though different in nature from the 2017 Ford Escape, the facelifted Ford Kuga shares much of the exterior cues and the SYNC 3 touchscreen infotainment system.
The front fascia of the facelifted Kuga is inspired by two other SUVs from the FoMoCo stable. More specifically, it’s easy to observe influences of the EcoSport and the Edge. At the rear, we have a redesigned tailgate with more modern taillight graphics. The facelift ticks all the right design boxes seeing how poorly the pre-facelifted Kuga has aged.
As far as the interior is concerned, the name of the game here is “simplify.” Take the SYNC 3 infotainment system as a prime example of that. In comparison to the previous incarnation, SYNC 3 has a better user interface and is just as easy to operate as an oversized mobile phone. The infotainment system integrates climate, audio, navigation, and smartphone functions, plus the obligatory Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Shout “I need a coffee!” at it and the nearest coffee shop will be displayed on the screen.
On the safety front, the 2016 Ford Kuga facelift boasts Active City Collision avoidance and adaptive front lighting. Slated to go on sale in Europe this fall, the crossover with the Blue Oval badge up front will be offered with a choice of previously unavailable engines, including a 1.5-liter TDCi four-cylinder turbo diesel. The frugal powerplant is exclusive to front-wheel-drive models and it develops 120 PS.
The rest of the range is comprised of a 150 PS 2.0 TDCi turbo diesel and a 1.5-liter EcoBoost offered in three forms: 120, 150, and 182 PS. Intelligent AWD is available only if you opt for the 2.0 TDCi or the 182 PS version of the 1.5-liter EcoBoost. More information on the 2016 Ford Kuga facelift is available in the following release.
As far as the interior is concerned, the name of the game here is “simplify.” Take the SYNC 3 infotainment system as a prime example of that. In comparison to the previous incarnation, SYNC 3 has a better user interface and is just as easy to operate as an oversized mobile phone. The infotainment system integrates climate, audio, navigation, and smartphone functions, plus the obligatory Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Shout “I need a coffee!” at it and the nearest coffee shop will be displayed on the screen.
On the safety front, the 2016 Ford Kuga facelift boasts Active City Collision avoidance and adaptive front lighting. Slated to go on sale in Europe this fall, the crossover with the Blue Oval badge up front will be offered with a choice of previously unavailable engines, including a 1.5-liter TDCi four-cylinder turbo diesel. The frugal powerplant is exclusive to front-wheel-drive models and it develops 120 PS.
The rest of the range is comprised of a 150 PS 2.0 TDCi turbo diesel and a 1.5-liter EcoBoost offered in three forms: 120, 150, and 182 PS. Intelligent AWD is available only if you opt for the 2.0 TDCi or the 182 PS version of the 1.5-liter EcoBoost. More information on the 2016 Ford Kuga facelift is available in the following release.
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