With its North American sibling, the Escape, having been facelifted for the 2023 model year, Europe's Ford Kuga is now about to follow in its footsteps with a similar makeover.
The 2024 Ford Kuga was recently snapped in the open in two flavors. The white copy is a plug-in hybrid model, as highlighted by the charging port on the left front fender, whereas the green one is in the sportier-looking ST-Line configuration.
It is obvious that the visual updates are almost identical to those applied to the Escape in our market, and compared to the outgoing iteration, the facelifted Kuga looks way better. It features a shorter reshaped grille that sits closer to the hood, new headlamps, a sexier bumper with fresh side vents, and a wider lower grille.
The changes continue at the other end, where it has a new bumper and diffuser that aren't that different compared to those of its predecessor. The taillights, however, are the most significant update here. Continuing to decorate the tailgate that carries over are the Ford and Kuga logos, with the former sitting above the latter, just like on the current crossover. The rear spoiler appears to be identical.
Photo: Baldauf
We could not catch a glimpse of the interior, but it should feature the same 13.2-inch infotainment system and 12.3-inch digital dials as the latest Escape. The latter also comes with a wireless charging pad, fresh trim and upholstery, and a plethora of safety systems, from evasive steering assist and rear cross-traffic braking to predictive speed assist, reverse brake assist and adaptive cruise control.
Ford's facelifted Escape comes with a 2.0L EcoBoost, a 1.5L EcoBoost with three cylinders, a self-charging 2.5-liter unit, and a 2.5-liter plug-in hybrid. Most of these powertrains should be found on the 2024 Ford Kuga, which is expected to become a bit pricier with the mid-cycle refresh. In Germany, the current iteration starts at €36,250 (equaling $39,170), and in the United Kingdom, it is available from £33,380 ($41,895).
Our 2024 Ford Escape family comprises the Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, ST-Line Elite, Platinum, and Plug-in Hybrid and starts at $29,495. The mid-spec versions have respective MSRPs of $30,490, $33,540, $37,960, and $36,965, and the PHEV option can be ordered from $40,500. The latter enjoys 210 horsepower (213 ps/157 kW) combined and packs multiple comfort, technology, and safety amenities.
The Blue Oval hasn't announced when Europe's facelifted Kuga will debut, but considering that New Year's Eve is right around the corner, it is probably due sometime in 2024. We think it will premiere in the first half of next year, or maybe sooner, with the order books opening shortly after the unveiling, followed by the first copies that will make their way to dealers across the continent.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News