The vehicle will be launched in the US in the second half of 2012 as a 2013 model. Ford hasn't yet decided if it will keep the current names for the range or go with a common badge for the European and the North American models.
Ford of Europe's Saarlouis, Germany, plant will probably lose production of the Kuga to one of Ford's US plants, most likely the factory in Louisville, Kentucky. The current generation of the Ford Escape, including a hybrid version, is built in Kansas City, Missouri.
The German plant will be left with exclusive production of the Focus in all three of its body styles – four-door, five-door and station wagon.
The next-generation Ford Kuga will be among 10 cares sharing Ford's new global C architecture, which debuted this year with the C-Max wagon. Ford plans to build 2 million cars annually using the platform. Vehicles based on the platform share about 80 percent of components. The vehicles that will use Ford's global C architecture are:
- Current generation 5-seat Ford C-Max
- Current generation 7-seat Ford Grand C-Max
- New Focus 5-door hatchback
- New Focus 4-door sedan
- New Focus wagon
- All-electric version of the new Focus
- Second-generation Ford Kuga/Escape
- Ford Transit Connect small light commercial vehicle replacement
- Possible Lincoln variant of the Kuga/Escape successor
- Possible Ford 3-door coupe model, called Capri
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