New Kuga is grown up but far from boring

Ford of Europe is on a mission to embrace its American roots. We first saw this with the redesigned Explorer, a stocky, upright SUV that felt more typical of the brand – and would not look out of place with an Eddie Bauer logo. The same could be said of the new Tourneo to a degree, and now it is the Kuga that has been given a makeover. This new generation has been reworked inside and out, and is described as being “more confident” than before. What does that mean, exactly?

Like an unruly teenager making a statement, the Kuga’s launch colour is a bright green that bucks the trend for softer, neutral tones seen elsewhere. But this is more than a phase, and the Bursting Green paint links to the brand’s new ’Adventurous Spirit’ design philosophy.

“Colour is and has always been a vital part of our design DNA,” says Tilman Weickert, exterior paint designer at Ford. “And of course it is deeply routed in our rich heritage of creating iconic exterior colors such as Hot Magenta or Desert Island Blue.” Colour, he emphasises is a “powerful design element” that emphasises the brand’s strategy to be “modern, optimistic and bold.”

This certainly chimes well with the vision from Ford of Europe design director Amko Leenarts, who told us last year that “Ford is rebellious and here to stand out from the crowd.” Mission accomplished, so far.

Like the Explorer, the surfacing of the new Kuga is clean but far from minimalist. Beefy wheel arches are created by inset door panels with nip in at the waist, while a strong shoulder line connects the head and tail lights.

The side profile reveals a slightly faster roofline, similar to that of the Mach E, which contrasts with the more upright front end and square-jawed front mask. “We were already quite clear of what we wanted to achieve, that is, giving the Kuga a stronger, more confident and assertive appearance, more grown up and SUV like,” says exterior design manager Jordan Demkiw.

And as should always be the case, each trim level is tailored toward distinct buyers – the ST-Line targets more of a road-going driver while the Active will spend more time on the bumpy stuff. But part of the challenge with the Kuga project is that it is sold all over. This means there are many different customers and not only in Europe but in the US, China and other key markets where it is branded as the ‘Escape’.

“Each region has its own positioning and wants for the car,” continues Demkiw. “The outgoing model was intentionally quite soft and somewhat more car-like in order to differentiate it further from the Bronco Sport in the US. So the real challenge was being able to find a unified aesthetic appropriate for all regions whilst at the same time fulfilling the intention of making it more grown up.”

Part of the solution was to rethink the headlight design, which is now much sharper (in line with current trends, it seems) and for lack of a better word, more menacing than the affable Kuga of before. These slim headlamps now flank a wider upper grille, and in Europe, the ST Line gets its own unique fascia. As is customary with a 2024 remodel, a prominent LED signature gives depth and character to the lamps.

Character also comes in the form of new alloy wheels which despite a basic five-spoke layout employ a mix of textures to create an intricate, almost sculptural design. The thought process can be clearly seen in sketches from senior exterior component designer Marcus Classen and his colleagues.

“We generally do not hold back on anything as far as the ‘creativity’ and ‘awesomeness’ is concerned,” says exterior designer Nedzad Mujcinovic, whose sketches can be seen in red and blue earlier in this article. “The approach is fairly straightforward in theory: try to make the vehicle we are refreshing as progressive as possible, while maintaining the overall thematic and sculptural composition. That’s why we are proud of the new Kuga, the fact its design has mastered this fine balance.”

Inside, the Kuga does not get the huge adjustable touchscreen that is found in the new Explorer. Instead, a smaller horizontal screen is mounted on the IP. Those with an eye for detail will be pleased with the knurled gear selector, illuminated cup holders (in ‘Grabber Blue’) and a mix of matte, polished and brushed finishes throughout. This may be an interior that needs to be seen in the flesh to be appreciated, however, as despite the beautiful sketches it appears to be far more restrained than the brash, bright exterior would suggest.