Crossover fans, the new 2024 Ford Kuga brings rugged looks and upgraded tech to European streets. Joining the Escape’s recent American makeover, Ford’s continental sibling sports key changes within and out.
New Kuga Active trim arrives first, toughening up the exterior with extra body cladding, silver skid plates, and nearly an extra inch of ground clearance over other versions. Special driving modes and dark cabin finishes complement the adventure-ready vibe.
Elsewhere, Titanium and sporty ST-Line grades also gain visual tweaks over outgoing models. All ride on Ford’s next-gen SYNC4 system packing a 13.2-inch touchscreen with 12.3 digital gauges. Healthy horsepower jumps highlight powertrain improvements too.
Take the plug-in hybrid now churning out 240 combined system horses – a 30 hp boost over both the previous Kuga PHEV and current Escape PHEV stateside. This hotter hybrid hustles to 60 nearly two seconds quicker by Ford’s measures while stretching electric-only range to 43 miles per charge.
And saying goodbye to diesels in Europe’s greener automotive climate, efficient EcoBoost gas engines and hybrids take charge moving forward. A 148 hp turbo triple serves base front-drive models while a 177 hp gas-electric combo comes in FWD or AWD variants.
Pre-orders are already open in select markets for the tech-updated, style-energized Kuga arriving later this year. As for its American sibling, reports claim the Escape itself may bow out after the 2025 model year amid changing SUV tides.
But judging by upgrades landing across the Atlantic, blue oval fans can enjoy this globetrotting compact crossover’s improvements however long it sticks around locally. Wherever your loyalty lies, the latest Kuga and Escape make forward progress merging fuel efficiency with the flexibility busy lifestyles demand.
