Ford Kuga ride & handling

This PHEV is arguably not the most representative derivative when you aim to discover how well the Kuga handles in terms of the broader model range.

However, we can only judge what is put before us and, although in this case the mass of battery is handily positioned low and well between the axles, the Kuga’s chassis undoubtedly takes a moment longer than we would expect to settle after direction changes.

The charging port is on the same side as the fuel filler and replenishes a 14.4kWh battery that sits well within the axles. Allow three-and-a-half hours to recharge from the Elvi+ wallbox that Ford offers at additional cost.

Matt Saunders

Road test editor

There's also an unwelcome rigidity to how it absorbs poorer road surfaces – an issue likely to have been exacerbated by our test car’s sporty ST-Line suspension.

This SUV finds some solace on the motorway, where it will cruise with impressive ease and detachment when its suspension has relatively little to think about, but there’s no doubt that rougher roads often expose greater levels of both float and bump-thump than is typical of Ford.

Push on and you will then discover that neither does the fast-geared, somewhat elastic steering action that works so sweetly in the Focus translate especially effectively to the taller and heavier Kuga, whose more lumbering form can’t quite keep up.

We would also contend that the steering is too responsive off-centre, which can make it difficult to keep the car perfectly centre in its lane.