Ford tweaks Kuga’s tail for 2016

FORD Australia has released details of tweaks to its Kuga SUV range for 2016, which will include reversing cameras as a standard across the range, as well as infotainment upgrades for the top two variants.

The specification tweaks will be accompanied by slight price rises across the seven-model range the base Ambientes will jump up by $500, the mid-grade Trends are set to increase by $400 and the top-end Titaniums will add $200 to the bottom line.

Ford was criticised at launch for the lack of reversing cameras fitted as standard across the line, but that has now been addressed, with Ford’s 8.0-inch touchscreen-based Sync2 infotainment system to be fitted to Trend and Ambiente allowing the display of the rearview camera on the centre console screen.

The entry level Ambiente retains the 5.0-inch Sync1 infotainment system, and its dealer-fitted rearview camera screen is restricted to the rearview mirror.

In addition, the Ambiente will score a pair of small 4.2-inch colour information screens one in the instrument binnacle and one in the centre console.

Other updates to the range include the addition of satellite navigation to the Trend, while the Titanium’s sunroof can now be opened and closed along with the windows via the key fob.

A new interior airvent has been fitted across the range, as well.

The 2016 updates come ahead of a mid-life update for the Kuga that is expected in 2017, which is likely to incorporate sheet metal and running gear changes.

Powertrains across the range remain unchanged, with the manual front-wheel drive Ambiente’s 1.5-litre EcoBoost four-pot yielding 100kW and 240Nm and an economy figure of 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres.

The all-wheel drive auto and FWD auto Ambiente use an uprated version of the same 1.5-litre EcoBoost four that makes 134kW and 240Nm. Fuel economy on the AWD auto petrol auto is 7.4L/100km, while the FWD version is said to return 7.2L/100km.

The AWD Trend’s 2.0-litre petrol turbo four makes 178kW and 345Nm, while its 2.0-litre TDCi turbo-diesel engine makes 132kW and 400Nm, and uses 5.5L/100km.

The top-spec Titanium AWD also gets the 178kW 2.0-litre petrol engine, as well as the 132kW diesel. All Trend and Titanium variants are only available as automatics.

Kuga sales have fallen some 22 per cent year on year to the end of October, with 3809 sales registered. This is well off the pace for the red-hot sector, which is currently led by the Mazda MX-5 with 20,150 sales and 20 per cent of the sector total.

The Kuga is currently being outsold by its cross-town rival Holden, whose ageing Captiva 5 has managed – on the back of some very keen retail offers – 4884 sales so far in this, its ninth year on sale.

2015 Ford Kuga pricing*

Model	Price	Price change
Ambiente FWD	$27,990	+$500
Ambiente FWD (a)	$29,490	+$500
Ambiente AWD (a)	$31,990	+$500
Trend EcoBoost (a)	$36,890	+$400
Trend diesel (a)	$38,890	+$400
Titanium EcoBoost (a)	$45,190	+$200
Titanium diesel (a)	$47,190	+$200

*Excludes on-road costs