2013 Ford Kuga launched at Geneva Motor Show

Scheduled to go on sale in the first part of 2013, the all-new Ford Kuga has made its official debut this month at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. Ford promises that the new model is capable of offering a better driving experience and it will also come with more technology, while being more practical at the same time.

One of the highlights of the new model would have to be the company’s Torque Vectoring Control system that we saw for the first time on the new Focus, a car that the Kuga shares its platform with. This system is capable of encouraging power to the front wheel that has the most grip by braking the slipping one. Also available is the Blue Oval’s latest development of the all-wheel drive system that can adjust the power split front-to-back more than 100x / second.

Customers will be able to choose from one of the following power units. Two 2.0-liter diesels that produce 138 and 161 hp, along with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine that is capable of delivering 148 hp. If you opt for one of those two diesels, the Kuga can be fitted with the company’s PowerShift automatic transmission.

As you can see, the new Kuga looks just about the same as its U.S.-market Escape sibling, but the European version has been mildly restyled. The new model is approximately 100m longer than the model it replaces and as a consequence it offers more passenger space in the back, while the cargo room has also been improved by 82 liters compared to the current model to a grand total of 442 liters.

One of the cool technologies implemented in the new generation of the Ford Kuga would have to be that you will be able to open and close the boot of the car by waving your foot under the rear bumper. In addition, at the simple touch of a button you can fold flat the seats in the back. Other goodies include Active Park Assist and Blind Spot Information System. The first one can aid steer the vehicle into an available parking space, while the latter can indicate if there’s a vehicle in the blind spot of the driver with the help of a light that has been mounted in the door mirror.

Another optional feature which the Ford Kuga can have is the company’s recently developed SYNC system which offers mobile device integration, voice control and also emergency assistance that can detect if the fuel cut-off system or an airbag are activated. It can also use the Bluetooth paired device or the on-board GPS system for calling the emergency services when necessary.

Source: Ford

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