(December 4, 2012) VALENCIA, Spain — Ford has begun volume production of the all-new Ford Kuga SUV at its assembly plant in Valencia, Spain, with deliveries to dealerships across Europe to follow soon.  The new Kuga offers segment-first technology including hands-free tailgate; class-leading handling with Ford’s new global intelligent all-wheel drive system and enhanced Torque Vectoring Control; and introduces Ford EcoBoost petrol engine technology to the European SUV market.

Ford has sold more than 300,000 Kugas since launching the first generation model in Europe in 2008. The new Kuga heralds the start of Ford’s delivery of a comprehensive SUV lineup in Europe. It will be followed by the arrival of the modern and innovative EcoSport, Ford’s entry into the small SUV segment, and the Edge – a larger, more premium crossover that is a success in North America and other markets.

“The first-generation Kuga was a successful vehicle that customers really loved. The all-new, second-generation Kuga is a smarter, more fuel-efficient and even more fun to drive SUV,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. “Ford has a deep heritage and expertise in SUVs that we plan to fully leverage in Europe starting with the all-new Kuga.”

Ford plans to leverage its historic leadership in SUVs in North America and other regions around the world to quickly expand its line-up in Europe; and has said it expects to sell more than one million SUVs in Europe in the next six years with SUVs accounting for 10 per cent of all Fords sold in the region by 2016.

The Kuga offers a choice of 148-horsepower and 177 hrosepower 1.6-litre EcoBoost gas engines, and 138 horsepower and 160-horsepower 2.0-litre TDCi Duratorq diesel engines. AWD models are available with Ford’s PowerShift transmission.

A range of driver assistance technologies including the parallel parking aid Active Park Assist, and sensor-based Blind Spot Information System, which indicates with a warning light in the door mirror that a potential hazard is in the driver’s blind spot, will also be available.

The all-new Kuga features 82-litres more cargo-space than the current model, while the rear seats fold flat at the touch of a button.
The smart Kuga AWD system pre-emptively reassesses conditions 20 times faster than it takes to blink an eye, readjusting the AWD power split to give the driver the best blend of handling and traction.

Prices for the new Kuga in Europe will be released soon with customers able to place orders before the end of the year.