Buyer's Guide: Ford Kuga Mk1

FROM £5,000 We raved about SUV when new. Is it just as good used?

- Richard Dredge

BY the time Ford launched its first compact SUV, the Kuga, many rivals were on their second or even third-generation models; the Toyota RAV4 that invented this market had arrived 12 years earlier.

When it hit dealers in 2008, the Kuga was one of the best-driving models in its class, typically for Ford, with good build quality and reliability, plus strong value for money.

As with many rivals, the Kuga was mainly designed for road use, despite being related to the contemporary Land Rover Freelander 2. You can now buy a Kuga Mk1 from just £5,000 – but should you take the plunge?

History

THE Kuga reached the UK in June 2008, in 2.0 TDCi form and with a choice of Zetec or Titanium trims. The first cars had intelligent all-wheel drive, but from December 2008 there was a 134bhp front-wheel-drive 2.0 TDCi, with lower CO2 emissions.

At the same time a 197bhp 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol model was introduced, with 4WD and six-speed manual or fivespeed automatic transmissions.