If you were at a loose end one evening when there was nothing decent on telly and, to while away the hours before bedtime, you were to amuse yourself by subdividing all the SUVs available in the UK into separate categories, you would not need to spend much time deciding where the Ford Kuga should go. It's a "lifestyle" vehicle, and that's all there is to it.The Kuga is not - and does not pretend to be - a serious off-roader capable of kicking Land Rover ass. In its original form, as launched last spring, it came with a four-wheel drive system, but one which sent power to the rear wheels only to ease pressure on the front ones when traction issues became significant. More recently, Ford has gone a step further by creating a Kuga which doesn't drive its rear wheels at all, and here it is.Or, rather, here one of them is. The front-drive-only Kuga actually comes in two forms, of which the one under discussion is the lower-specification Zetec, at the time of writing the only Kuga you can buy for less than £20,000 (there's a more expensive and more fulsomely-equipped Titanium version too).Switching from 4x4 to 4x2 has made the Kuga £2000 cheaper to buy, which is a good start, and since the 134bhp two-litre turbo diesel engine now has less work to do there are improvements in fuel economy and straightline performance. On paper, they could fairly be described as marginal, though I did feel that this car picked up its skirts a little more smartly than the Titanium 4x4 tested last year.CO2 emissions are down by 10g/km to 159g/km, which means a drop from VED Band G to Band F and a corresponding reduction in annual tax payments of £25. You'll probably use less fuel than you would have done in an equivalent four-wheel drive Kuga, and of course there's that £2000 saving in the initial purchase, so in money terms the 2WD car does make quite a lot of sense.There is a flipside to all this, though. If, for a start, you're expecting that the removal of a lot of transmission gubbins from the back end means there should be more luggage space, you'll have to think again. Lowering the boot floor would have been a very big job, possibly putting £2000 back on to the list price, so that hasn't happened.(The rear visibility is precisely as awful too - not that removing the rear axle would have changed that, but I just thought I'd mention it).Instead, you have to make do with make do with the same 410/1355 litres (with rear seats up/down) as you get in the 4x4 - figures which do not make the Kuga look great compared with its class rivals, the Land Rover Freelander and Volkswagen Tiguan.And bear in mind that the regular Kuga divides its power among all four wheels when necessary, whereas this one can't. That isn't a big issue if you don't do any off-roading at all, or unless you drive quickly on tarmac, which you probably won't do very often because the Kuga - pleasant-riding, soft-edged teddy bear that it is - just isn't that kind of car.But let's say you do (and you can, because if you make it snarl it turns out to be surprisingly capable through the bends). You'll find that it doesn't take much to make the front end start arguing with steering inputs and require a sharp word, accompanied by threats to withhold its pocket money, to persuade it to settle down. Tight corners must be treated gently and care taken on damp roads or the whole business can become a bit of a trial.So there you have it. The 2WD Kuga is no more practical than the 4x4, and its limit on the road is slightly slower, but it costs a little less to run and much less to buy. The choice is yours.The Titanium version of the same car, incidentally, costs £2000 more, and don't be impressed that the pictures of the test car show 18" alloy wheels, aluminium roof rails, privacy glass and a panoramic sunroof, because those are all optional extras on the Zetec.You'll also have to pay more for other goodies Ford supplied, including park assist, powered folding door mirrors and cruise control (all lumped together in the Zetec Convenience Pack), a solar windscreen, premium navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, keyless entry, bi-xenon headlights and velour mats. Engine 1997 cc, 4 cylinders Power 136 bhp @4000 rpm Torque 236 ib/ft @2000 rpm Transmission 6 speed manual Fuel/CO2 44.1 mpg / 169 g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 10.7sec Top speed 112 mph Price From £23287.00 approx Release date 01/06/2008
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