Ford Kuga 2.5 FHEV Team Test | Fifth Gear

[@fifthgearuk]

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[@tonyfrithmeister7196]

I have had a Ford Kuga PHEV on test for a week recently. I have an outside 3-pin socket to charge the car overnight (perfectly adequate to obtain a full charge while you sleep giving me 35 miles pure EV running). For completeness, here's the stats, 370 miles driven over 1-week with trips locally on all electric (approx 25 miles per day) plus 2 runs to Birmingham from Chesterfield under pseudo motorway conditions (70 mph limit on the A38) and a trip to Barnsley there and back on the M1. The car has returned 78 mpg average over this period, which considering its size and circa 1.9 ton weight is not a bad result.

[@Kelveron]

Not a bad result at all. PHEVs make sense if you have off-street charing at home. Not so much if you don't.

[@1970sman]

It may say 78 mpg but that doesn't include the cost of Charging.

[@1970sman]

@@snoopy-XV208 My point is, if you include the cost of charging it is not truly 78 mpg.

[@Chris-hw4mq]

PHEV is the way to go you can charge it at home if you like and do your runaround city in EV mode and in a trip just use the petrol for unlimited range

[@peteclarke5750]

I had a ford puma. Too small so traded it for a 22 reg ford kuga 1.5 diesel. Lovely car. One of the best cars I've had. Definitely recommend. Ford have stopped making diesel kugas 6 months ago. Only petrol now and hybrid

[@nahidrahman]

I feel like with the introduction of PHEVs people have forgotten what non plug-in hybrids (GS450h for instance being one of the OGs) are or even mild-hybrids (e.g. Honda CR-Z) that preceded even them…

[@SaxJockey]

Just did a search for best FHEV, but all it comes back with is PHEV 😂. Not everyone wants a PHEV, running cables across pavements is not practical for many car owners.

[@CASHO76]

I’ve a 21 Kuga 2.0D St-Line X AWD and love it. Tows like a freight train.

[@derekga6973]

Jason is dressed and looks like they were passing his house on a random Thursday evening where he’d been spending the day cutting the grass and cleaning out the garage and they picked him up

[@brianhume4743]

Could have worn his Fred Dibnah cap.

[@dennycraig8483]

St line hybrid x is nippy, but a bit light on the front wheels when putting your foot down. Early days, but I like it.

[@dre9813]

Had the same experience, put my foot to the floor and the front wheels where struggling for grip

[@robw6505]

I'm offended at the statement this is a car for lazy people. Not everybody has a driveway like you and if you want to spend 25% of your life charging it up that's your business. But don't put people in the category of being "lazy" when they want to jump in it and do the things they have to do.

[@MRT.1977]

What's this difference between this engines performance and the 1.5 ecoboost? Probably not much, plus with the higher price tag, is it really worth getting a 2.5L petrol with mild hybrid🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@roberthart9886]

miss your show on cable TV will you be coming back

[@FrankBurnside]

1:15 into the video, that's not the bumper / exhaust from the Kuga....

[@andersriksson100]

A "car for the lazy" is a really odd remark from motor journalist... This might be good for me, there are diesel car restrictions where live, DPF-filter causes issues on short runs and I can't charge at home or at work. This, the RAV4 or the Corolla Cross might do well.

[@mikofi]

So it's a normal hybrid just like the Prius and plenty of other Toyota cars. Does it have Toyota tech under the hood just like the Mondeo hybrid did?

[@timothyshanks6799]

Works well, lexus did it 20 years ago rx400h and 450h ??

[@leoesposito8762]

great stuff guys thoroughly enjoyed it..

[@Truthbomb918]

Brilliant show and brilliant presenters. I do miss tiff, but evs to a pure petrol head like him would be like the sun to vampires

[@Adamlllllllllllljjjljljjjjj]

This is the definition for family car

[@borjastick]

Economy, build quality, practicality and load space etc???

[@danielp6565]

No mention of the horrible rattle they all do on first startup like mine? Characteristics apparently......glad mines a lease woudnt want to be the one to re sell it.

[@Teleswap_tutorial]

Do you get ford pass ? And auto parking?

[@malcolmbriggs4281]

Have a 2 L mk 4 mondeo diesel average MPG 48

[@fazfinisher5598]

Only vicky with any common sense straight talking here.

[@neilmurphy845]

That looks like a nice car especially for a hybrid

[@fifthgearuk]

To watch the new series in full, head over to discovery+ www.discoveryplus.com/gb/show/fifth-gear-recharged-uk?season=2

[@rhysswildlifeanimalsandmor9903]

Hi

[@ts6070]

Definitely not a Tax dodge as I had a BMW 530i 2.0 hybrid x-drive 4 wheel drive Automatic driving hard around in Poland 🇵🇱 cities and countryside gave me average of 45mpg not bad huh?!?

[@andygreyriderGRN]

I am disabled driver, manual wheelchair user and cannot use plugs or keys. Adapted levers for the inability to squeeze or grip. I use adaptive tools. Got nothing to do with being lazy!!!

[@FrankBurnside]

“We are just passing energy around” nope….seems like he is struggling with the concept of a fhev. Tech has been around for decades…

[@martian9999]

"what, a hybrid that isn't plugged in? What kind of crazy new nonsense is this?" So say folks who don't know that the Prius has been operating this way since 1997...

[@4039byrne]

I'm pretty sure you can get way over 48mpg if it had a 180hp 2.0 diesel in it. Seems a bit backwards to me

[@mikojarvinen6273]

People don’t want diesels. The demand is so low it doesn’t make sense to make diesel engines for these anymore. New EVs already outsell diesel in my country.

[@boogboog8097]

Ev is all a lie and a scam

[@mikojarvinen6273]

@@boogboog8097 Hey genius. What’s been lied and scammed about them?

[@boogboog8097]

@@mikojarvinen6273 The range, the long term environmental damage, the fact that its doing nothing for "climate change" and the real agenda is pushing remaining oil to China and far east where the banks and hedge funds are invested for the future. Look up oil usage its going up year on year.

[@Lutscherkoenig]

Sure. I have the Kuga FHEV. Depending on the temperature (> 10°C), I achieve easy a consumption of 3.3 - 3.5 litres/100km (80-84mpg) in city traffic.

[@joncox9098]

That reminds me, I’ve got to put the milk out..! Plato’s legs 🤣🤣🤣

[@howardmckeown7187]

why would you put the milk out????

[@baloyi9548]

Where's Rory?

[@Ziggyziggy1]

Hang on, Hasn't this car got the same system as what Toyota have been doing for a long long time now!

[@daviansometimes]

and?

[@coreydl2008]

So the Civic hybrid that they just Team Tested got lower scores and was called old fashioned because it was a traditional hybrid. This Ford gets high marks because it is a traditional hybrid and appeals to those wary of EV. Which is it, Fifth Gear? Can't be both.

[@RS-vu3df]

2.10; Come on Vicki, we don't care about some tiny ripples, cheerfull as always. Warm greetings.

[@dashcam2417]

Bring back the Fiesta ... not everyone wants an oversized, overpriced SUV . Don't care what buying trends are saying.

[@mikojarvinen6273]

It’s not profitable. Small cheap cars are only profitable if sold in huge numbers. Consumers aren’t buying them enough

[@vaspadure2725]

@Miko Järvinen 😂😂😂 Sheeple

[@mikojarvinen6273]

@@vaspadure2725 Seems like you don’t have the brain to understand sales figures. Small cars have tiny profit margins and cost of production has gone up. Customers are more interested in SUVs and crossovers. There are not enough people who want Fiestas. It’s not just Ford though. Opel dropped Karl, Stellantis quit C1 and 108, Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo are gone. Manufacturers don’t want to produce unprofitable models that take their resources away from cash-cows. Can you blame them? The purpose of a business is to make money not be a charity shop. I can see this might be is new to you. Besides I have never liked small and cheaply made cars so I’m happy the market is producing more cars I prefer.

[@dandean3871]

​@@vaspadure2725 or the guy just understands business

[@vaspadure2725]

@Dan Dean He understands that he is cluleless. Like you are. Mondeo had a suv price, profitable. Where is Mondeo now?!? It is gone, because sheeple buys suv crap. Sheeple. Stupidity everywhere.

[@mahlatsemothogoane1512]

Llol. At 1:13 there's a Merc C class lower rear end..... Great review though...

[@daztastic147]

I don’t buy into the whole regen thing, my last diesel car when in eco mode would coast with absolutely no resistance when you lift off, thus allowing great distances to be covered without opening the throttle, and for me this is far more valuable than slowing down excessively only to store some of the energy to propel the car again. Pointless.

[@Benny_Otter]

Its most effective in stop start town driving so its not "pointless", it also reduces wear on your actual brakes. Thinking for more than 2 seconds helps :)

[@andersriksson100]

Well diesels are banned in some areas and I expect that will expand... And most manufactures are dropping them... NOX killed them and people. So not point less.

[@jamiep61]

I enjoyed watching the Video Review 😊

[@gingerdude94]

I would honestly prefer just a standard car review than these group things.

[@janrdoh]

Does it need to be such a big thing though? It's a five seater so It doesn't need to be bigger than a normal sedan or hatchback and does not appear to have that much more interior room. Shrink it down and it will be cheaper and more economical.

[@mikojarvinen6273]

It’s not bigger than any normal sedan or hatchback. Ford Kuga is shorter than Ford Focus wagon and almost identical in width. Ford Mondeo is a far longer vehicle. All SUVs are quite compact in their outside dimensions and are generally smaller than similarly priced sedans. The greater height may fool some people but the Kuga is far from a big car.

[@mikojarvinen6273]

Also if you feel like the Kuga is “too big” you can buy on of their smaller models. Ford Puma is smaller and cheaper. Personal I would go for the Explorer Plug-in.

[@janrdoh]

@@mikojarvinen6273 My point was more about the unnecessary trend toward buying vehicles that take up more space on the road while providing nothing more substantive on the inside, just look at the state of parking lots these days where some vehicles are so big that a third sticks out beyond the parking bay.

[@mikojarvinen6273]

@@janrdohPersonally I feel like people buy too small cars. Happy for cars becoming usable size and larger models becoming more common. Old BMW 3-series was tiny. You couldn’t fit an adult in the back comfortably. Now it’s somewhat usable for 2 adults.

[@sbstn110]

@@janrdoh but it's not bigger! How can the car take MORE space on the road when it's SMALLER than the Mondeo and even smaller than the Focus estate?

[@user-uq7io2os3r]

I wonder does ford fix faulty windscreen? Which is common fault on kugas..probably not as it was declining all claims for the last 3 years..😕

[@catalinconst2840]

It's a 508 from 2012 with no 4x4

[@siraff4461]

"You're just passing energy around" How is this guy a car reviewer?

[@bikeman123]

So its a hybrid then, like what Toyota has been doing for 15+ years. And its a 2.5 litre so its not even economical and no quicker than a 1.3 Qasqhai. How cutting edge Ford!

[@TundeEszlari]

Amazing video. 🙂

[@jamieb741]

If you want a great handling medium sized s.u.v.... Try the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, 4wd auto. Quite a rare car but 165bhp is reasonable from a 1.5 turbo charged petrol engine.

[@vladimirrosu4932]

That is a Kuga Mk3, at least in Europe, not a Mk2.5

[@nathansweeney8902]

I wonder if this strange approach to hybrid tech is more to do with the next set of euro emissions coming in the near future which has stated all new cars must reduce brake dust emissions and few other bizarre things also. May Explains the bizarre hybrid setup using regenerative braking to achieve such a thing

[@Trendyflute]

It probably is. It's not bizarre, energy recuperation through a generator is inherent to the operation of any useful hybrid, and that energy recuperation will inherently reduce brake dust and reduce brake sizes needed. Brake dust is nasty stuff for the environment, and huge amounts of it wash off roads and cause big problems to aquatic animals (among other things) messing with their ability to reproduce, and enough of that is being caused by brake dust that we can reduce that it's actually a worthy goal. It's not like it runs counter to a bunch of other positive outcomes like higher efficiency. Sounds to me like Europe understands science and technology.

[@EldarMusa]

How is it only FWD? Its AWD as well at least in north America. Great car.

[@anthonyabdorab]

she's wrong it's a awd car not front wheel

[@jakeollie]

It’s basically a Ford Corolla Hybrid.

[@Mirror1973]

❤ this team

[@Copleyfundresearch]

Looks like Jason's turned up in his gardening clothes.

[@thezanzibarbarian5729]

There's only one _"Kuga"_ I wouldn't mind having a go in, in this video ;-))...

[@blarkdexture8899]

Wow like a 20 year old Prius

[@imnormal3792]

Nice video

[@You_Can_Do_If]

Useless 50mpg for petrol sounds nice

[@aslkdfjhg]

No better than a 20 year old Prius.

[@boogboog8097]

Been on sites where we built 2000+ new flats in the past few years zero charging stations ev is all a lie.

[@tango22ah]

There is a sadness and a sense of irrelevance to the show now. Time just passed them bye.

[@SUSTV.YOUTUBE]

Kugas gonna kug

[@brianmartin3323]

I’ll keep my Lexus GS450H Thanks… 340bhp 3.5L V6 Petrol Hybrid… 0-60 in 5.6 & 46mpg @ 70mph… with Lexus reliability (10yr/100,000mls Warranty & 15… YES… 15yr Hybrid Battery Warranty!!)… also being a Lexus it’s plush & luxurious with plenty of gadgets !! :-]

[@siraff4461]

The GS is a much better car but its hardly in the same price bracket when new, is it?

[@leswall3061]

Hybrids have been around for a while and he can't understand how it works , for the camera maybe?

[@mattyjamess7818]

I smell Ford advertising

[@snoopydogg1]

Good this Kuga.. non plug 🔌 in is better than the silly plug ins 😜

[@truckernoerden]

I don't see the point of this thing. I have the PHEV version of this, and it will do the same regenerative braking as this one + the OPTION of charging the battery (if you can). If you get this FHEV, and if you want to be even greener at some point, you will have to buy a new car instead of just using a charger.

[@snoopydogg1]

🤣😂 what? That makes no sense at all... how many miles can your PHEV do on battery 🔋 alone? 🤔 what kicks in after that battery is flat?

[@truckernoerden]

@@snoopydogg1 The fact that they made it makes no sense... Mine can go 54 Km/34 Miles on batteri alone, which i have done in real life. That is enough to drive me to work, were i can charge it again. And if i want to go further, the petrol engine kicks in as a range extender, and does an average of 20km/l or 47Mpg, with regen braking.

[@snoopydogg1]

@truckernoerden ok, that makes sense, and I understand, but this basically does the same except that the battery gets charged when the engine kicks in.... it can go in battery only mode. I have no place to charge at work or at home, so it would make more sense for me...

[@truckernoerden]

@@snoopydogg1 👍Mine works the same way, when the battery is at 0%. There is literally no difference in how they drive, if mine isn't charged up. And from what i can see on Ford's UK website, they are basically the same price (PHEV is actually a tiny bit cheaper). I guess i depends on the possibility for you to charge it in the future. If that don't exist, then sure, you could go for the FHEV.

[@mikojarvinen6273]

The FHEV is cheaper than the PHEV. It’s Ford’s budget option and the model for people who don’t have home charger.

[@Copesthetic-Aesthetic]

Hybrid is very dumb term to explain something that has been around for 80 years now. Diesel - Electric or Gas - Electric These types of engines are found on most trains in the U.S. and most Ocean going shipping vessels We've utilized this type of drive train for years. Just never called them hybrid. Until the auto manufacturers started using them. Like in the Prius. In the end. They're very efficient, and should have been utilized long ago. Schmucks would do well to realize. This isn't a question anymore. We must stop burning Dino juice. Otherwise we're dooming ourselves to our own extinction that we designed.

[@siraff4461]

Yeah don't worry about deforestation, overpopulation or global emissions as long as you can cut an almost unmeasurable amount of the worlds output by building an almost 2 tonne suv which can do the same job as a @1tonne hatchback, eh? I bet you're up to date on all your jabs too.

[@noneyabizz8337]

Kills the ST cars, makes this. Ooooook

[@Teleswap_tutorial]

It is fast or slow ?

[@alanjm1234]

Definitely.

[@farishanafiah8461]

Hang on, it reminds me of the Vauxhall Ampera. Sounds like range extender EV to me.

[@ohyesitsme]

The Ampera was a plug in and could do up to 50 miles in electric only. A much more advanced car than the Ford

[@siraff4461]

@@ohyesitsme Much more advanced but also much smaller and much more expensive for its time. 4 seats and £30k+ in 2012 isn't competetive with this. I think thats the main thing this has going for it. Its a full sized family car with decent mpg for reasonable money. I'm sure there are better but it seems to be a pretty good mix.

[@TypicalBlue-rq8ri]

Shame it's not awd 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@anthonyabdorab]

it is awd

[@dunnda123]

So basically a 2005 Lexus 400H 🤣

[@lawrencegatt4515]

❤the video 🚙 car not bad.

[@martinwhitney9343]

its not an EV at all

[@BHBeckenbauer]

Jimmy adds absolutely nothing to this show

[@oliveringram3056]

One moment it is described as a large family car, the next moment it doesn't have enough performance...stupid review by silly reviewers.

[@aleccool45-yt6]

U get a 220bhp but that’s diesel

[@garethwilkinson5267]

A cougar in a kuga. Vicki is 🔥

[@georgeoliver8300]

190hp 48mpg. My diesel golf beats both of those stats. Non plug in hybrid’s are just a scam to avoid tax

[@davidfarrell1062]

Only future for hybrids is a petrol with 100km of Plug in battery. All the rest are a waste.

[@CantE8tCheese]

Nailed it in the first 2 mins, pointless.

[@ninozebec5740]

Fifth gear giving absolutely useless reviews. Hung up on performance and driving properties. It's a family sized SUV for a roughly affordable price, why does it need to go and drive an F1 Car. Really not the point

[@dor74]

How is this eco friendly with a 2.5 litre petrol engine??!!!! Kinda defies the point.

[@mikojarvinen6273]

The engine size doesn’t determine the fuel economy. It’s about the technology. Might be hard for you to understand but 2.5 hybrid uses less fuel than 1.5 ecoboost in the same car. They aren’t the only manufacturers using right size engines for their hybrids. Toyota does it as well.

[@siraff4461]

The phrase you need to look up is "brake specific fuel consumption". Once you understand that you will understand why this certainly does not defeat the point - especially when you do a little research on thermal efficiency and where this engine lies in the grand scheme of things. Long story short this will use less fuel and put out much less emissions than a Fiesta with a 1.0 ecoboost.

[@Phuc_Yhou]

The 0 to 60 time is irrelevant, a bit more real world economy is more important than the makers fairytale figures with this type of vehicle

[@ZandaKristy]

I learnt nothing of value about the Kuga from this video. I give it a 0 out of 10.

[@blarkdexture8899]

Just a tax gimmick

[@Kernowyon]

Took the words out of my mouth..

[@mikojarvinen6273]

Better fuel efficiency is a tax gimmick? Sure you pay less taxes on lower emissions and use less fuel. Less fuel used = less taxes paid in the fuel. What’s not to like?

[@Kernowyon]

@@mikojarvinen6273 if you pay attention to the vast array of options nowadays, then yes.. a 2.5 ltr FEV is quite literally a tax gimmick/company car/ finance fuckery. Have a word... 🤷

[@mikojarvinen6273]

@@Kernowyon Hybrids work. They get better fuel economy than the regular gasoline model, have lower emissions and got more power. Tell me what’s wrong with that? Taxes on high emission vehicles exist to steer the public into purchasing environmental kinder vehicles. Why would manufacturers greenwash? It’s dangerous for them. We have seen what happened to diesel cars after the VW emissions scandal. Not to mention the company lost half of its stock value.

[@Kernowyon]

@@mikojarvinen6273 1 question, are you British? Because I feel as though you are completely missing my point, I'm not anti EV, anti emissions etc just understand that this is another Lego brick of the system in the UK market, what with the extension of the M Circular in the depths of far out London. The average family in the area with a '51' plated diesel Renault Scenic that relies on the seats taking those kids to school, are now charged how much a bloody day?

[@vaspadure2725]

Welcome to Fifth Gear Teleshoping EV! Jason Plato, a demanding fanatic who never gave a 9 in the old real Fifth Gear, now gives top marks to any car as long as it's electric, despite he hss no clue about ev's. This is not Fifth Gear. Fifth Gear is dead. This is just a bunch of hypocrites who are apologists and eulogists for electric cars.

[@alanjm1234]

Why would you hang around with those two idiots?

[@fauzanriez9472]

Hi. All Toyota Prius has the same system, but all the way from the late 90s. Toyota being right again.

[@webeto5902]

Jimmy is super sexy.

[@Insertnamehere3000]

Yuck the front of that car!!!

[@Salty3439]

Nope, no thanks

[@variantamplifiers5412]

you really don't know how to drive ...

[@alanlamberton9619]

Full ish ev driving never for me.

[@davidwarnes5158]

Come on fake review , you read the mpg from a script not fact , all the other cars like this are way down on mpg not good review

[@truckernoerden]

Actually it's not that far off. I have the PHEV version with the same engine in it + the same regen system, and i average 47mpg with the battery at 0%. It all depends on the roads you drive on, and your driving style.

[@davidwarnes5158]

@@truckernoerden so its not worth the battery tech , you can do more with diesel . Petrol close , the car costs more , tyres less miles Its doing something just to get tax reduction. Not eco

[@truckernoerden]

@@davidwarnes5158 Not quite. Diesel, yes. But with fuel prices right now, it is actually cheaper to run on electricity. At least here in Denmark. With my PHEV i can drive to work on a 100% battery charge, plug it in to a charging station at work, and drive home on a full battery. Making it an "EV" for me on the daily. But on vacations, i can tow my 1500kg/3300 pound caravan anywhere, without worrying about finding a charger nearby.

[@davidwarnes5158]

@@truckernoerden maybe Denmark, I watched a guy with a porsch all electric , he has a history of ownership with them , saying yes charge at home a bit cheaper , long trips recharge more expensive, service high , tyres with the weight wear out quicker. You may much more for the car . So a normal user review, lots of call backs , his review not worth the extra money .

[@mikojarvinen6273]

@@davidwarnes5158 They don’t even make the diesel because no one wants them.

[@Telcontarnz]

time to test an EV! Not really.

[@Hi-b0917]

W4NK3RS

[@markovanbasten8057]

C'mon ,Ford is good car?rubbish on the wheels.