If you’re looking for a mid-sized SUV to tow with, you could do a lot worse than the Ford Kuga. It doesn’t have the dramatic acceleration or unshakeable stability of some of its more expensive rivals, but even so it tows very well indeed.
The engine may sound a little strained when worked hard, but a 30-60mph time of 15.4 seconds is respectable enough. Strong brakes stopped car and caravan in just 11.4m on a wet track – a distance some cars failed to match in the dry.
In the lane-change test the back of the car was pushed around on the final and fastest run, but even then the slide was short-lived. In a straight line stability was very good, with little movement detected by the Al-Ko ATC sensors or our test drivers.
The Ford enjoyed a mixed reception from our practicality testers. The fitment of a Trailer Stability Programme and a reversing camera were welcome, but one item from our typical load of holiday luggage wouldn’t fit in the boot and the towing electrics were awkward to access.
Titanium spec comes with plenty of standard equipment and there’s the reassurance of a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.