2016 Ford Kuga 1.5 Ecoboost 182 ST-Line first drive

After a few years on sale, the Ford Kuga has hit an age where it needs to go under the surgeon’s knife in order to stay fresh. Up front there are new headlights and a new grille that bring the car into line with the recently released Ford Edge, while at the back there are new tail-lights. Inside, you'll now find Ford’s latest Sync 3 infotainment system.

Mechanical changes are minor, with the biggest news being that a 1.5-litre diesel engine is replacing the lowest powered 2.0-litre in the pre-facelift car. There are also two new trim levels: luxurious Vignale at the top of the range and sporty ST-Line, as driven here, in the middle.

Like similarly badged models in the range, the Ford Kuga ST-Line isn’t a new performance figurehead for the brand's mid-size SUV. Instead, it’s a style and handling pack designed to give the impression of enhanced performance without actually delivering any extra motive force.

Even though it’s mostly all mouth and no trousers, ST-Line trim does come with a 10mm drop in ride height, uprated dampers and bushes, a stiffer front anti-roll bar and a larger one at the rear. 

This 1.5-litre Ecoboost-engined version is the most powerful petrol-engined Kuga. The motor produces 180bhp and drives exclusively through all four wheels via a six-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox (diesels get a dual-clutcher). Considering it's an ST-Line, it promises much for the enthusiast.

Take a peek at the performance figures, however, and you might be surprised. It may be the most powerful variant of the range but the added weight of the 4WD system and auto ’box mean it’s beaten by a number of lesser models. Part of this problem is torque: the little 1.5-litre lump simply can’t produce enough of the stuff low down.

As a result you end up flogging the engine far harder than you might expect. At this point the performance is fine, but you can’t help thinking the extra muscle of the diesels is far more suitable for such a car. Being a traditional auto, it can be a little slow to shift when compared to the latest dual-clutch units.

The good news is that the transmission is at least smooth, slurring between ratios almost seamlessly; the bad is that it can take a couple of moments to kick down, then it holds the revs very high. To make matters worse, the engine sounds thrashy past 4000rpm, although at least it’s largely vibration-free.