How does the civilian version of the new Dutch police car drive? (review)

They must be thinking at Ford: ‘There are those idiots again with their police car messages. Can’t they just say that the Kuga is the best-selling PHEV in Europe? Or that we want to be the best-selling PHEV in the Netherlands?’. And now we’re also calling the facelift Kuga the ‘civilian version of the new police car’. As if the new Kuga was ever conceived as a service vehicle.

No, the Ford Kuga is just the Ford Kuga. In the Netherlands, you can only order it as a plug-in hybrid, so one that you can charge with the plug. In other countries, you also have it as a hybrid without a plug and as a pure petrol car. The police get the hybrid version without a plug, but you as an average citizen are not allowed to order that. Fun fact: the Kuga PHEV is faster than the police’s.

So what’s new about this Ford Kuga facelift?

If you want to recognize the facelift of the Ford Kuga, you should especially look at the nose. The logo is now not above the grille, but in the grille. There is now a luminous LED strip between the headlights, which are also new. The lighting at the back is slightly different, but this is hardly worth a name. Inside, the navigation screen has grown and some buttons have disappeared.

Also nice: the 0-100 time is now 7.3 for the PHEV, instead of 9.3 seconds. In total it has 225 hp. The electric range of 69 kilometers is the same as the old one. This makes the civilian version suddenly faster than the hybrids that the police get: they have 180 hp and go to 100 km/h in 9.1 seconds. Both engines do have the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder.

How does it drive?

We drove an Active X version that sits a little higher on its legs. Ford had mapped out a nice route from an estate in Belgium, but this was perhaps a bit overconfident. The poor road surface in Belgium emphasises the rather stiff chassis of the Kuga. It will probably be less noticeable in the Netherlands, but there are certainly cars in this class that offer more comfort. The chassis is also audible during short movements; it thuds a little.

On the other hand, the Ford Kuga is on the dynamic side of the spectrum. And this fits nicely with the extra acceleration power. The electric motor and the petrol engine are well matched and you hardly notice when the driveline switches to petrol. The automatic is a CVT, but one with programmed steps. You hardly hear the engine, but there is no roaring.

What is the interior of the Ford Kuga PHEV like?

The heating buttons have disappeared and are now in the screen, but permanently visible. This works fine. The system is not lightning fast, but it responds quickly enough. It is nice that the seats have an extendable seat, otherwise they would be very short. Otherwise it is fine. In terms of finish, Ford has not used the nicest materials: the plastic looks a bit cheap in many places. Maybe that is still the American genes of the brand.

How much does the Ford Kuga PHEV cost?

The Dutch prices of the Ford Kuga are clear, because there is only one drivetrain for the Netherlands. The Titanium is the entry-level model and should cost 43,350. The slightly higher Active X costs 48,995 euros and then you also get different upholstery, a B&O audio system and a 360-degree camera. The sportier ST-Line X is just as expensive.

The prices in Belgium are more complicated. There you have the pure petrol version for 38,705 euros, the hybrid for 42,830 euros and then the PHEV for 45,375 euros. If you want the Active-X as a PHEV like we drove it, then you are 51,375 euros further. In the Netherlands you are for a change a little cheaper for the same car.

So, should you buy the Ford Kuga?

If you want a plug-in hybrid that is not afraid of a fast bend, you can easily go for the Ford Kuga PHEV. Then you have a car that is comfortable and quiet enough for Dutch roads. If you want a larger electric range, you can look for a VW Tiguan that can go 128 kilometers on the battery. The prices at Volkswagen are a bit higher.

Ford Kuga PHEV specifications (2024)