2009 Ford Kuga facelift

2009 Ford Kuga facelift to be presented in Paris

With its 2009 Ford Kuga face-lift, the European Ford is trying to give the compact SUV more upscale look and feel, as well as provide the car with a more fuel efficient diesel engine.

Available soon in both FWD and AWD versions, the 2009 Ford Kuga will sport a 136hp and 340Nm, 2.0-liter Duratorq TDCi diesel engine.

2009 Ford Kuga (interior)

Featuring more than adequate torque for a comparatively feather-light SUV, the engine will also provide the car with an impressive fuel economy of 5.3 liters per 100km (44.1 mpg) in the combined cycle. This is just 0.7mpg less than the soon to be presented 2009 Subaru Forester 2.0D can achieve.

The compact SUV will also receive a 2.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine. Rated for 197hp and (320Nm) 236 lb-ft of torque and mated to a standard six-speed manual transmission, the engine delivers 9.9-liter per 100km (23.8 mpg) fuel economy.

With an optional five-speed automatic the mpg drops to 22.8 mpg (10.3l/100km) but still looks like a decent value for a car of this size.

The car’s interior will also be significantly enhanced and will finally match the Kuga’s impressive exterior.

The 2009 MY Ford Kuga will feature such equipment options as high-grade Nappa leather, glossy Piano White finish, new color schemes and all this stuff young female drivers will definitely love.

Ford promises to also offer customers a new body kit with styling cues from the prototype and the Iosis X concept models. Available through the Ford Individual program, the kit will include new aggressive-looking grille, new rear spoiler, body-colored wheel-arch extensions, side skirts and 20-inch alloys.

Unfortunately, with the kit installed, the 2009 Kuga’s ground clearance will be decreased by whole 50mm (almost two inches).

Photos: Ford

See also: 2008 Ford Kuga crossover SUV