At first glance, Ford’s formidable Kuga doesn’t appear to have much in common with either the Ford Focus or C-MAX.

But holding together the macho alloy wheels and aggressively-styled sculpted, muscular bonnet with its distinctive power blisters, is the same platform that carries those less-threatening members of the Ford clan.

And under the bonnet is a familiar 2.0-litre, 136 horsepower turbo-diesel engine, linked to a six-speed manual gearbox, capable of delivering ample power with decent fuel consumption.

Ford claims ‘surprising off-road capability’ for its crossover vehicle, but experience shows that this type of vehicle rarely strays on to the rough stuff.

That is recognised in both the ride and handling of the Kuga, which gives the comfort and cosseting of a substantial saloon, with the benefit of a higher driving position. The air-conditioned interior behind the blue tinted glass is a real surprise, combining a large amount of space for passengers, despite the compact platform, with a real quality feel.

The top-specification Titanium trim vehicle comes with everything from partial leather upholstery and silver appliqué details to cruise control, auto wipers and auto lights. Nice touches include stowage areas for small items plus dedicated areas for drinks, sunglasses, coins, pens and a power socket for additional electrical devices.

At the rear, the Kuga has a so-called 'liftgate in liftgate', which provides the ability to open a portion of the tailgate for access to the main luggage compartment while parked in tight spots.

This feature also enables easy access to the luggage compartment for when smaller items need to be placed into or removed from the car. At the front, ease of repair and favourable insurance ratings are also helped by the use of plastic front wings, which help cut weight and provide greater resistance to dents. A lower panel in matt anthracite hugs the lower edges of the entire car, providing a degree of protection against flying debris.

Large, swept back headlights are available with two technologies; Ford's follow-the-road Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS) or Bi-Xenon which is standard on the Titanium model. A high level of standard equipment includes Electronic Stability Programme with combined Anti Rollover Mitigation, and anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, and all Kuga models are equipped with a 'Ford Power' start button.

In the past, the words Ford and 4x4 have not been the most successful combination in the UK, but whatever you might think of cars designed to look like a jungle crusher, the market for crossover vehicles is growing fast and Ford has at last got a worthy contender in this hard-fought battleground.

Auto facts Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi Titanium

  • Price: £22,500
  • Ins group: Ten
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 44.1mpg
  • Top speed: 112mph
  • Length: 444.3cm/175in
  • Width: 184.2cm/72.5in
  • Luggage capacity: 12.7 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 56 litres/12.3 gallons
  • CO2 emissions: 169g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles