Ford Kuga

Petrol

• 2.5 L Duratec turbo I5, 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp)

Diesel

• 2.0 L Duratorq, 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp)
• 2.0 L Duratorq, 163 PS (120 kW; 161 hp) 4 × 4 and powershift models.

A report from 20 July 2007 indicated Ford executives were considering the prospects of sales in North America.[3] This idea was later scrapped, after it was determined the car could not be sold both competitively priced and at a profit in the United States, due to the current dollar euro exchange rate.

On 24 July 2008, WDIV-TV announced that Ford was reconsidering bringing the Kuga to North America after all. On 22 October 2009, news leaked that Ford would build the Kuga at its Louisville plant, possibly as the 2012 Ford Escape.[4]

On 23 June 2010, Ford announced it would end production of the second generation Escape in 2011 in anticipation of the Kuga's North American launch as the next-generation Escape.[5] The Ford Kuga has also been available in Argentina since 2010; in Japan, South Africa and New Zealand since 2011; and in Australia since March 2012.[6]

A facelift was released in the end of 2010, after being revealed in July 2010.[7]

The redesigned Kuga formed the basis for the 2013 Ford Escape sold in the United States. Ford announced in May 2010 that it would build unspecified hybrids at a plant in Valencia, Spain and likely offer a hybrid option of both vehicles.[8] The Kuga Hybrid would be Ford's first hybrid to be sold in Europe, though it has sold over 100,000 Escape Hybrids and Mercury Mariner Hybrids in the United States since 2004.[9]

Before facelift

After facelift

Ford Escape (third generation)

Interior

The third generation Escape is largely identical to the Ford Kuga.[18] It was first shown at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. Two EcoBoost inline four cylinder turbocharged engines are offered. The basic engine is a 2.5 litre naturally aspirated inline-four engine.

The new Escape is the first Ford vehicle to offer a new 1.6 litre unit. In the process of revamping the Escape's engine lineup, both the Hybrid model with its 2.5 litre Atkinson powertrain and the 3.0 litre V6 engine have been dropped.

Ford claims that the fuel economy of the new 1.6 litre EcoBoost engine will match that of the previous Ford Escape Hybrid, while the new 2.0 litre engine produces more torque than the current V6 unit. The transmission is a six speed automatic.[18]

The new generation of the Ford Escape is 10 percent more aerodynamic than the previous generation[19]

Also new for the model year of 2013 is MyFord Touch, which is currently available on many Ford vehicles. The newest software version of the MyFord Touch System will offer an all new user interface and additional features.

Another new feature is the optional hands free liftgate. A person carrying the keyless entry transmitter can raise a foot under the rear bumper of the Escape to open the tailgate.[18] This feature will also be available on the Ford C-Max Hybrid later in the year, and was introduced on that vehicle in Europe.

The Ford C-Max Hybrid replaced the Escape's hybrid model. Eco friendly seat fabrics are standard on lower trim levels, as well as the vehicle's carpeting being mostly constructed from recycled plastic water bottles. This allows the new Escape to be mostly recyclable at the end of its life cycle.

The Escape was offered with front wheel drive in the S trim level, and front wheel drive or all wheel drive in the SE, SEL, and Titanium trim levels. Production of the 2013 Ford Escape began 11 April. The production of the 2012 Ford Escape ended on 28 April 2012, overlapping slightly in production with the 2013 model due to plant issues, with limited availability of the model year 2012 Ford Escape vehicles being available at Ford showrooms.

As of May 2012, the third generation Escape became available at most dealerships across the United States, and was introduced in Canada starting June.

The SEL trim was discontinued after the model year of 2013 but was reintroduced for the model year of 2018. For the model year of 2015 in the United States and Canada, Ford updated the standard naturally aspirated 2.5 litre four cylinder's specification to 168 hp (125 kW) and 170 lb⋅ft (230 N⋅m) of torque.

On 18 November 2015, Ford unveiled a refreshened mid-cycle update of the Escape, which went on sale in the beginning of 2016. The refresh added an Edge inspired front fascia while tweaking the rear end that now sports reshaped LED taillights and a newly adopted two slat, hexagonal grille. The interior is also adjusted slightly in the cabin area and on the steering wheel.

The Sync 3 infotainment system is added as a new feature, along with a new smartphone app called Sync Connect, which allows owners to remotely monitor their vehicle, check fuel levels, lock and unlock doors, and start the engine. The 2.5 and 2.0 EcoBoost engine line up were joined by a new 179 hp (133 kW) 1.5 litre, turbocharged four cylinder option, replacing the 1.6L.[20]

Ford engineers promise additional refinement to the 2017 Escape, particularly as evidenced by extremely low road and wind noise levels. The doors and B pillars are insulated, the front wheel wells lined and acoustic glass used for the side windows. There are also new seals for the windshield and hood. The new Escape showcased a number of new to it features from little things like faster charging USB ports to an app that lets drivers unlock the vehicle and start the engine through a smartphone.

Dubbed Sync Connect, this feature helps to locate the vehicle in a crowded parking lot, check the fuel level and alert the owner when service is due. A number of driver assist features will be available: enhanced park assist, lane-keeping, forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control.[21] Production of the facelifted 2017 Ford Escape started on 18 March 2016, at the Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky.[22]

In March 2017, Ford recalled 692,700 2014 Escapes because of faulty door latches.[31]

In December 2012, Ford recalled over 70,000 Escapes in the United States and Canada with 1.6 litre engines that may overheat and cause fires, after twelve reports of fire in Escapes were reported to Ford.[32]

In November 2013, Ford recalled over 160,000 Escapes with 1.6 EcoBoost engines because of oil and fuel leaks that could lead to engine fires, after 13 fires caused by leaks were reported to Ford; the recall also covered about 12,000 to correct fuel lines installed incorrectly that could become chafed and leak gas.[33]

In March 2017, Ford recalled 2014 Escapes with 1.6 EcoBoost engines because of a risk of engine fires caused by a “lack of coolant circulation”. The recall partly contributed to a charge of US$300 million by Ford.[34][35]

In South Africa, onwards from 2015, numerous Ford Kugas of the 1.6 litre EcoBoost variant[36][37] caught fire.[38][39][40][41] In December 2016, Ford South Africa requested that all local Kuga owners take their vehicles in for a safety inspection.[42] However, even after one owner took her vehicle to a dealership, whose mechanics checked it and assured the owner that the vehicle was safe, the car still caught fire the very next day.[43]

Another owner was assured by a dealership that his vehicle would be safe as long as the coolant level was correct, but his Kuga burned a few days later.[44] One driver is reported to have died as a result of a fire in his Kuga in December 2015.[45] His vehicle allegedly exhibited several faults, but was checked by Ford and passed as safe shortly before the fire.[46][47] Subsequently, there were further reports of fires and other failures occurring after safety checks at Ford facilities.[41]

As of 16 January 2017, at least 46 Kugas in South Africa had been destroyed by fire,[36][48][49][50] and Ford South Africa had confirmed that a total of 39 incidents had been reported to the company.[37] By 18 January 2017, the number of incidents had reached 50, with 13 in 2017 alone.[51] Between November 2015 and December 2017, 72 vehicles suffered fires.[41] By 4 February 2019, there had been more than 80 incidents,[52] with one as recently as 1 February 2019.[53]

On 16 January 2017, Ford South Africa and South Africa's National Consumer Commission (NCC)[54] held a media briefing to announce a safety recall of the affected Kuga model, affecting "4556 1.6 litre EcoBoost models that were built between December 2012 and February 2014".[36][48][55] The NCC said that it had decided to exercise its authority to authorize a recall on safety grounds, and had then been informed that Ford South Africa had decided to implement a recall.[37] Between January 2017 and January 2018, Ford implemented three safety recalls on the vehicles.[41]

Ford South Africa identified the mechanism leading to the majority of fires as overheating caused by a lack of coolant circulation, which could lead to cracking of the cylinder head, resulting in an oil leak and subsequent fire in the engine compartment.[36][37][48] The proposed solution would be first to replace and check affected components and systems, and later to improve the cooling and warning systems.[36][55]

As of January 2018, 6 Kugas had caught fire, or suffered engine and electronic failures, after undergoing recall.[41] In January 2017, Ford South Africa said that it was not aware of any injuries caused by the engine fires, and claimed that the fatal incident was not the result of an engine fire.[36][37][56] The causes of both the fatal fire and others are disputed.[50][57][58]

On 17 January 2017, video footage was released that allegedly recorded part of the fatal fire.[59][60] In November 2018, family of the deceased owner claimed that Ford South Africa had offered them a settlement conditional on accepting that he had died from a gunshot wound.[61] By this time, the family was represented by Advocate Gerrie Nel of AfriForum.[61][62]

Some owners of affected vehicles, family of the deceased owner, and other parties have criticized the conduct of Ford South Africa.[63][64][65][57][55][41]

A commissioner of the National Consumer Commission (NCC) said that the matter should have been addressed sooner in view of the risk both to those travelling in affected Kugas, and to others.[48] In court papers related to the fatal fire, the South African Police Service has alleged that Ford South Africa may have failed to comply with its obligations under South African consumer protection law, and obstructed the police investigation.[66]

On 17 January 2017, family of the deceased owner held a media briefing together with an attorney, and announced plans to initiate a class action lawsuit against Ford South Africa.[67][47][46] Owners of models not included in the recall, but also damaged by fires, have expressed interest in joining such a suit.[58] As of January 2018, Ford South Africa was offering affected owners a settlement, that included a non-disclosure agreement, and was criticized both as inadequate and as an attempt to forestall the class action.[41]

On 2 March 2017, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) announced that it had begun an investigation into Ford South Africa's handling of the matter, after receiving numerous complaints alleging what the NCC described as "prohibited conduct".[68] The NCC report was completed by April 2018, at which time Ford South Africa was contacting affected owners with offers of compensation.[55]

On 4 February 2019, an inquest into the death of the driver in December 2015 opened in the Western Cape High Court at Cape Town, and was postponed to 18 March 2019.[69][52] During this initial hearing, advocates for the various parties stated that some witness statements were outstanding, and made allegations about the circumstances of the death, the handling of the police investigation, and the conduct of Ford South Africa.[70][71]

The outcome of the inquest would determine whether a public or private criminal prosecution might follow.[70][69]

Television New Zealand reported that a Ford Kuga Titanium 2013 burst into flames in December 2016. The incident is being investigated by Ford NZ. Ford NZ say that the models being investigated in South Africa were built between 2012 and 2014 and fitted with a 1.6L EcoBoost engine. They also say there are differences between the models sold in South Africa and those sold in New Zealand.

Until the investigation into the New Zealand incident has been completed, no decision can be made about recalling the 1,300 cars of the same model sold in New Zealand.[72]