Is the Ford Kuga reliable?
The Kuga's reliablity record is a bit of a mixed bag so we'd urge you to find an example with a good service history and a low number of previous owners. We'd aviod the Powershift gearbox as its not the most reliable (see below) and stick with the manual which is nicer to use and more refined.
In the What Car? reliabilty survery the petrol Kuga achieved a score of 93% while the diesel only scored 85%.
Engine: Take a diesel Kuga on a long test drive to make sure the DPF is regenerating properly. If the oil level is high, the DPF could be regenerating too often, which can lead to fuel dilution.
Coolant found anywhere other than in the expansion tank could mean that the tank itself is faulty. But a new one is only £15-£30.
Check the oil filter for any white deposits because this could suggest that the coolant and oil are mixing; cooling problems with the Ecoboost engine have earned it the nickname ‘Ecoboom’ by owners.
Gearbox: Be wary of the pre-facelift Powershift automatic: the plastic retainers inside the gearbox wear over time, break off and get churned up by the cogs. The gearbox then needs to be removed, all the parts replaced and then flushed out. We would suggest you opt for a car with a manual gearbox or the more robust post-facelift auto.
Differential: Listen for a metallic grinding noise from the rear of a four-wheel-drive car. This is caused when the diff leaks oil and a lack of lubrication between the bearings inside means they grind against each other and wear down.
