What is it?

Think of it as a Focus of the SUV world - in other words a compact 4x4 with daring design and dynamics that will shame most competitors. A compact SUV built to take the crown back off the Skoda Yeti, the Kuga promises a car-like driving experience and genuine off-road ability. It's a production car too, not a concept, so expect to see it in your local Ford showroom very soon.

Why's it here?

Well it's brand new; in fact, of all the Ford debuts this and the B-Max are probably the ones that should garner the most column inches. It won't do that of course, as everyone's interested in the production ready Fiesta ST, a car we've been expecting since the standard model was unveiled in 2008. Which is a shame, as the Kuga is likely be a talented all-rounder, taking engines and technology from the Focus.

Not only is it more spacious, but safer too thanks to the firm's SYNC technology, which shuts off the fuel and calls the emergency services with GPS coordinates in the event of an accident. There's an all-wheel drive system that adjusts the power split twenty times faster than a blink of the eye apparently, while the Focus' Torque Vectoring System should make for superior on-road manners.

Show stopper or floor filler?

It's probably going to end up as a bit of a floor filler, especially when people catch sight of the racy Fiesta ST next to it. A bit like Cinderella, this car should have been the first invited to the ball, but it looks like it may be up-staged by some of its less worthy sisters.

Graeme Lambert - 5 Mar 2012