As the Kuga approaches the end of its time with us, I’ve been handed the keys to give the stylish-looking crossover a go – and I’m impressed.

The size and comfort of the car belies its Focus origins, with plenty of practical little touches to make life easier. The multi-layer glovebox has plenty of room, and with reasonably-sized door pockets and a deep centre storage compartment, there’s certainly enough space to fill the car with your day-to-day bits and bobs.

The split rear seats do an excellent job of folding completely flat for cargo that won’t quite fit in the roomy boot – my catalogue store TV for example, which was about three inches too wide.

One of my favourite touches, though, is the small plastic tray that sits on the floor between the door and each front seat – perfectly positioned to catch any pens, coins or shrapnel that decide to make a bid for freedom from your pocket.

I’m not such a fan of the fuel economy, but the combination of AWD spec and a heavy right foot go some way to explaining this.

Average MPG – 39mpg

Mileage – 12589

Christopher Smith