The Ford Kuga is now petrol-only, with Ford confirming it has dropped the 1.5-litre and 2.-litre EcoBlue diesel engines from the line-up.
Slow diesel sales and the raising level of popularity of electrified powertrains means that Ford is streamlining its array, although it is at the moment reviewing whether diesel electrical power has a future in the Kuga, in accordance to a Ford spokesperson.
The Kuga follows the Fiesta hatchback in cutting out diesel, and motor options now consist of one pure-petrol and two hybrid petrol models. Potential buyers have the decision of both a 1.5-litre petrol with 148bhp, a 2.5-litre petrol hybrid with 187bhp or a plug-in hybrid petrol making 222bhp.
The conclusion means that the not too long ago facelifted Focus is now the only Ford offered with diesel electrical power, which saw a remarkable drop in in general automobile sales this yr. According to SMMT, new automobile sales saw a slight maximize from 2020 to 2021, but pure diesel-engined cars and trucks took a sizeable forty six.nine% yr-on-yr sales hit.
There was also a decrease in petrol automobile sales, although this is substantially smaller at fourteen.8%. The identical data suggests a swift uptake in electrified autos, describing Ford’s conclusion for a typically hybrid motor line-up for the Kuga. Mild-hybrid petrol sales saw an monumental 75.six% maximize around the earlier yr.
Ford isn’t the only producer to axe diesels from its array. No new Volvo will be introduced with a diesel motor, for example, and the marque taken out the diesel-run XC40 from sale past yr. The Mazda six also ditched diesel in 2020 in favour of a petrol-only motor array.
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