Ford Kuga

The Ford Kuga is a compact crossover SUV initially designed by Ford of Europe and introduced in 2008. The vehicle was developed to compete in the growing European SUV market and was built on the Ford C1 platform, which it shared with the Ford Focus and Mazda3.

Globally, the model is known as the Ford Escape in North America. Its manufacturing is distributed across several key facilities worldwide to serve different markets. The European versions are primarily manufactured at Ford's Valencia Assembly Plant in Almussafes, Spain, while the North American twin, the Escape, is produced in Louisville, Kentucky. It is also manufactured in Chongqing, China, through the Changan Ford joint venture for the East Asian market.

Ford remains one of the world's largest independent automotive manufacturers. While it maintains various partnerships and joint ventures globally, the Ford Motor Company is the ultimate owner and operates as a publicly traded entity headquartered in the United States.