THE small Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) market got even more competitive, with Kingston Industrial Garage’s (KIG’s) launch of the Ford Kuga at the Spanish Court Hotel, in New Kingston, St Andrew, on Wednesday evening.

In a segment dominated by the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V, KIG hopes the new vehicle will endear itself with the Jamaican market with features that have earned it the moniker ‘Smart’ Utility Vehicle.

Jeffrey Panton, KIG’s newly installed managing director, was confident that the Kuga will have the successful market penetration they’re seeking.

“The small SUV market is the largest sales sector currently in Jamaica,” Panton told Auto.

Dawn Green, KIG marketing manager, was also bullish on the new Kuga.

“KIG saw the need for a mid-sized SUV that represents an excellent value for money while offering top fuel economy and technology,” she said.

Panton was eager to point out several of the major elements that made the Kuga a smart choice for buyers.

“Most of our competitors have very large engines. The Kuga uses Ford’s 1600cc EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, which not only gives the performance of a 3-litre, but does so with high fuel economy,” she said.

The Kuga also packs a whole lot of high-tech features for driving comfort, convenience, and safety. Nestled beneath its impressive exterior are self-levelling headlights, Active Park Assist, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, intelligent cruise control, voice control, along with options like Lane-keeping Aid, to name a few.

“The pricing on the Kuga is extremely competitive with the rest of the market,” added Green.