Even those vehicles that don’t exactly fit the description of a ‘green car’ are adopting a more environmentally conscious outlook in an effort to expand their appeal.

The latest is the Ford Kuga crossover, with three new additions of the vehicle introduced providing lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions combined with greater power and torque.

The Kuga 2.0litre TDCi crossover retains the style and refinement of the existing Kuga but combines it with emissions of just 159g/km. There is a front wheel-drive version available too that delivers enhanced fuel economy and will hold particular appeal to business users.

This is because under new legislation to be introduced in April next year, cars with CO2 emissions below 160g/km will be eligible for a 20 per cent annual write down allowance against corporation tax - this compares to a 10 per cent write down for vehicles with emissions above the 160g/km threshold. Indeed all customers should see benefits as the Ford Kuga falls into the new sub-160g/km vehicle excise duty band.

Those who want performance first are still addressed with the 2.5litre Duratec engine used in both a six-speed manual and five-speed automatic version of the Ford Kuga. The five-cylinder petrol-engine version powers from 0-62mph in 8.2seconds and can achieve a top speed of 129mph.

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