Ford may be getting rid of most of its cars in the United States, but at least the new Kuga looks more car-like than ever. Another reason to get excited about the fourth generation of the Blue Oval’s compact crossover is the possibility of an ST version considering the larger Edge is available in a performance-oriented specification (not available in UK). It would make sense for the Kuga to get a go-faster version, and we won’t be too surprised if it will look something along the lines of this rendering.

Envisioning a Kuga ST is not exactly all that difficult considering Ford has already revealed the ST-Line model here in Europe. Images attached below depict the sporty-looking model, which on the Old Continent will be available with the same engines as the other members of the Kuga family.

Ford Kuga
Ford Kuga

Should Ford decide to build an Escape (as it is known in the U.S.) and/or Kuga carrying the ST suffix, the speedy crossover could use the same engine as the recently revealed Focus ST. The not-for-America hot hatch utilises a four-cylinder 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine producing 276 bhp and 310 pound-feet of torque. A potential Kuga ST could also be offered with a 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine rated at 187 bhp and 295 lb-ft as seen in the Focus ST.

Since we’re talking about a crossover, Ford could decide to give it an all-wheel-drive layout as standard, which in turn would pay dividends in terms of acceleration thanks to a better-optimised power transfer to the wheels. The front-wheel-drive hot hatch needs less than six second to hit 62 mph, and a possible AWD-equipped Kuga / Escape ST could be in the same region.

Of course, it’s too early to say whether Ford does have plans for another ST-badged model, but with the brand focusing on high-riding models more than ever, it would be a logical way to diversify the SUV portfolio.

Render: X-Tomi Design

Gallery: 2020 Ford Kuga / Escape