The Ford Kuga has always been a bit of a crossover star, but the 2024 model is a product of careful refinement.

The Ford Ranger Single Cab, a vehicle that’s as rugged as the Yorkshire Dales and as dependable as your mate who never skips the pub quiz.

Now to be honest, when we planned this trip I’d organised for us to have a V8 Mustang, but a confusion in the booking procedure meant, well, I couldn’t have one, hence the EcoSport.

It was comfortable, quiet and easy to drive, with speed bumps and child sized potholes being hardly noticeable…

Like all Flash-Drives, my time spent in the V8 Mustang was all too brief, but my most prominent memory of those fleeting 20-minutes was the maniacal grin that was affixed to my face as I flung this motoring legend around the…..

The Kuga isn’t a sports car, but equipped with the 178bhp 2ltr TDCi power unit, it certainly moves.  I particularly enjoyed taking it along the open and twisty roads around the Pennines, and with the combination of 19” rims, well-weighted electric steering and its all-wheel-drive system, it inspired confidence and gave me a huge grin……