So we are shopping for a car and personally I was very impressed with the Ford Kuga. It meets all our needs and the price tag is not too bad either.
One problem though, seems like Ford has a really bad reputation in Taiwan. Lots of small issues here and there… But I am not too crazy when it comes to listen to local advice, especially when it comes to doctor recommendations, but that’s another issue…
What are your thoughts on Ford in Taiwan? Good, average, avoid it like the pest?
The Kuga in the white color looks like a Stormtrooper from the back! I’ve seen a lot of them on the street along with the Focus. I have a coworker with a Ford and the main issue he had with them was rust, RUST! Turns out that car was sitting near the port for a few months and did some damage.
I have a friend who has a Ford Kuga here, he’s had it for almost a year, he’s had no trouble with it at all. I’ve also had the chance to drive it a few times and in my opinion it drives great, much better than a Rav4 or CR-V. The Kuga is just a rebadged Escape, I’m sure you’ve seen a ton of the old Escapes around, they’re popular for a reason, and the Kuga is better in every way, my opinion at least.
Well… Since you asked, I’d advise to stay away from all Ford cars like the pest. On average they get much less mileage than either Japanese or European cars, since the engines are less efficient.
SUV’s have bad mileage traditionally, but I’m sure that you have other options that would allow you to spend less in gas and still have a good car. I think some Japanese brands even manufacture some of the models here in Taiwan, which means easy access to spare parts.
Toyota, for instance, has the RAV4 with a normal engine and also a hybrid version, and at least the gas one is about the same price as the Kuga.
Thanks for your input!
From our homework, the Rav4 is much more expensive (+20萬) and has less interesting features than the Kuga. Do you mean a second hand would be about the same price?
My experience from visiting a few dealers recently is that Toyota is taking advantage of their popularity in Taiwan. Offering a basic car loaded with basic features at a pretty high price. We were told by another dealership that they sold on average 8,000 cars per month, so I guess they can do that… (but can you trust what a dealer says about another?)
Ooops, pretty late that I see that.
First, my friend bought a Kuga 2 years ago, since then they had 3 recalls (what I know of).
Toyotas are pretty overpriced given the fact that most of them are produced in Taiwan.
8,000 cars per month sounds about right, it explains why I meet more morons in Toyotas than in other cars. (I personally believe, that Toyota drivers are advised not to drive faster than 80 on the highway, but that’s another story).
Other choices you have would be an Outlander, pretty reliable.
I considered this as my next car, because the Lancer Sportback which I had in mind has some serious disadvantages for me (probably no problem for others)
