Paris Motor Show 2008Paris Motor Show, 4-19th October 2008

Ford Kuga

We had gathered what we considered to be relevant contenders for the growing compact SUV/crossover class when someone remembered Nissan's Qashqai. It's as much a hatchback as it is an SUV and though it doesn't have quite as peppy performance as larger engined rivals, it is cheaper and in 1.5-litre dCi guise emits just 139g/km of CO₂ and returns 54.3mpg on the combined cycle.

However, among the more conventional compact SUVs, it's the brand-new Ford Kuga that wins in terms of efficiency. The BMW X3 and Toyota RAV4 run it close mind you, but Ford's new crossover/SUV/whatever beats its rivals with 169g/km CO₂ and 44.1mpg on the combined cycle.

Other models worth looking at include the Mitsubishi Outlander, though its 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine is raucous in comparison to the Ford's.

Tuesday April 22

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