Ford Cougar (1998 - 2001) : CLAWS FOR CONCERN?
Tuesday October 24
Models Covered: (3dr coupe 2.0, 2.5 petrol [2.0 16v, 2.5 V6])
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
Ford have had a hard time getting over the Capri. The Probe never managed it, but the Cougar looks like it may be more successful. It appeals to a different customer; older, more affluent and often female. Unlike the Capri, youd never pretend the Cougar is "the car youd always promised yourself". Despite its bold new-edge styling, its not the sort of coupe that turns heads or has small children asking what itll do. No, the Cougar aims to distance itself from that image. It also looks to disassociate itself from the unfortunately named Probe, a car whose credibility was killed in the UK through its ownership by Gareth Cheeseman, an obnoxious office pest played by the comedian Steve Coogan.
The Cougar is a far different proposition. Introduced in the summer of 1998, the Cougar was advertised by Dennis Hopper in a tribute to the movie Easy Rider. Understand the logic behind the advertisement and youll see Fords target market. Its aimed at those who want to live just a little bit dangerously, to relive their youth whilst still maintaining an element of practicality.
Fords research has also discovered that a large proportion of Probe buyers are female. So much for Dennis Hopper
The Cougar is probably the most practical coupe you can buy. For a start, this is one of the few cars in the class to have a rear hatch rather than a boot and the result is probably more luggage space than most owners will ever need. The Cougar also leads its sector in terms of rear seat accommodation; this is about as spacious as a car of this kind is ever going to get. And probably about as safe too.
The Cougar comes with twin front and side airbags, offering both head and body protection. It's 17% stiffer than a Mondeo and is even stronger in side impacts. In fact, tests suggest that in a side impact, passengers could be up to three times safer in a Cougar than in some other competitors. The specification is also class leading, with ABS and traction control, electric front windows, air conditioning and an immobiliser/alarm all standard. To this tally, the basic V6 adds a better stereo, leather seats and metallic paint (though you're pretty restricted on your choice of colours). So there you have it. Big, safe, well equipped and with a pair of better than average engines. If you like the image of a coupe, but dont want the downsides, the Cougar makes a good choice.
The Cougar has always been a quietly strong performer on the used market. Holding its value better than similarly priced Mondeos, upon which its based, the Cougar starts at £3,300 for a 1998 S-registered 2.0 16v. For an equivalent year V6, youd only need to fork out another £200, but bear in mind the difference in insurance ratings, Group 11 versus Group 14 for the larger engined car.
For slightly newer cars, for example a 2001 X-plate edition, expect to pay £4,200 for a 2.0 16v and £4,300 for a manual V6.
Being based on the Mondeo, you wouldnt expect the Cougar to have a litany of faults. The excellent engines are a picture of reliability and most Cougars wont have been hammered the way a used Fiat Coupe may have been. Check the service book for a full history and buy with confidence.
(approx prices based on 2.5 V6) Not too many horrors here. Expect the bits shared with Mondeos to be cheap, the other parts less so. A clutch assembly is around £235 whilst front brake pads are around £70.
A new radiator wont leave any change from £100, whilst a new alternator will be £130. A starter motor will be around £200, whilst those pretty headlamps will cost a pretty penny if you smash them - £258 a piece to be exact.
Anyone expecting the Cougar to be a scaled up Puma may be in for a slight disappointment. Best instead to think of it as Fords answer to the Peugeot 406 Coupe, hardly a car youd wring out at ten-tenths through every corner. Thats not to say the Cougar is a lame handler; it just means that the ride/handling compromise is biased towards the soft. The engines are both good news.
Though both feature in the Mondeo range, in the case of the 2.0-litre, some tweaking has taken place, basically to make it feel a little more eager. So it is that rest to sixty takes 10.3s on the way to 130mph.
The V6 meanwhile, manages 8.1s and 140mph even in 168bhp form and features a much sportier exhaust rasp. Theyve got enough acceleration to keep most folks happy.
If you want the joys of coupe ownership with none of the pain, look no further. The Cougar is a car you wont be embarrassed to say you owned ten years down the line.
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