LOADED with kit the Titanium X sits almost at the top of the Kuga range and is popular with Ford fans.

Along with the rest of the range it received a major refresh at the start of this year to help it stay in contention with the rest of the crossover pack.

The changes were hardly drastic but they were important as the Kuga was trailing the opposition in some areas.

The third generation is now more spacious and comfortable and much improved on the first model that arrived back in 2008.

Faced by some very tough competition the Kuga is now larger and designed to be a global car.

Now with a front grille similar to that of its larger Edge sibling, the Kuga also boasts new lights front and rear and a new rump with a different tailgate which is electric in this model.

Powered by the familiar 2.0-litre diesel, this version is capable of 124mph and reaches 62mph in 10 seconds flat. It is a smooth performer when combined with the PowerShift automatic gearbox and even with all-wheel-drive the claimed combined figure is 54.3mpg.

New torque vectoring has been introduced to improve traction and stability and this means that the Kuga remains one of the best driving cars in its class

It cruises comfortably at motorway speeds and also handles the twisty stuff well and four-wheel-drive (4WD) system means it always has loads of grip.

Inside the cabin feels slightly larger and there is room for five to travel in comfort with 456 litres still being available for luggage.

The old dated infotainment system had been dumped to be replace by the latest SYNC 3 set up which is much easier to use and has voice control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Bluetooth.

The Titanium X also comes , smart 18-inch alloys, climate control, navigation, full leather, heated driver and front passenger seats, cruise control, power tailgate, a Quickclear heated windscreen, hill start assist, keyless entry, parking sensors and a raft of all the latest safety equipment.

If you wish you can add a retractable tow bar with electrics for £625 and an appearance pack which includes silver roof rails and rear privacy glass for a further £425.

Some scratchy plastics let the interior down a little bit but overall the Kuga is still a contender thanks to its sharp dynamics.