I'VE HAD a sneaky admiration for Ford's Kuga ever since it survived a tricky encounter with a mad Spanish fighting bull when I was driving it during its launch several years ago.

Not only did the side panels, front bonnet and lights stand up to some pretty aggressive horn damage, but the little Ford also showed some alacrity in helping remove oneself from the scene - leaving behind El Toro (yes, it was in southern Spain) to hooliganise the next few cars on the launch.

Some of those following were not so lucky and when the miscreant was finally rounded up by its owner, it had a front bumper and the remains of a lighting cluster firmly ensconced on its bonce.

So, therefore, I feel some kind of fraternal bond with the Kuga and was keen to see and try out the latest generation which hit the streets at the end of last year.

First off, it looks and, indeed, it is quite a bit bigger - bad news for any potential encounters of a bovine kind ( at least for the coo!). This all adds up to more presence on the road but, thankfully, this bulking up on steroids has not come with the downside of affecting the Kuga's on-road handling, which is one of its best attributes.

It was and still is an easy car to drive and there is no doubt that the newer version is more car like and does not feel as top heavy on the corners as its predecessor.

A petrol and a diesel engine are available, but each of those can come with tweaks to make them low or higher powered. The one on test was the most frugal of all those available, the 2.0 TDCi diesel, which was rated at the lower power option of 138bhp.

This one is capable of returning close to 60mpg when in two-wheel-drive form, but those with rural needs will opt for the 4 x 4 set-up, which still manages 50+ mpg. The more powerful of the diesels gives you 160bhp, while the petrol options centre around a 1.5-litre (down from the previous 1.6-litre), which give you either 148 or 178bhp - with the high-power model only available with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive.

The interior is in tune with most of the rest of Ford's ranges which, for me, is a little too cluttered, with a centre dash having quite a confusing array of controls.

The Titanium X Sport (which is the top of the heap for this range) certainly offers plenty of specification, though even the entry-level Zetec models have a decent level of equipment such as keyless start, alloy wheels, DAB radio, air conditioning, cruise control and Ford's Godsend for those cold Scottish mornings, the quickclear heated windscreen.

For the top spec', you get leather trim, automatic lights and wipers and dual-zone climate control, plus satnav, rear view camera and Ford's pretty good active park assist. A few other electronic driving aids, like blind spot flashes, lane-alert and automatic distance control to keep you from inadvertently bumping the car in front, can also be specified from Ford's quite astonishing array of added extras.

It also can be specified with the excellent powered tailgate which gives access to the new and larger luggage area, though this is still not great. So, though the Kuga will seat five comfortably, you'd be hard pushed to get everyone's luggage in the back for a holiday trip.

Prices for the Kuga ranges starts at £21,000 (1.5-litre petrol Zetec with two-wheel-drive) and rises steeply through the four levels up to more than £33,000 (for the 2.0TDCI 178hp, all-wheel-drive Titanium X Sport).

While the Kuga is probably Ford's best-known SUV in the UK, it has recently been joined by a newly updated EcoSport SUV and the forthcoming Edge model, due probably next year, will make it a trio.

That latter vehicle goes into production for Europe at the end of 2015 and will sit above the Kuga in terms of size. Like the Kuga, though, two versions of Ford's 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine will be available from the outset - either the 178bhp version or a 207 bhp one.