Ford Capri (2024 - ) review

The steep price is all that prevents the Capri from getting full marks in this section given it’s considerably more expensive than the Explorer, despite sharing the same foundations. Nonetheless, as with all electric cars, company car users opting for the Capri will pay very low Benefit In Kind taxation and low VED/’road tax’, at least for now. And those with a home chargercan avail of low-price, off-peak electricity to minimise fuel costs. Finally, electric cars need less frequent maintenance and are therefore cheaper to service.

The Capri’s big battery comes with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty as is expected these days, while electric cars in general have fewer moving parts to go wrong. The rest of the car is covered by Ford’s standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty and there’s free breakdown cover as well. Although the Capri is new, its underpinnings are shared with Volkswagen and are a known quantity on that score. Most owner issues have historically related to software problems rather than anything inherently unreliable in the car.

Though the Ford Capri has yet to be evaluated by independent safety testing organisation Euro NCAP the Ford Explorer has, and the two cars share the same basic structure and safety equipment. That’s good news for Capri buyers as the Explorer scored very favourable. It’s a shame some of the advanced driver assistance features are only offered as part of an upgrade pack, but the Capri does come with useful safety equipment such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping aid and lane-departure warning, a rear-view camera and parking sensors all round. It goes without saying that a new car at this price point will have a full complement of airbags and advanced stability control.

Despite Ford’s insistence that the Capri is a sporty car it still manages to be quite comfortable on the road, which is good news. Supple suspension absorbs poor surfaces well, while the front seats in particular are supportive over a long journey. The smooth front end helps reduce wind roar as the air passes over it and the Capri is notably free of road noise, too. Even the electric motor is inaudible, making for relaxing progress no matter where you’re driving. Passengers in the back get a flat floor and loads of legroom, though headroom is a little compromised by the shape of the roof, especially close to the doors. There are air vents back there, though no temperature adjustment. Behind is a massive boot, surprisingly bigger than that of the supposedly more practical Ford Explorer.

While the Capri shares some of its underpinnings with Volkswagen’s ID models and even some of their switchgear we were happy to see it retains Ford’s infotainment software. This dominates the cabin in terms of a smart-looking, vertically positioned touch-screen in the middle of the dashboard with crisp graphics and an intuitive menu system. It’s a shame the heating and air conditioning controls are on the screen, but at least they’re always visible. Neatly, the whole display can be tilted to avoid glare, and behind is a hidden storage area. That complements the notably versatile space between the front seats that can be reconfigured to accommodate large items such as handbags or laptop cases.

Most Capri buyers will choose between one of the two rear-drive versions, these comprising a 170-horsepower motor paired with a 52kWh battery or a 286-horsepower motor and 77kWh battery. Swot up here on battery tech if you need some context on those numbers! The former delivers a range of up to 242 miles while the latter claims up to 389 miles by official stats, which is plenty for many owners relying on home charging. For those wanting all-wheel drive there’s a dual motor option with up to 340 horsepower. That sounds like a lot, but comes with added weight, so the mid-power model feels as fast in reality. It’s quick when you put your foot down for maximum acceleration, but sensibly not over-responsive when you’re ambling about, which makes it easy to drive. The brakes are equally well-judged, the steering well-weighted and the control of the car’s body exceptionally good for a satisfying overall experience. So long as you don’t expect sports-coupe-like driving thrills, that is.