The expansion of the American brand’s electric range continues with the new Ford Capri, essentially a sportier and more coupé-like version of the Explorer.
I tested the most interesting version for a few days here in Copenhagen—the rear-wheel-drive model with 286 hp, a 77 kWh battery, and a promised range of 620 km. Here’s how it went.
New Ford Capri: our tops&flops
Beyond the name “Capri,” which can be debated—just like Mustang on the Mach-E (read our last test drive here) and Puma (read here our preview of the Gen-E) on the best-seller crossover —this SUV is interesting in its own way within the electric vehicle landscape and its category. It marks Ford’s return to the D-segment in Europe, though it’s completely different from the Mondeo in both concept and driving dynamics. It is built on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, but Ford has modified it to do everything Volkswagen itself should have done with its own vehicles. The result is a car with very practical interiors, typical of all Ford electric models, featuring a spacious and well-utilized trunk, plenty of onboard room, and countless storage compartments. The result is also a car with an improved chassis, where I could feel the brand’s touch—making it an all-around vehicle, ideal both for city driving, thanks to its excellent turning radius and well-calibrated suspension, and for long journeys, thanks to its good range up to 620 km which holds up well even in lower temperatures. Perhaps there’s a bit too much hard plastic, and the heat pump is still an optional extra, but I’d recommend it if you want to stay within the Ford world and are looking for a car that combines practicality, ease of use, and interesting performance.
What we like:
- Ford’s touch in driving experience;
- The set-up is nice and quite funny
- The car is practical
What we don’t like
- DC-Charging is only 135 kW in this version;
- Heat-pump not as a standard;
- Too much plastic in the interiors;
Prices in Scandinavia
It definitely has personality
I won’t comment on whether the design of this new Ford Capri is beautiful or ugly—that’s always subjective. But it undoubtedly has much more personality than its sibling, the Explorer, which I always found a bit anonymous in design.
Credit goes to the inspiration from the Capri, the coupé from the 1970s, which is certainly part of the brand’s historical heritage—though perhaps less iconic than the Mustang, the Bronco (our test drive here), or even the Puma.
Compared to the Explorer, the Capri is nearly 17 cm longer, with an overall length of 4.63 meters and a wheelbase of 2.77 meters. However, it is slightly lower—by just 0.4 cm—standing at 1.63 meters in height. The width remains at 1.87 meters.
There are several design elements that nod to the original Capri, such as the four wavy LED lights at the front, the shape of the rear windows, and the nearly flat rear end, which gives it more of a fastback SUV look—benefiting trunk accessibility.
The only thing that has truly remained unchanged is the font of the logo, which, at the rear, is hidden behind the glass panel that integrates the taillights and the Ford blue oval—creating a pleasant effect.
But apart from that, this is a completely different car, though with soft lines. This version comes with 20” wheels, but for an extra, 21” wheels are available as an option. Additionally, it has full LED headlights and keyless entry.
The trunk has a minimum capacity of 572 liters (100 more than the Explorer), expanding to over 1,500 liters with the rear seats folded down. It also features a double floor, which is very useful for storing the charging cable; a removable plastic tray on the left side; and an elastic strap on the right side to secure objects. Additionally, it still includes the ski pass-through, allowing long objects to be loaded through the center armrest.
Interior full of surprises
The cabin dimensions are identical to those of the Explorer, apart from the previously mentioned 4 mm height reduction for rear passengers. Interestingly, if you choose the panoramic glass roof on both models, the Capri actually offers more headroom—confirmed by someone who is 194 cm tall.
The rest is the same as the Explorer, which is a good thing. Several elements come from Volkswagen, some positive and some not. For instance, the gear selector on the steering column is very comfortable and practical. Less practical, however, are the window controls, which consist of just two buttons paired with a “Rear” button to switch between controlling the front or rear windows.
Another issue is the inconveniently placed light control panel on the left side—it’s hard to see and uses soft-touch technology, as do the steering wheel controls, another legacy from Wolfsburg. Even the digital display behind the wheel is from Volkswagen, featuring a fixed screen that shows the remaining range, active driver assistance systems, cruise speed, and little else.
However, the rest is all Ford. The central console is full of storage compartments. For example, under the central armrest, there’s a removable anti-slip tray—useful for keys, cables, or other small items—and a large storage bin that can fit a laptop up to 13”. There are also two cup holders and a dual smartphone slot, one of which supports wireless charging.
Then there’s the 14.7” vertical touchscreen, which is adjustable in angle. When set to the fully vertical position, it reveals another spacious anti-slip compartment—perfect for a wallet or a phone if it’s bothersome in the other slots.
Inside this large display—which is less annoying than the one in the Mustang Mach-E because it’s adjustable—you’ll find the latest generation of Ford’s SYNC infotainment system. It works well, is fluid and intuitive, and is completely different from Volkswagen’s infotainment system, which is full of bugs and lag.
The only thing I didn’t love is that everything is controlled from here, including climate settings (which always remain visible) and the vehicle’s driving modes. Even energy consumption data is only available in a dedicated screen, whereas I would have preferred to always see it in the instrument cluster.
As for materials, they are generally good, such as the Sensico leather on the AGR-certified seats, which have integrated headrests, or most of the door panel trim. This Premium version also includes faux carbon fiber on the central console and dashboard, as well as a Bang & Olufsen soundbar—a nice touch and another carryover from the Mustang Mach-E.
However, there are many, perhaps too many, hard plastics on the doors and the glossy black surfaces of the central console (which attract dust easily)—a shame for a car in this price range.
The Ford Touch in Driving
Even in the driving experience, you can feel that Ford has worked extensively on the platform, making it more efficient—almost performing a minor miracle—and on the suspension setup, aligning it more closely with its vehicles.
I might be biased since my first car was a Fiesta, and in my family, we’ve owned a Focus, three Mondeos (including the latest version), and a C-Max. But I genuinely believe Ford has always made cars that drive well—exceptions aside.
And once again, they haven’t missed the mark, considering where they started. As far as I’m concerned, mid-sized electric crossovers are among the most generic cars in the segment, with little differentiation between models. But the Capri seems to sit on the better end of the spectrum, even when compared to its sibling, the Explorer.
What really convinced me was the steering precision at high speeds—both when entering and exiting corners—while still maintaining a light feel and an impressive turning radius in the city. This significantly reduces the number of maneuvers needed, and I don’t think there’s another model in its class and price range that does it better.
To be clear, one of its rivals, the Ioniq 5 (here’s the latest review), while still among my favorites, has always had a major flaw: a very limited turning radius, which makes its generous dimensions even more noticeable.
The suspension is also excellent, showing the same balance found in the steering. The front features a strut suspension with an anti-roll bar, while the rear has a multi-link setup, also with an anti-roll bar. In practice, they effectively absorb bumps and potholes in the city while keeping the car perfectly stable in corners. The rear-wheel drive also significantly enhances the driving pleasure, especially noticeable at high speeds or when taking corners and roundabouts with enthusiasm.
Only during braking do you feel the nearly 2-ton weight. Don’t get me wrong—the brakes work well, as does the regenerative braking. But you do notice the inertia, and the stopping distance is slightly extended. However, this is typical of cars this heavy.
Charging is a Disappointment
Speaking of performance, this Extended Range RWD version offers 286 hp and does 0-100 km/h in just over 6 seconds. As mentioned, the acceleration feels strong and enjoyable, with only the initial takeoff sometimes being a bit abrupt, especially in Sport mode, which is by far the most fun.
However, since changing driving modes requires navigating through the touchscreen menus, most users will rarely switch between them. Not having physical buttons in sight makes it easy to forget about them.
In addition, the regenerative braking isn’t adjustable—you simply switch from D mode to B (Brake) mode, and the car slows down almost to a stop.
The battery has a capacity of 77 kWh, with a WLTP range of 620 km. The achieved efficiency has even reached 6-7 km per kWh, which is not bad considering the starting point. This means that even in still winter temperatures, the car performs well: 600 km in the city, between 500 and 560 km on extra-urban roads up to 100 or 110 km/h, while on the highway at 130 km/h, it manages around 430 km, which is still respectable.
This is certainly thanks to the heat pump included in the tested version, which, however, is unfortunately always an expensive optional extra. Even on the Premium version, in fact, it is not standard, and to get it, you need to spend money.
Another point that didn’t convince me: this version is the one with the longest range but also the slowest charging speed of all.
In DC charging, it stops at 135 kW, taking almost 30 minutes for a 10-80% charge: almost all rivals do better, and I’m not just referring to the Hyundai Ioniq 5/Kia EV6 duo with their 800-volt technology, but also to the Renault Scénic E-Tech, the Peugeot e-3008, or the Tesla Model Y, which is what the average user considers as a reference.
It’s a pity, especially considering that both the entry-level 170 hp version with a 52 kWh battery and the top-of-the-line all-wheel-drive version with 340 hp and a 79 kWh battery have better charging power: 145 kW for the first and 185 kW for the second. It could be a difference due to the type of battery, but I’m not sure.
Through the Ford app, however, it is possible to preheat the battery, set up charging, and so on, as well as choose the mode that prioritizes battery life by reducing full charges to 100% or limiting the charging power itself.
