Ford Capri review: A controversial comeback for a famous name
Not since the public voted to call a polar research vessel ‘Boaty McBoatface’ has a name caused such a stir. Ford’s decision to bring back ‘Capri’ was either a marketing masterstroke or a fate-sealing faux pas. The story blew up on social media, briefly distracting us from whatever Elon Musk was doing that day and making this the most controversial car of recent times.
One suspects that even a rorty, rear-driven coupe would struggle to earn approval from Ford fans as a ‘proper’ new Capri. But an electric SUV? No chance. Ford says this is ‘exactly how the iconic sports coupe would have evolved had the Capri stayed in continuous production’, but few seem persuaded. You can’t imagine the new Capri scattering piles of cardboard boxes in a reboot of The Professionals. Nor is one likely to sprout wide wheelarches and enter the British Touring Car Championship.
However, it’s time for a reality check, because the original Capri was frequently, well, a bit rubbish. Based on the humdrum Cortina saloon, it harboured sporting pretensions, but was never a true sports car. And during its long life – over three generations, between 1968 and 1986 – its image steadily declined, from nouvelle cuisine to meat and potatoes. Who could forget Del Boy’s Capri Ghia in Only Fools and Horses?
An Explorer with extra
So let’s take off the rose-tinted Ray-Bans and accept that ‘Capri’ is just another name from Ford’s past, like Puma and Explorer. Shorn of all the baggage, how does it stack up as a family SUV?
Simply listing all the Capri’s competitors would probably take us beyond the word count for this review. At the cheaper end of the spectrum are new Chinese SUVs such as the hybrid Jaecoo 7. Premium-badged alternatives to consider include the Audi Q4 Sportback, Lexus RZ and Genesis GV60. Then there is the mainstream middle-ground, where Ford has traditionally staked a claim; rivals here include the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6 and Nissan Ariya.
Technically, the closest cars to the Capri are the Ford Explorer and the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5, which all share the same platform and drivetrains. Indeed, the Capri is essentially an Explorer with sleeker styling and a sportier attitude, just as the classic Capri spiced up the Cortina.
The lineup starts at £41,485, which gets you a 52kWh battery, 170hp, rear-wheel drive and 243 miles of range. Or you can step up to the 77kWh Extended Range battery: available with 286hp and rear-wheel drive or 340hp and all-wheel drive – the former offering up to 385 miles of range. I drove the 77kWh AWD version in Premium specification, priced at £56,185.
Ford Capri: No sacrifice for style
There’s a hint of original Capri in the new car’s quad headlamps and curvy rear quarter windows, but that’s about it. Still, among that awkward sub-species known as SUV coupes, this is one of the better looking efforts. It’s muscular and sporty without being brash. It also resembles a Polestar 2 from some angles, which is probably no bad thing.
The Capri’s sloping ‘fastback’ only drops away from behind the rear doors, so passenger headroom is almost identical to the Explorer. A longer tail also means more boot space than its SUV sibling: up from 470 to 567 litres when measured up to the parcel shelf. Only if you need to load tall objects will the Explorer do a better job.
Standard equipment on all cars comprises 19-inch alloys, dual-zone air conditioning, a 14.6-inch central touchscreen, AppleCarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a massaging driver’s seat, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, wireless smartphone charging and more.
Stepping up to Premium spec adds 20-inch wheels, dynamic LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, a hands-free tailgate and a 10-speaker B&O audio system. Notable options are a heat pump and a driver assistance pack, which provides a 360-degree camera, active park assist and a head-up display.
Inside the Ford Capri
If you have sat in a Ford Explorer, the Capri’s cabin will look very familiar. Frankly, it’s all rather ‘generic electric SUV’, with most functions accessed via the large, portrait-oriented touchscreen. The angle of the screen is adjustable, and it also serves as a locking lid for a 17-litre ‘MegaConsole’ located behind – a useful place to stash valuables when you park the car.
The shapely front seats are very comfortable and the crisp driver display offers up essential info at a glance. There’s also a slim and stylish soundbar atop the dashboard, like you might ordinarily find beneath a flatscreen TV. You select drive or reverse via a stalk on the steering column, which is intuitive enough, but the haptic touchpads on the wheel spokes are fiddly.
Despite sharing its software with Volkswagen’s much-maligned media system, the infotainment looks sharp and proves easy to use. There are more touch-sensitive pads on the centre console (to adjust the audio volume, for example), but they again make a simple task less straightforward. The campaign to bring back proper buttons starts here.
Finding a Ford flow
Like 95 percent of today’s SUVs, the Capri has absolutely no intention of ever going off-road. However, this taller, bulkier body style does have its advantages, as anyone who has squeezed into the ‘+2’ rear seats of a classic Capri will confirm. This time around, the Ford is a full-sized family car, with enough space for lanky teenagers on the rear bench and several suitcases in the boot.
On the flip side, SUVs are heavy – particularly those powered by batteries – and the Capri is no exception. With twin motors and all-wheel drive, as tested here, it weighs in at nearly 2.2 tonnes, which is a lot for anything with sporting pretensions. But Ford has a knack for making even very ordinary cars drive well, and it has also worked its magic again.
OK, don’t get too excited. The Capri still isn’t a sports car (as we know, it never was), and even 340hp and a punchy 501lb ft of instant electric torque won’t change that. Yet it steers and rides with a typical Ford fluidity that makes driving more engaging and enjoyable, even if you are just doing the school run. It’s a quality that the closely related Volkswagen ID models don’t possess.
I’d pass on the optional and huge 21-inch alloy wheels fitted to my test car (£1,000) in favour of a softer-edged ride and a few more miles between fill-ups. The rear-driven Extended Range model also looks like a more sensible buy, being cheaper, lighter and more efficient. In the context of its class, though, the Capri stands up well. Park your preconceptions and there’s a lot to like.
Verdict: 2025 Ford Capri
With the Fiesta already gone and the Focus being retired soon, Ford – in Europe, at least – has shifted its focus (no pun intended) away from its former heartland towards large and relatively expensive EVs. History may judge that to be a mistake, but what about in the here and now?
Most people won’t think the Capri is worth the £2,000+ premium over an equivalent Ford Explorer. For those who like how it looks and value a sharper, mildly sportier drive, however, it’s certainly a car worth considering, despite any misgivings you might have about the name. Maybe next time ‘Car McCarface’ would be a less divisive option.
Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research
Ford Capri Premium AWD
PRICE: From £56,185
POWER: 340hp
TORQUE: 501lb ft
0-62MPH: 5.3 seconds
TOP SPEED: 111mph
BATTERY SIZE: 77kWh
CHARGING SPEED: 185kW
RANGE: 346 miles