The Ford Kuga has made regular appearances in the news recently, due to numerous reports of its engine bursting into flames.

MyBroadband spoke to a number of used car dealerships about the pricing of used Ford Kugas and whether the spate of fires has affected the car’s value.

This applies to the Kuga 1.6 model in particular, which has been recalled by Ford South Africa due to a overheating fault which causes engine fires.

There have been around 50 reported incidents of Kugas catching fire in SA since December 2015.

Only 1.6-litre models built between December 2012 and February 2014 are covered by the recall, said Ford. This totals 4,556 vehicles locally.

Pre-owned sales

One dealer told MyBroadband that due to the news surrounding the Kuga fires, the prices of its used Ford Kuga models have seen a notable decrease over the last four weeks.

The dealership did not provide exact figures regarding the decrease in the price of its used models.

Another used car dealership said that all Ford Kuga prices have fallen since the vehicles began bursting into flames, including newer models and engine versions which are not affected by the recall.

Other Kuga models not affected by the recall include the 1.5-litre Trend and 2.0-litre Titanium models.

Despite Gumtree classifieds placing the value of affected Ford Kugas at above R200,000, the Dispatch reported that many owners have been struggling to sell their vehicles for anywhere near their book value.

As a result of the engine fires, Kuga owners are reportedly being offered prices as low as R115,000 from dealerships.

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