Ford has some pretty epic hero names in its back catalog, doesn’t it? Names like Explorer, Escort, Mustang, Capri. Oh, I used to love the Capri. As you will know, Ford is bringing those names back and putting them on cars that are nowhere near as heroic as the originals. I mean, the Explorer—it’s a good car, but it’s not really an explorer. The Mustang? Definitely not a Mustang. And today, I’m in Germany to see the Capri, which—you’ve guessed it—is just definitely not a Capri.
The Legend of the Original Capri
The Capri was an absolute legend, wasn’t it? Ford sold over 1.9 million of them over the 17 years it was in production, and it had—and still has—a very, very loyal fan base. But we need to forget about that car now. Go on, put it out of your mind. Stop thinking about it because this Capri is definitely not a low two-door coupe like its predecessor. It is officially a coupe SUV, which, if I’m honest, probably leans more on the SUV side of that description, as is the way with today’s cars.
The New Capri: A Coupe SUV?
So now, you have to think of the Capri alongside cars like the BMW iX2, the Cupra Tavascan, and the VW ID.5, instead of it being the European equivalent of the Ford Mustang, which makes me a little sad. But anyway, this car actually does have far more in common with the ID.5 than it does with the original of the ’70s and ’80s. Let me explain.
The VW Connection
You see, the new Capri is basically a Ford Explorer, and that car is basically a Volkswagen—well, kind of. Underneath the surface of both the Explorer and the Capri lies VW’s MEB platform and powertrains, which you may well be familiar with from the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, the Skoda Enyaq, and a whole load more.
Ford agreed to a tie-up with VW a few years back, so Volkswagen now uses Ford bits for its commercial vehicles, and Ford uses VW bits for its electric passenger cars in an effort to cut development and manufacturing costs. And that’s the reason why we have a Capri that isn’t a Capri.
Marketing and Target Audience
It’s quite telling, um, in the marketing info Ford gave me to read earlier. There is a 220-word highlight section, and in that section, just 10 words were devoted to the design, describing it as a “Soulful Coupe SUV.” The rest of it focused on boot space—of which there’s loads—the safety tech (very impressive), the massaging driver’s seats, the SYNC Move technology (which, yes, I know, sounds like something from a plumbing catalog), the car’s secret locker, and its admittedly high levels of tech generally. All of that probably tells you who this car is aimed at, and it is definitely not fans of the original design.
Family-Oriented Design
Nope, this is a car squarely aimed at families. And these days, Ford thinks that families all want to drive SUVs. Given that SUVs make up almost half of all the cars sold in Europe, they’re probably onto something. So you get two versions when it comes to spec.
This is the premium, so you get extra kit like a fancy B&O sound system, 20-inch alloys, and a hands-free tailgate. But even the entry level is well-specced, as is so often the way with EVs.
Similarities with the Explorer
So while it’s basically the same as the Explorer underneath, it does have a new look. It’s longer than the Explorer and more spacious, plus it has a different front and rear design which aims to give it that sleeker coupe profile. Although if you look closely, you can spot that the doors and the mirrors are exactly the same as the Explorers. That’s cost-cutting for you, folks.
I’ve been studying the car, trying to spot nods to the original Capri. The only thing that really stands out for me is this curve in the rear window—very Capri. Maybe the lights, because they’ve got that kind of twin style, haven’t they? Ford’s design team has said it’s important to them that the silhouette did look like a Capri from a distance. I’m sorry, I can’t see that myself. Maybe you can let us know in the comments below.
Expectations vs. Reality
Look, I’m probably being a bit harsh. I think the problem for me is that despite knowing that Ford is bringing back these iconic names and putting them on cars that are nothing like the originals, I thought it’d be different with the Capri.
Oh, it’s such a big character, such a kind of reputation. I’ve got nothing against this car—it’s fine. It’s another big crossover with a decent-sized battery. I just wish Ford had come up with an original name for it because then we wouldn’t have these expectations.
Comparing with Other Brands
I think brands like Mini and MG are doing a great job of reinventing their history for the electric age. Look at the Cyberster as an example of that—it’s modern, but it’s still an MG Roadster. I just don’t love the approach Ford is taking.
Performance
Anyway, enough of my moaning. Let’s talk about performance. The original Capri was designed to be affordable, fast, and fun. With prices that start at £42,000 for the standard range and go up to £52,000, you can rule out the affordable part.
As for fun, not really feeling it yet, but it will be fast. Let me put that into perspective. One of the most powerful versions of the Capri was powered by Ford’s 3.0L SXV6, and it had 138 brake horsepower, which made the Capri capable of speeds in excess of 100 mph, and it could do 0-60 in around 8 seconds.
Performance Details
Well, the dual-motor version of this car can manage 0-62 in 5.3 seconds, while the single motor takes just 6.4. Both versions—the extended range rear-wheel drive and the all-wheel drive—have the same battery capacity as the Explorer, 77 kWh and 79 kWh, respectively. Range? Well, that’s slightly up on the Explorer, with the single motor managing 389 miles of official range on a full charge. The dual motor? That’s good for 367 miles. Like the Explorer, a smaller 52 kWh battery is also set to join the range in 2025.
Driving Experience
Now, we expect the Capri will be pleasant to drive, given that Ford has done a good job on that with the Explorer. Oh, and by the way, if you haven’t seen Nicola’s first drive video of that car here on the channel, please do check it out. Ford describes the new Capri as the ultimate getaway car.
The original car was actually indeed that because there was a brilliant crime action series called The Professionals that went out in the UK in the late ’70s and ’80s. It had fantastic car chases, usually involving a Capri—there were two in the series. I used to love it when I was a little girl. Google it; it’s well worth a watch.
Practicality
Anyway, this Capri is not that kind of getaway car. You see, what Ford is referring to here is the size of the boot—it’s a good getaway car for a weekend away, if you get my drift.
Room for your bags. Never works if you have to explain it, does it? Anyway, it does have a very big boot—520 liters—which is larger than the Explorer. It also beats rivals like the BMW iX2, the ID.5, and the Tavascan. The rest of it is just like the Explorer, really. The rear seats fold and split, and there’s that through-loading area.
Interior and Features
Like the Explorer, though, you do get another handy bin which you could maybe squeeze your charging cable in. There’s no front trunk for that, so it will have to go under there or in that. Oh, and on the fancy version, the Capri Premium, you also get a foot-activated boot operator, which, of course, never works—ever.
So, you just always use that instead. But it’s there, and maybe you could get it to work. I know Nicola’s not been able to get it to work, and I can never get them to work either.
Rear Space
So, the back. Look, that is as far as that door opens. It’s not that far, is it? Look, I think you’ll be cursing Ford when you’re trying to get two or three children in and out of the back into car seats. You could do with just a few more inches. Of course, here in the back, it’s again a familiar story—it’s all very Explorer in here.
Interior Tech and Interface
One of the strongest points in the interior is this: the central screen, which tilts to different levels. They’ve refreshed the interface from the Mach-E, and you can use little shortcuts up here. When Nicola and Vicki drove the Explorer, they found these little shortcuts a bit fiddly.
They’re not bothering me quite as much. What does impress me, though, is just how easy and intuitive this system is to use. It’s a really good system, and it does clever stuff like allowing you to choose a specific charging network if you’re going on a long journey.
It will even let you filter out the speeds of the chargers that you want, so you’re not faffing around. Everything, of course, syncs to your app on your phone and will also sync through to a smartwatch as well.
The Party Trick
And of course, it has a party trick. If you watched the Explorer video, this is not going to surprise you. If you haven’t, well… ta-da! What do you mean that’s it? That is the party trick! It’s still quite cute—it’s a secret compartment for keeping secret things in.
Or practically, for putting your phone in or things you don’t want to take with you when you leave the car because that compartment pulls back forward when you get out of the car and completely locks it. I think it’s quite clever, actually. That’s my favorite bit of the inside of the car, and I do quite like the six-spoke design.
Charging Capabilities
When it comes to charging, again, it’s a very familiar picture. Both batteries manage an impressive 185 kW, not far off the class-leading rapid charging speeds from the likes of Tesla, Kia, and Hyundai. It can deliver a 10 to 80% charge in around 26 minutes when you plug into a fast enough charger. A 7 kW home charger will top it up in around 13 hours.
Exterior Design and Practicality
While I’m here at the back, I just want to show you this because it’s possibly my favorite bit of the car: the Capri logo. I do like the way that’s been introduced, and if you look, it’s kind of nice and sort of 3D and hidden behind glass. The Capri was originally marketed with the phrase “The car you always promised yourself.” Not sure that applies anymore. Would you promise yourself this car? I don’t know if I would.
Competition and Market Position
The problem is there’s so much competition in this market at the moment, with a lot of really established EV brands offering some very appealing cars, and there’s loads more to come. Ford has been late to the electrification party, and as well put together as this is, I’m just not sure it’s got enough of the coolness of the original Capri to make it stand out from all of those other cars.
