The Ford Capri EV Is a Good Car Fighting Its Own Name
All three reviews arrive at nearly the same split verdict: judged as a family electric SUV, it's genuinely accomplished — judged against the memory its name revives, it can only ever disappoint.
When a Name Becomes a Liability
Reviving a beloved nameplate is usually meant to generate goodwill. In this case, reviewers keep noting it's done almost the opposite, setting expectations the actual car was never going to meet regardless of how good it turned out to be.
Specs at a Glance
| Body style | Electric SUV coupe |
|---|---|
| Battery options | 52kWh, 77kWh, 79kWh |
| Drivetrain | Single motor (RWD) or twin motor (AWD) |
| Claimed range | Up to 389 miles (77kWh RWD) |
| 0–62mph | 5.3 sec (AWD) to 8.7 sec (entry RWD) |
| Price range (new) | From around £42,075 |
Full Review Summary
What Car?
What Car? measured the Extended Range version's 0-60mph time at a genuinely quick 5.8 seconds, edging out rivals like the Cupra Tavascan and Kia EV6 GT-Line in back-to-back testing. They found the driver's digital display nearly obscured by the steering wheel in its lowest setting, a specific ergonomic complaint, and rated interior materials as feeling low-rent compared with rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Real-world range in cold weather testing fell short of the official figure, though still comfortably beat several direct competitors tested on the same day.
Top Gear
Top Gear rated it the best-driving car among its closely related VW Group siblings, praising smooth, well-calibrated steering, braking and ride that each complement one another. They were skeptical of the naming decision itself, noting the car costs over £2,000 more than the mechanically near-identical Explorer for a boot that's larger but a interior that offers essentially the same passenger space. Their verdict was that buyers who can see past the nostalgic name will find a spacious, easy-to-live-with car underneath.
Autocar
Autocar's road test flagged interior trim quality as a genuine weak point, describing cabin materials as feeling glum and behind rivals like the Peugeot e-3008 despite pricing that pushes into premium territory. They liked the practical touches — extensive storage, a lockable hidden compartment behind the sliding touchscreen — but found the steering wheel's haptic touch controls genuinely frustrating to use. Their overall take was a practical, well-rounded family EV let down by cabin ambience that doesn't match its price point.
Strengths
- Quick, competitive real-world acceleration
- Smooth, well-judged ride and handling balance
- Genuinely spacious, practical interior with clever storage
- Strong official range figures
Weak points
- Interior materials feel behind rivals at this price
- Costs more than the mechanically similar Explorer
- Frustrating haptic steering wheel controls
- Real-world range in cold weather falls short of official figures
Who It Actually Suits
Buyers shopping purely on merit as a spacious, comfortable electric SUV will find plenty to like here. Anyone shopping specifically for nostalgia value tied to the original name should adjust expectations significantly, and it's worth cross-shopping the cheaper Explorer first given how little separates them mechanically.
More Ford Reviews
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- Ford Explorer EV Review & Summary