Ford Capri Review

Introduction

The Capri was a legend. Ford sold 1.9 million of them over the 17 years it was in production, and it still has a very loyal fan base. But we need to forget that car now because the new electric Capri is definitely not a low, two-door coupe like its predecessor. It is officially a coupe-SUV. Looking at it, I think it errs more on the SUV side of that description! The size and pricing of the Capri puts it up against the BMW iX2, Cupra Tavascan or VW ID.5 – and, speaking of VW, the Capri has far more in common with the ID.5 than it does with that original Ford icon of the 70s and 80s. 

You see, the new Capri is basically a Ford Explorer, and that car is basically a Volkswagen. Well, sort of… Beneath the surface of both the Explorer and the new Capri lies Volkswagen’s MEB platform and powertrains, which you may be familiar with from the ID.3, 4, 5, Skoda Enyaq and the rest.  

Ford agreed a tie-up with Volkswagen a few years back, so that VW 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 why we have a Capri that isn’t a Capri. 

Styling and dimensions

In the marketing info that Ford gave us for the reveal of the Capri, there was a ‘220 highlights’ section, but it’s quite telling that only 10 were devoted to its design, describing it as a ‘soulful coupe-SUV’. The rest focused on boot space, safety tech, the massaging driver’s seat, the SYNC Move technology (which I know sounds like something from a plumbing catalogue), the lockable cubby hidden behind the touchscreen, and the high levels of safety kit. That probably tells you who the new Capri is aimed at - and it definitely isn’t all those fans of the original car. The people who will be buying this car will be after a stylish, electric family car – and that’s what they’re getting with this 4.63m-long coupe-like Ford Capri SUV.  

But, that shouldn’t mean that it can’t have styling cues from the original, right? Yet, the only thing that stands out to me is the rear quarter window. Maybe the lights, too. Ford’s design team maintain that it’s important to them that the silhouette looked like a Capri from the distance. I’m sorry, but I can’t see it myself. Hey - maybe you can? Have a watch of the video, and let us know in the comments section if the similarities are jumping out at you in a way they aren’t at me.

Don’t get me wrong – I have nothing against the new Capri! It looks fine, and it’s understandable that it’s another big crossover with a big battery, but I just wish that they’d come up with an original name for it. Then we wouldn’t have had those expectations. I think brands like MG and MINI are going a brilliant job of reinventing their history for the electric age - look at the brilliant Cyberster as a great example as that. It’s modern but it’s an MG roadster. Anyway, enough of my moaning – the sales figures don’t lie, and it’s SUVs that sell. So it’s an SUV that the Capri has become! Simple as that, really.  

Interior

Inside the Capri, it’s all rather familiar from the Explorer – but the seats are a bit Capri-like. with integrated head rests like the original car, and the steering wheel is also Capri inspired with its single spoke at 6 o’clock. 

Other than that, it’s everything you’d expect from a modern family EV. The 14.6-inch touchscreen gets Ford’s own software, with permanent shortcut buttons that you can configure to help you hop quickly between your most-used functions – although they are a bit small and fiddly. It’s also a bit annoying that, if you select a Drive Mode or enter the vehicle settings from the shortcuts, the screen doesn’t automatically return to the previous screen you were on – and there’s no easy ‘back’ button. 

Even so, it is really clever that – as with the Explorer – the screen tilts manually and reveals a ‘secret locker’ behind, which is a nifty place for keeping your valuables secure and out of sight.

It’s spacious enough, too, with room for three kids to sit in the back seats with only a bit of elbow-bashing, and the flat floor makes for good legroom, too. The seat backs fold in a 60/40 split to leave a flat, extended boot floor – and there’s a centre rear armrest and through-loading facility, too. 

Boot space

Ford describes the new electric Capri as ‘the ultimate getaway car’ - and original car was indeed that, and featured as such in plenty of movies and TV series back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Unfortunately, this Capri is not that kind of getaway car; Ford is actually referring to the size of the boot, which is pretty impressive at 572 litres – making it great for those weekend getaways… Get it? Full marks to Ford’s marketing team for that one. Anyway, that boot is really big, and is up there with the Skoda Enyaq for outright space. The fact that it’s a deep load space helps with that overall capacity, but there’s a variable boot floor, too, which is good for hiding your cables – especially as there’s no frunk.

Battery, charging and efficiency

The Ford Capri will be offered with rear-wheel drive, single motor models or a four-wheel drive, dual-motor version. The single motor Capri will be available with a 52kWh usable li-ion NMC battery capacity as of 2025, but it’s the 77kWh car that will arrive first – complete with a range of up to 389 miles. It can also manage 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds thanks to the 282bhp electric motor, which is fast even by the standards of its rivals.

The dual motor Ford Capri gets slightly different battery chemistry and a usable capacity of 79kWh, which is good for 367 miles of WLTP range. Not bad given the 335bhp and 0-62mph time of 5.3 seconds. 

As for charging speeds, the 79kWh Capri Extended Range AWD does that faster, too! It gets a peak DC rapid charging rate of 185kW, so you’ll get a 10-80% charge in 26 minutes. 

The single motor Ford Capri Extended Range RWD charges at up to 135kW, which is still good for the same top-up in under 30 minutes. A 7kW home charger will top the Explorer up in around 13 hours. The Type 2 and CCS charging sockets are compatible with almost all public chargers. 

Price and equipment

Prices start at £42,075 for the 52kWh Ford Capri Standard Range, while the Extended Range RWD that’s likely to be the biggest seller costs £48,075, and the AWD will  be £52,075. Monthly finance deals are yet to be announced, but obviously those will be absolutely critical. 

All of those brochure prices are for the entry-level Capri trim, although it’s hardly basic with standard keyless entry, massaging driver’s seat, heated seats and steering wheel, wireless phone charging, 19-inch alloy wheels and reversing camera - not to mention that 14.6-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and nav software that can find and factor in your charging stops. The Capri also includes a full suite of safety systems including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and a system that tells you if there’s a cyclist or car approaching when you’re about to open your car door. 

The Capri Premium adds fully-adaptive Matrix LED headlights, B&O sound system, 20-inch alloy wheels, adjustable ambient lighting and various style cues. 

Verdict

The original Capri was marketed with the line ‘the car you’ve always promised yourself.’ I’m not convinced that applies any more. There is a lot of competition in this part of the market with brands like Kia and Renault offering some very appealing cars, and there are still more to come. 

Ford have been late to the electrification party and, as well put together as the new Capri is, I’m not sure it stands out from the rest despite the Capri name. As always, that opinion may change when we drive it, and we reckon it’s going to be a really nice drive going by how good the Ford Explorer is. And you can check out Nicola’s video on that, right here.​

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