There’s a new electric Ford SUV on the block, and it’s called the Capri. It’s caused quite a stir in the UK, but not because it’s a slightly less practical version of the (apparently rather good) Explorer, but because of its name.
Where the U.S. and many fun bits of the world got the muscle-tastic Mustang back in the day, the folk in the British Isles were denied its V8-y charm, and instead got… the Capri. It cut a fine figure, and over its life came with some exciting (and some not-so-exciting) motors. It was a sporty Ford for the masses and was much loved. Because of that love, this new Capri has upset a lot of people.
Some corners of the internet aren’t pleased because it’s not exactly like the one they took for a spin in Dagenham in 1978, others because they think a car company using its IP as it sees fit is an affront to all life on earth. Either way, mentioning online that you’re driving the new Capri can lead you to turn off your notifications.
[Full Disclosure: Ford asked if I wanted to try the new Capri for a few weeks, and I said yes. They took me for a nice brunch before handing over the keys.]
2025 Ford Capri EV (UK Spec)
Adding even more controversy is the fact that the Capri isn’t all-Ford, all the time under the skin. Like Europe’s new Explorer, it uses the Volkswagen MEB platform—think the ID.4, ID.7 and others. But it is built in a Ford plant in Cologne, Germany, and Ford worked hard to put its own spin on things.
It’s a different animal, for sure. But having been born the same year the Capri went out of production, and my Dad thinking they were a bit “naff,” I couldn’t have cared less about it not being a rear-drive gas coupé. I just wanted it to be a good car. So is it?
How Does It Drive?
Ford’s family cars in Europe have form when it comes to being great to drive. If the Capri is going to win hearts and minds (especially of people, like my mother, who fondly remembers being driven at 100mph down the A3 in the 1970s) it needs to make the mundane magnificent. Considering the rep that VW’s ID cars have, some breath-holding was required.
Naturally, there are drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual, plus Traction for bad weather on the all-wheel-drive cars. A lack of snow meant the inclement setting wasn’t stretched. I found myself mostly bouncing between Eco and Normal. Around town, Normal mode felt just right. A decent balance of performance, with 340bhp and 501 lb-ft on tap there’s quite a bit there should you need it, and energy conservation. Of course, you can switch the car to one-pedal driving, which I, frustratingly, kept forgetting to do, but when I remembered it didn't feel too grabby or over-enthusiastic. (Also, yes, it has one-pedal driving, while its VW cousins do not; point to Ford there.)
The Capri’s steering is well-weighted, and you get… some feedback through the wheels. In the city its height and slab-sidedness meant I could thread it through gaps that would make most people understandably nervous: it’s 6.1 feet wide and 15 feet long. For the UK’s narrow roads, that’s basically a tank. Its sensors bonged and pinged when I was parking, and its cameras were pretty decent—not the best I’ve experienced, but far from the worst.
On the highway, it was so quiet I’d rather like to buy Ford’s NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) team a pint. I was able to think without worrying about too much road or wind noise, and when my thoughts became dull my podcasts were wonderfully fired into my ears via a Bang and Olufsen stereo.
As is the way in 2025, its various automated driving assistance systems could be a little intrusive, but easy shortcuts on the touch screen made them easy to turn off. You never look for a car to knock your socks off on a highway run, and the Capri mostly didn’t. It was brilliant at being unremarkable, and for that I’m grateful. Eco mode was the setting of choice for the long runs. It noticeably nulled the throttle so I couldn’t waste electricity.
On some familiar country roads, Sport proved to be most entertaining: plenty of grunt and lots of space to use it. It’ll crack 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds, a damn sight quicker than the original, and it does so with gusto. Once you’re moving it lets up at a sensible speed, though still feels urgent when you need it to. It’ll make your mum's eyes widen, that’s for sure. Its steering, as it was in town, didn’t make me feel all aflutter, but it did its job well. The ride isn’t harsh, though it does struggle to hide the Capri’s 4828lbs heft. It’s certainly more fun than the ID5, but not quite as lithe as some would like. It rides a little hard for some, but not world-endingly so.
Passengers enjoyed it. They wanted to know what it was, they wanted to press buttons, and they found it both spacious and comfortable - even taller types didn’t mind its gently sloped roof.
Range and Charging
It can take fast charging speeds of up to 185kW, which isn’t really class-leading these days. And of the many I tried (bar one broken one in a McDonald’s car park; Instavolt, sort it out), it took a decent slug of charge up to 80% and leveled out nicely shortly after.
Ford says it’ll manage 3.8 miles per kWh if you’re a saint, but with mixed driving, my own predilection for speed and colder weather, it averaged 2.9 mi/kWh. Not too bad given the circumstances, but not brilliant either.
What’s It Like Inside And Out?
The Capri can be had in a rather natty yellow, and gleefully reinforces the “Yellow cars are the best cars” mantra I live by. Yet I’ll place a shiny pound coin that, bar some press/marketing/PR/’fun’ neighbors, there won’t be many bright Capris out there, and that’s a shame.
It’s interesting to look at. Some don’t like its front end, others reckon its side profile is a bit Polestar 2 (though the rear window swoop apes the original car a touch), but with its name spelled out for all to see and its slightly alien features, it doesn’t look like just another car.
The interior is neat, too. Much like the marginally more practical Explorer, the Capri is based on VW’s MEB platform - think IDs 4 and 5 and you’re about there. With that comes, obviously, VW bits, and a few missing Ford bits. Up front, there are still only two window switches and a touch-sensitive “rear” button for changing up the switch’s function and lowering those in the back.
Ford’s glorious QuickClear windshield tech was absent, which was annoying in the cold, but not the end of the world. The drive selection is a very VW affair too. It comes with plenty of space, and cubby holes galore. Its seats are comfy, and the materials feel pretty decent. It’s more on the ‘premium’ side of things than you’d expect.
Infotainment and Tech
Inside, as mentioned, there’s some evidence that VW’s had a hand in it, but it’s also very Ford-y. The massive 14.6-inch infotainment screen is slick ‘n quick, CarPlay works nicely, as does its native software. It’ll show you charging information, point you to nearby plugs, and does everything rather splendidly. It also slides from a gentle lean to near vertical, in the latter spot it reveals a hidden cubby hole for keys, wallets, and whatever else you want to stash in there (in my case, chocolate and last-minute Christmas gifts for unassuming loved ones). Its heated seats get to undercarriage roasting temperatures quickly, the same goes for the heated wheel—the second most important innovation in automotive technology after the three-point seatbelt.
Of course, updates are available OTA to keep the system running as smoothly as possible. While the Capri is full of neat tech, none of it feels like a groundbreaking new innovation. The focus here seems to have been making sure it drives better than its VW opposite number. My test car came with a heat pump, but it’s a cost option at £1,050 ($1,300).
What Does The Lineup Look Like?
There are three batteries available: 52kWh, 77kWh, or 79kWh. The 52 and 77kWh battery cars get a single-motor RWD setup, while the top-spec 79kWh car (the one I tested) comes with two motors and all four wheels driven. Ranges span from 243 miles to 390 miles depending on driven wheels and battery size.
Ford offers two trims in the UK - Select and Premium. Select comes with decent standard equipment like the 14.6-inch touchscreen, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, parking sensors, and more. Premium cars come with everything Select offers, as well as a B&O stereo, a panoramic roof, a power tailgate, bigger wheels, and other quality-of-life upgrades.
Pricing And Verdict
As tested, it cost £56,175 (roughly $69,000), before a few select options, but with those boxes ticked the grand total came to £60,325 ($74,000.) For a Ford without ‘ST,’ ‘RS,’ or ‘GT’ stamped on it, is quite a lot of money. These things are relative, of course, but for $74k I’d have hoped for an electrically adjustable passenger seat to match the driver’s side. Don’t cheap out on me now, Ford.
The Capri’s name might be contentious, and its looks aren’t for everyone, and that’s fine. As a car, I wasn’t blown away by it. It did everything it needed to do well, it didn’t let me down, and I didn’t feel the need to defend its abilities. The drive was smooth, charging painless, and over the miles, it didn’t make my ass ache. It’s also not especially groundbreaking as an EV in any way, though perhaps EVs are getting to the point where not every one needs to be.
When it went, though, I didn’t feel an overwhelming urge to get on the configurator and spec one for myself. It’s better than an ID.Whatever, but still not the killer must-have-car that the segment desperately needs.
The new Capri doesn’t shift the game on, but those who do take the plunge will enjoy its ease of use and general inoffensiveness (as a car, not as an idea—the committed people of the internet will put paid to that).
It really rips in yellow, though.
Gallery: Ford Capri Review
Alex Goy is a freelance journalist based in London. He likes British sports cars, tea, and the feeling of the mild peril that only owning a British sports car can bring to your day.
