Ford Cougar 1998–2001 car dimensions: 4699 mm long, 1769 mm wide and 1325 mm high. Unladen weight is 1,391 kg. Braked towing is 1,500 kg.
Climate control is standard, often as semi-automatic temperature control. Front and side airbags plus ABS come as standard. Cruise control is optional on manuals and standard with automatic gearbox. Rear parking sensors are an extra-cost option. No touchscreen or advanced electronic driver aids appear in the equipment lists.
Boot space measures 426 litres with seats up and expands to 930 litres with the rear seats folded. The liftback design gives good access for a coupe.
Braked towing capacity is 1500 kg and unbraked is 695 kg. Payload is listed at 334 kg. No heavy-duty cooling or reinforced suspension packages are noted for work use.
The cabin is a sporty 2+2 layout with bolstered front seats offering good lateral support and driver height plus lumbar adjustment as standard. Automatic climate control keeps the interior comfortable. Front space is generous for a coupe with solid width, while rear seats suit occasional use due to limited leg and head room under the sloping roof. An electric tilt-slide sunroof was optional. Cloth trim is standard. leather and heated fronts came in higher packs mainly with the V6.
Combined fuel use 8.3-8.5 l/100 km on Super unleaded, 60-litre tank.
Engine oil and filter change every 15 000 km or yearly.
Standard safety: driver, passenger and front side airbags plus ABS with EBD.
Traction control optional on the 2.0. four ventilated disc brakes.
Not crash-tested by Euro NCAP.
6-year anti-corrosion warranty. galvanised panels and cavity wax.
The 2.0 16V Zetec runs on Super unleaded and returns official combined figures of 8.3-8.5 l/100 km, with urban around 11.7-12.1 and extra-urban 6.3-6.4. Real-world averages sit near 7-9 l/100 km depending on driving. A 60-litre tank gives a practical range for long trips.
Servicing follows typical Ford intervals of the era. Oil and filter are due every 15 000 km or once a year. The camshaft drive is a belt. spark plugs, air and fuel filters have longer intervals listed in service data. Brake fluid every two years. Parts remain available through Ford and specialists.
Safety equipment is solid for the late 1990s: dual front airbags, front side airbags protecting head and thorax, four-channel ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, and seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters. All-disc brakes (ventilated front) are standard. Traction control is optional on the 2.0. The car was never subjected to a full Euro NCAP test.
Living with the Cougar means a practical liftback boot of roughly 350-430 litres expanding to 930 litres with seats folded. Alloy wheels, power steering, electric front windows, central locking with remote and immobiliser/alarm are standard. Regular rust checks help longevity thanks to the multi-stage anti-corrosion process. It is straightforward to maintain as a Mondeo-based coupe.
Length 4699 mm, Width 1769 mm, Height 1325 mm, Wheelbase 2704 mm (Cougar 1998–2001)
Sources: manufacturer data, Ford Cougar technical specification and ADAC Autokatalog Herstellerangabe, Suspension layout, ventilated-disc diameters and the, Ford's German technical data of 30 October 1998 also.