New Ford Capri ride review: a first taste of the divisive electric SUV

The new Ford Capri has been making waves since its big reveal, and Auto Express was one of the first in the world to get in the car, with a ride at Goodwood Festival of Speed, just 24 hours after it was unveiled to the world.

The Capri took to the famous hill driven by stunt legend Paul Swift, who set the fastest production car time at the 2021 Goodwood event in a Mustang Mach-e GT.

The 335bhp Capri wasn’t going to trouble that time, but the 5.4-second 0-62mph meant a rapid getaway from the start line, and we were soon tenaciously chasing down the 1,180bhp Yangwang U8 that set off ahead, Swift kicked up dust cutting the second corner and we passed 100mph past Goodwood House, with Ford’s new electric car feeling happy to be thrown around on a full-pelt exhibition run. 

While the Capri has its unique styling on the outside – a look that Ford claims would have evolved from coupe to SUV naturally over the near-40 years since the nameplate last rolled off a production line – the inside is very close to the new Ford Explorer with which it shares underpinnings.

Pretty much the only little nod to the past on the inside is the three-holed metal spoke on the steering wheel; otherwise it’s near identical.

From marshals to spectators, the Capri definitely turned heads and the branding was clearly resonating with people who would probably not have given a second glance to a new electric Ford SUV with a random new name. The comments I heard as we picked our way back through the crowds to the paddock may not have been universally positive, mainly down to people of a certain age who remember the car as a desirable coupe rather than an electric SUV, but it certainly got them talking. 

What do you think of the new Ford Capri? Let us know in the comments below...