The Ford Capri Returns As A Tall Electric Hatchback

Following the 2019 launch of the Mustang Mach-E, which generated mixed reactions at first due to its use of the Mustang name, Ford is reusing another iconic coupe nameplate on an electric crossover to enhance its appeal. The new Ford Capri is here, and it’s billed as a coupe SUV, but it looks more like a hatchback on stilts, and it bears little resemblance to the two-door classic.

Looking at the new Ford Capri EV from the side, it reminds me more of a Polestar 2 than an actual coupe SUV. The BMW iX2, for instance, which is a direct rival to the new Capri, has more of a coupe SUV style and it’s more aggressive-looking. Still, it's handsome and something rather interesting in this space.

For those not immediately familiar with the nameplate—especially those in the United States—the Capri is a particularly famous marque in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, where it kind of played a similar role to the original Mustang in the 1960s and '70s. As a stylish fastback coupe with decent performance and a good amount of motorsports heritage, this "European Pony Car" appealed to younger buyers the same way its American cousin did. Today, the name remains fondly remembered by many fans, so its name making a comeback here is a pretty big deal.

Ford says the new Capri incorporates many design elements that nod to the original two-door built between 1968 and 1986. The shape of the new car’s headlights and the faux grille harken back to the Mark 2 Capri, but the biggest similarity is the shape of the fastback rear end with its almost rectangular light clusters.

Measuring 182.44 inches in length, it is almost seven inches longer than the new Ford Explorer EV for Europe and about 3 inches shorter than a Mustang Mach-E. Wheels range in size from 19 to 21 inches, and its choice of colors is said to be inspired by the classic Capri palette, especially the Vivid Yellow presentation color worn by the car in the gallery.

Inside, its focal point is a 14.6-inch infotainment screen running Ford Sync Move 2, which can swivel out of the way to reveal an additional storage cubby. The dashboard layout is minimalist, with no physical buttons other than the hazard triangle under the screen, and none of what you see would reveal that the Capri is one of several new electric Fords built on Volkswagen underpinnings using its batteries and motor.

Opening the large hatch reveals a 20.1 cubic-foot (570-liter) trunk, which can be expanded to 1,510 liters by folding the rear seats.

Just like the Explorer EV, the Capri rides on the VW MEB platform, making it a close relative to the ID.4; it's Ford's interpretation of the coupe-like ID.5. The base version gets a single 286 horsepower motor on the rear axle, which pushes the car to 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill in 6.4 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 112 mph. It draws from a 77-kilowatt-hour usable capacity battery pack that gives it a claimed WLTP range of 389 miles.

The more powerful dual-motor variant also gets a motor on the front axle, which bumps the combined power output to 340 horsepower and drops the sprint time to 62 mph to 5.3 seconds. The top speed remains the same. It has a slightly bigger 79 kWh battery and a WLTP range of 368 miles.

DC fast-charging the rear-motor version from 10 to 80% takes 28 minutes at a maximum charging power of 135 kW. The dual-motor has a higher 185 kW charging power and going from 10 to 80% takes 26 minutes. Both versions have the same 11 kW onboard AC charger.

Notable options for the Ford Capri include a heat pump, upgraded front seats certified by AGR, the German independent organization that promotes back health and a panoramic glass roof. It comes with plenty of safety systems as standard, like cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, evasion assist and lane assist. Optionally, you can add a 360-degree surround view system, lane change assist and a head-up display.

The base car comes as standard with LED headlights, but the Capri Premium trim level upgrades them to matrix LEDs with an automatic high beam function. It also gets an upgraded B&O sound system with 10 speakers and mood lighting over the base trim.

Ford will build the electric Capri exclusively for Europe at its newly upgraded Cologne factory in Germany, which saw a $2 billion investment to ready it for EV production. The base price for the rear-wheel drive model is €51,950, but the model may become cheaper in the future if Ford decides to offer a more affordable version with a smaller 52 kWh battery pack and a lower-power motor.