The electric Ford Capri was launched amid considerable controversy.Charlie Magee PhotographyFew vehicle launches have faced as much controversy as the arrival of the electric Ford Capri. Only Jaguars rebrand in November 2024 raised more hackles in the last year. Detractors lamented that the new vehicle wasnt an electric update on the cheeky two-door sports coupe they remembered from the 1970s. Instead, it is a chunky SUV. But you should never judge a book by its cover, or a car by public opinion. So I test drove the Ford Capri for an extended period to find out if it warranted the negativity.Ford Capri By Name Only?Although the marketing (and name) of the electric Capri has focused on heritage, the Capri could be viewed as a more imaginative spin on a coupe version of the Ford Explorer, although the Capri is nearly 17cm (6.5in) longer than the latter. Coupe SUVs, many of which are genuinely quite ugly, do appear to be popular with buyers. This is presumably because they try to package the family practicality of the SUV into something that looks a bit sportier, so you can feel like you havent quite given up on fun in the move to having kids. Most electric SUVs now have a coupe variant. Ford has just taken that trend a little further by producing something that doesnt just slant the back a bit but is considerably more distinct.Except that then they called it a Capri, because that was a Ford icon from the heyday of fastback sports coupes. There was even a fastback Ford Granada, which Ive always thought was one of the coolest-looking cars Ford has ever sold in Europe. The problem is that the electric Ford Capri doesnt bear much, or even really any, resemblance to the original Capri created by American auto designer Philip T Clark and sold from 1968 to 1986. Only the rear quarter panel looks a little like what went before. So, despite the marketing, and claims by designers that they were inspired by the original, the Capri link is decidedly tenuous.Not the Ford Capri some of us remember from our childhood.gettyBut once youve got that out the way, the new electric Capri has potential. The drivetrain choices are the same as the Ford Explorer. Theres a 52kWh battery with a 170PS rear motor, a 77kWh battery with a 286PS rear motor, and a 79kWh battery with dual motors providing 340PS. Like the Explorer, this platform is licensed from Volkswagen, rather than developed in-house by Ford. However, the Capri is not just a Volkswagen ID.5 with a different body shell. Ford claims it has substantially tuned the drivetrain, and there are only a few indications of the VW connection. The infotainment is all Ford.Only two trims are available Select and Premium. The Select comes with 19in wheels, partial Sensico leather upholstery, and a seven-speaker sound system. Upgrading to Premium brings a fair bit of extra kit. The wheels are 20in, the upholstery is all Sensico, the sound system a ten-speaker one from B&O, a panoramic sunroof is added, and the tailgate is powered. The LED headlights gain a matrix function, so only portions are dipped that might blind oncoming traffic, with the remainder remaining on high beam. This makes driving at night safer, particularly on dark country lanes without additional lighting.MORE FROMFORBES VETTEDFord Capri: Interior Space And TechnologyThe Capri is essentially an SUV. Its not as tall as many SUVs, but its still quite large, has four doors, and a sizeable rear cargo space. The interior is black, whether you go for the Select or Premium trim that just changes the upholstery material. Even the Select trim has heated seats, but with Premium you get an electrically adjusted drivers seat with a massage function. This certainly improved the long-distance drives I did in the Capri. Its disappointing that the passenger seat is mechanically adjusted, however.The central console offers wireless phone charging via a slot ahead of the central armrest, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto supported. Although the climate control functions are accessed via the 14.6in portrait orientation infotainment screen, the main functions are permanently onscreen and not that hard to access. The infotainment screen has a hidden trick, too. It can tilt its angle, and when fully upright reveals a compartment underneath. If you slide it back to more of an angle, it will lock into position when the car is powered down, making this a good place to store valuables you need to leave in the car.The cockpit experience is of high quality.FordThe steering wheel is conventional and has built-in buttons. The left-hand stalk is for lights, indicators and windscreen wipers, because the right-hand stalk operates drive modes. Although the design is different, this operates in the same way as other vehicles with the Volkswagen Groups MEB powertrain you twist for drive, reverse or neutral, or push the button on the end for park. Theres a relatively small 5.3in digital instrumentation panel, which is another feature with some VW heritage. If you choose the optional Driver Assistance Pack, you get a decent Head-Up Display as well.Although the Ford infotainment interface is quite colorful, with large icons, it suffers a little from having a few menu styles for different categories of information. But its generally easy enough to navigate once you get used to it. Motor power options include Eco, Normal, Sport or Individual. The all-wheel drive powertrain also gains an Offroad option. Some settings menus can be accessed via buttons on the top of the screen, but others require a trip through a further layer of icons.Despite the slanty back, there is plenty of space in the back of the Capri. In the Premium car I tested, the large panoramic sunroof made the rear feel even more spacious. You will probably buy this car for transporting a family with kids in the back, but two adults should be fine even on longer journeys. The middle seat is best kept for kids, although if there are only two rear passengers you can pull the back down to make an armrest with a couple of cupholders.There's plenty of space for luggage in the back, despite the slanty coupe roofline.FordAnother potential loss with a coupe SUV is rear luggage space, and the Capri doesnt do too badly here either. The basic capacity with the rear seats up is 572 liters. Theres a small amount of space under the floor just enough to keep your charging cables out of the way. Dropping the rear seats forward expands capacity to 1,510 liters, which isnt going to challenge the Tesla Model Y, but should be sufficient for the family shop, grabbing DIY items, or a weekend away. There are plenty of electric SUVs with a lot more space in the back than this, including the Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV, but its on par with a compact station wagon. The Capri can also tow, but only 1,000kg, or 1,200kg with the all-wheel drive version. The tow hook is a 900 ($1,100) option.Not A Ford Capri For The Professionals, But Range Is GoodAnyone whos driven an original Capri, at least without some additional upgrades, will confirm that its handling is very much of its era. It wasnt really a sportscar, even if British TV cop show The Professionals used Capris successfully to catch criminals. Their successors probably wont be using the new electric version for the same antics, however. While most electric cars are surprisingly quick, the Capri isnt exceptional in this respect. The 170PS motor goes from zero to 62mph in 8.7 seconds, while the 286PS motor drops this to a reasonably quick 6.4 seconds. The all-wheel-drive variant is more on the rapid end of the scale at 5.3 seconds, but thats still not Tesla levels of performance.My test car was the 286PS, 77kWh Premium version. The ride is firmer than Volkswagen Group MEB vehicles Ive tried, but still not too harsh for pothole-filled British roads. The Capri feels a little big in the city, and the large A-pillars obstruct visibility slightly. The steering isnt as responsive as youd want from a car with sporty pretensions, although you can drive quite brusquely on A-roads. Highways are where the Capri feels most at home. It sits very confidently and still offers plenty of torque at motorway speeds. This isnt a sports SUV, despite the marketing. Its more a sporty-looking family car.The Ford Explorer already offers good range, and with a slightly more aerodynamic body, the Capri goes even further with the same powertrains. The 52kWh car offers 243 miles of WLTP range. The 77kWh battery offers up to 390 miles with 19in wheels (370 miles with 20in ones), while the 79kWh battery goes to 343 miles due to the 20in wheels and more powerful motors.The electric Ford Capri is a sporty-looking SUV rather than a sports SUV.FordDuring my testing on a variety of highways, A-roads and city streets, I managed 3 miles per kWh in the 77kWh rear-wheel drive Premium I was testing. Thats okay, if not exceptional, and would make a real-world range of 231 miles. It was also in cold winter conditions. A heat pump isnt standard in the Capri, either its a 1,050 ($1,300) option. My car had this fitted, but it also had a 21in wheel upgrade, which would have reduced its range.Charging speeds are good but not bleeding edge. The 52kWh battery maxes out at 125kW, and the 77kWh battery at 135kW, but the 79kWh battery goes all the way to 185kW. This larger battery only takes 26 minutes to go from 10 to 80%, while the 52kWh and 77kWh units require 28 minutes. These times will be fine for a break every 2-3 hours, making long distance driving comfortable.Ford Capri Faces Crowded MarketThe electric Ford Capri has divided opinion, mostly due to its name and Fords marketing strategy around that. But when you put this to one side, its a competent car with many positive features. Passenger and luggage space are practical, range is decent, and comfort levels good. The more major issue is the price. Even the base 52kWh Select car starts at 42,075 ($53,000), with the 77kWh Select 6,000 ($7,500) more at 48,075 ($60,500). The Premium trim adds 4,100 ($5,000). The all-wheel drive version is 56,175 ($70,500), although thats only available in Premium form.Thats a lot of money for a Ford Capri. The Volkswagen ID.5 is a little cheaper, as is the latest version of the Skoda Enyaq Coupe. Even the larger Tesla Model Y compares quite favorably on price. This is a shame and doesnt fit Fords image of affordable quality. The quality is there. The Capri is a solid car. But with increasing competition from Chinese brands such as XPENG and Leapmotor in Europe, Ford will need to rethink its pricing, if it can, to make this car a success.