Ford Puma SUV review

Verdict - Is the Ford Puma a good car?

The Ford Puma is a small SUV that's the brand's best-selling car in the UK. With fashionable looks, excellent handling and punchy engines it shares a good deal with the now-retired Ford Fiesta, albeit in a more practical package. You sit higher up than in a supermini, and there's more ground clearance, along with extra space in the back seats and boot – even if some rivals offer even more room. Interior quality is only average, but equipment and technology is plentiful with most trim levels. 

Ford Puma models, specs and alternatives

You may remember when the Ford Puma was a sleek, sporty coupe that could turn heads on a high street and wonder why, after a near two-decade hiatus, has Ford attached this name to a small SUV. 

The good news is that while the sleek ‘90s coupe is long gone, the latest Puma has more in common with its predecessor than you may think. It uses a Ford Fiesta platform and – despite its looks – it is still great fun to drive. The latest Puma has even proven itself in the WRC (the World Rally Championship).

Top 10 best small SUVs 2024

That’s really where the similarities end, which is great news for families looking for a fun and affordable small SUV. The Puma sits in the Ford SUV lineup between the EcoSport and Kuga, and while it’s based on the Ford Fiesta platform it feels considerably bigger thanks to its sporty crossover stance and a boot that’s more spacious than a Focus hatchback.

If there's a class in which a quirky design has proved successful before, it's the one the Puma now finds itself in; the Nissan Juke that effectively kicked off the crossover segment looked like nothing else on sale. That's also true of the Toyota C-HR, even if a few other contenders, such as the Skoda Kamiq and SEAT Arona, represent more conventional designs.

Unlike rivals such as the Juke and Peugeot 2008, the inside of the Puma is much more traditional. Sit in one of the car’s seats and the Puma feels a lot like a Fiesta on stilts, albeit a roomier one thanks to extra space in all directions. There's a new digital instrument cluster for the first time in a Ford, but the central infotainment screen is familiar and some of the dark grey plastics are rather unadventurous. At least the touchscreen itself is clear and easy to use.

There are two versions of Ford's 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, namely the entry-level 123bhp with mild-hybrid tech and a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox, and a more powerful variant with 153bhp. This three-cylinder petrol engine is well suited to the Puma's lively character, with the most powerful version offering brisk acceleration from 0-62mph in nine seconds. The mild-hybrid system works effectively to harness the energy usually wasted while slowing down, using it to take some strain off the combustion engine. The resulting figures of around 48-50mpg with CO2 emissions ranging between 127-140g/km make the Puma affordable to run for private buyers, although company car drivers would be better off considering something like a Renault Captur E-Tech Hybrid, thanks to its low Benefit-in-Kind tax rating.

It might be fairly tall, but Ford's engineers have worked their magic on the Puma's chassis, and it's a good crossover to drive, with a pleasant manual gearbox, nice steering and little body lean. Know-how and some shared parts with the excellent Fiesta help here, and the Puma feels as engaging as many well-sorted hatchbacks. 

For buyers who want a Puma with more punch, the Ford Puma ST is also available. It uses the same 197bhp engine as the Fiesta ST hot hatch and manages the 0-62mph benchmark sprint in 6.7 seconds.

Titanium, ST-Line, ST-Line X and ST-Line Vignale trim levels are available. New for 2022 is the ST-Line X Gold Edition, which adds several bits of exterior bling such as gold alloy wheels and a set of racing stripes. Standard kit on the Puma includes 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, wireless phone charging and an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. ST-Line adds a sporting makeover and digital instrument panel, while ST-Line X brings part-leather trim, tinted glass and a B&O sound system.

At the top of the range, the ST-Line Vignale gets a model-specific alloy wheel design and tweaked styling with a mix of black gloss and chrome trim. Inside, imitation leather-trimmed seats are fitted, with matching trim on the instrument cluster. There's also a Vivid Ruby Edition, with distinctive paintwork and a contrasting black roof and exterior trim, which comes fully loaded with kit. 

Larger in every direction than the Fiesta, the Puma is big enough to steal some Focus sales, and its 456-litre boot is actually a bit bigger and more practical, with a handy washable storage 'MegaBox' liner, adjustable floor and flexible parcel shelf that accommodates tall items. There's also decent room in the back for passengers, although it misses out on the sliding rear bench of the Renault Captur.

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Small SUV sales have been increasing and Ford needs the Puma to clinch as much of the market as possible. The Puma has consistently been one of the UK’s best-selling cars in recent years, with ‘Blue Oval’ since cancelling the long-running Fiesta in order to focus on its SUV lineup. Ford has also announced that an all-electric version of the Puma is coming as part of its new ‘Model-E’ sub-brand, although this is still a year or so away. A facelifted Puma has also been spotted testing, and it's expected to hit showrooms in 2024.