CAT WISE (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_fordpuma_2020

By Jonathan Crouch

The improved version of Ford's Puma still looks an interesting package for buyers in the small SUV segment searching for something a little more fun. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 63

Ford's little Puma small SUV was launched in the middle of the Covid crisis, but that didn't stop this 2020 market entrant from becoming the UK's best-selling car. Now the brand has usefully updated this model, with a smarter look and a redesigned, better-connected interior. The major reason you might like it though - this car's sharp, engaging handling - remains as before.

Backgroundword count: 123

You'll probably be aware of Ford's Puma - it's a strong seller. The name was borrowed from a much-loved turn-of-the-century little Ford coupe, but what we've got with this car is what the brand calls an 'SUV-inspired Crossover'. Here, we look at this car's mid-term facelift, which builds on sales success which saw the original version of this model topping the UK car sales charts in 2023. As before, this Puma it's good looking, efficient and spacious by class standards, with loads of clever interior touches too. And if it can deliver on its dynamic promises, you might just have here pretty much everything you'd want a small SUV to be. Is that what this improved Puma serves up? Time to find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 309

Ford hasn't fundamentally changed anything about the engineering or handling of this revised Puma; it didn't need to. This was already the most engaging car to drive in its segment. What the company has done (rather disappointingly) is drop the sporty 1.5-litre four cylinder engine previously fitted to the top Puma ST, so all Pumas now use some sort of three cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost mild hybrid 48V unit, the powertrain you probably would have chosen anyway. As before, for mainstream models this comes in either 125PS or 155PS forms, the lesser engine offered with either 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic transmission. The 155PS variants come only in auto form. As does the top sporty ST flagship variant, which gets this 1.0-litre engine tuned up to 170PS. The availability of a manual transmission Puma ST was deleted along with that much more powerful 200PS 1.5-litre four cylinder engine. Selectable drive modes feature - 'Normal', 'Eco', 'Sport', 'Slippery' and 'Trail'. As before, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol unit isn't a full-Hybrid; ie it can't ever power the car on battery power alone. Instead, an 11.5kW integrated starter/generator recovers energy when coasting or braking which then gets stored in a small lithium-ion battery. This is then used to assist the engine during acceleration and to run the stop/start system. The rest to 62mph sprint in the 125PS model takes 9.8s en route to 119mph, figures the 155PS model improves only slightly to 8.7s and 124mph. The 170PS ST is a bit faster (7.4s and 130mph). With the Puma ST derivative, an optimised chassis features bespoke twist-beam, anti-roll bar and damper configurations. And steering response is 25% faster and the brakes are 17% larger than the standard Puma. For the mainstream line-up, some might want to wait for the all-electric Puma Gen-E, which will use a 55kWh battery offering around 230 miles of range.

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