The cat is out of Ford’s bag, and it is a Puma that’s good enough to claw its way to the top of its class with on-trend styling, zippy performance and superb handling.
While the Puma name is new to our market, Ford has dabbled with feline names for its SUVs in the past.
The most recent being the mid-sized Kuga. The name never really struck a chord with buyers, and Ford hit the delete button and renamed the model the Escape.
There is a bit of an irony in Ford using an Escape to try to take a bigger slice of the small SUV sales cake.
Ford have unleashed two Pumas on our market, both 2WD.
Overseas, a high-performance ST variant is offered, but it is unlikely to find its way here.
The standard model retails for $34,990, and at the time of writing this road test, Ford has it on special at $31,990. That is still $2000 more than its launch price late last year of $29,990.
Next rung up the model ladder is the $37,995 STLine being reviewed here.
What does the ST-Line offer over the standard model to justify its premium pricing?
For starters a sportier appearance provided by 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, side skirts, a larger ST-Line integrated rear spoiler and LED headlights.
The Puma is powered with panache by Ford’s zesty and highly acclaimed 1.0-litre turbocharged EcoBoost three-cylinder engine, matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
With 92kW of power and 170Nm of power the engine is bristling with technology, including high-pressure direct fuel injection, twin independent variable cam timing and fuel-saving cylinder deactivation.
It goes much harder and faster than an engine of this modest capacity has any right to.
Sharp acceleration, strong mid-range pulling power, smoothness and sporty exhaust note — there is hardly a box this little gem of a motor doesn’t tick.
Small engines with large power outputs and emissions are very much in vogue these days.
My only niggle with the motor is some intermittent hesitancy under full throttle from standing starts, but it quickly gets back into its performance sweet spot.
The Puma earns more than a pass mark from me for its generously proportioned passenger compartment and large rear hatch cargo area.
A 2588mm wheelbase creates plenty of legroom for all occupants whether they are seated in the front or rear of the vehicle.
A smartly designed interior features tactile surfaces and a user-centric layout for the driver, instruments and controls.
The steering wheel houses fingertip controls for the voice-activated satnav and Apple CarPlay/ Android auto commands.
The in-built sat-nav, with complimentary map updates, is accessible via the 8.0-inch full colour centre display. The large, floating screen doubles as a 180-degree reversing camera.
The Puma is well suited up safety-wise with a host of driver assistance technology.
While we don’t have enough centimetres in this column to list them all, some of the highlights include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane keep aid with lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition and tyre pressure monitor.
This model is the first Ford urban SUV equipped with selectable drive modes.
The five on offer are: normal, sport, eco, slippery and trail. A unique graphic display in the instrument cluster shows the selected mode.
The Puma is built on the same platform as the latest generation Ford Fiesta hatch (only sold here in high-performance ST form) and enjoys the same excellent handling.
In my view, the ride and road holding sets a new benchmark for small urban SUVs in this price bracket.
The handling is simply outstanding, yet the suspension for all its corner swinging abilities defies the odds and conjures up a supple and smooth ride.
When you team the car’s supreme ride and road holding with the sparkling performance of its 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine, you get a class leading mini SUV hatch that looks good and drives even better.
- Bob Nettleton
