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Daily Mirror

Lifestyle

Colin Goodwin

Ford Puma ST-Line X review: New compact SUV puts the boot in rivals

Back in the late 1990s, Ford made a great little coupe based on the Fiesta called the Puma. Now Ford has resurrected the name and stuck it to a crossover because who on earth would try selling a little coupe these days?

Like its earlier namesake, the Puma is also based on the Fiesta. However, though it uses the same platform, dimensionally it is substantially different.

It’s 146mm longer than the Fiesta for a start; 54mm taller and with a 95mm longer wheelbase. That’s what makes a crossover.

The next two dimensional adjustments turn it into a crossover that’s unusually pleasant to drive – not as fun as the coupe Puma but at least it tips in that direction.

These are a width that’s increased by 71mm and, more importantly, the track has been widened by 58mm.

This should create a car that’s better planted in corners because extra width will reduce the effect of a higher centre of gravity.

For the moment, you can only buy a Puma with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with a choice of 94bhp or 123bhp power outputs.

The 123bhp one is also available with a mild hybrid system, which is essentially a starter/generator unit that helps the engine by reducing the effect of turbo lag and reducing Co2 emissions. There’s also a 153bhp version of the engine that uses the mild hybrid system.

I don’t quite understand why Ford doesn’t fit all Pumas with this Co2-reducing tech.

Later, Ford will offer a 1.5-litre diesel engine and the rumour machine says there’ll be a high-performance ST model.

There’s no word about a fully electric version of the car or a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

We’re testing a Puma with the 123bhp motor fitted with the mild hybrid system, which Ford refers to as MHEV, which while not exactly dishonest does rather overstate the ‘hybridness’ of the vehicle.

Our car is in ST-Line X spec which means an on-the-road price of £22,895.

We’ll go straight to a feature that I really like.

The Puma’s boot floor is higher than the Fiesta’s and because the MHEV’s lithium-ion battery which lives under the boot floor is pretty small, the car’s designers have used the space to fit a square 80-litre plastic recess.

Ford calls it the Megabox.

What’s really useful is that there’s a bung in the bottom of it that allows you to wash out the box if it’s got all muddy from wellies or anything else stowed in it. Simple but useful.

Give me more of that rather than complicated driver-assistance systems that none of us asked for.

Moving forward to where the people sit, we have a well-made dashboard that features a 8in touchscreen and a digital instrument pack.

Smartphone mirroring is included, and on this trim level there’s a nice B&O audio system.

The materials used are what you’d expect at this price point (the cheapest Puma costs just over £20k) with a mixture of hard plastics, soft surfaces and a bit of chrome embellishment to add a bit of sparkle to the otherwise business-like interior.

The seats are comfortable and there’s adequate legroom front and back.

Only manual gearboxes are available on Ford’s test fleet at the moment but automatics are on their way. The engine is smooth with a pleasant note.

You’ll not notice the hybrid system doing its bit. And is the Puma the fun-to-drive car that its predecessor was?

Certainly it is one of the more pleasant-to-drive crossovers on the market with tidy handling, a comfortable ride and a safe feel.

The steering could have more weight but otherwise there’s little to criticise. That said, I’d rather drive a Fiesta if I were after a more enjoyable experience.

But any deficiencies in the driving experience are more than made up for by the Puma’s practicality. Especially the Megabox.

I hope that’s an invention that’s widely copied.