IF YOU want an affordable car that offers a sporty drive, good looks and practical capabilities, check out the Ford Puma ST.
The blue oval badge marque’s compact crossover is engineered to put a smile on the face of enthusiastic motorists. Yet it can also accommodate a family and their belongings, while its dynamic exterior design drew positive attention from onlookers.
The model I was testing came with the ST Performance Pack to crank things up further yet only cost from £31,075 on the road – giving you a lot of car for the cash.
Arguably, the main element of what makes this such a fun car to drive is its three-cylinder, 1.5-litre, petrol engine that produces a serious 200PS of power.
It’s mated to a short-throw, precise, six-speed, manual gearbox, with a solid chrome and leather-clad lever that’s truly enjoyable to use.
The dash from standstill to 62mph takes 6.7 seconds and the 137mph top speed matches many sports cars. Nonetheless, it is still officially capable of an average 41.5mpg and CO2 emissions of 155g/km.
During my week with the car, I found it astonishingly difficult to get the petrol gauge to drop and the informative trip computer showed the fuel economy statistic was pretty much on the money.
The multi-function, chunky, flat-bottomed, perforated-leather steering wheel provides superb feedback, while a push of a button allows you to change between normal, sport, eco and track driving modes.
These make noticeable differences to the acceleration, steering and special ST suspension response, as well as the noisiness of the engine.
Hit the sport option on a twisting, hilly, country road and the extra oomph, tighter steering and stiffer suspension will get you grinning as you feel connected to the black stuff under the wheels.
But if you are motorway cruising, sit back in eco mode – with its slightly softer acceleration, steering and ride responses – and you’ll be more comfortable.
Around town and for other everyday driving with passengers, the normal selection is perfect for the job, blending the best of the other road modes.
If you’re on a mixed route, as I am on my drives between towns and villages south of Glasgow, a handy S button on the steering wheel lets you flick between sport and normal.
The ST Performance Pack adds to the joy by giving a mechanical limited slip differential to boost grip, cornering and acceleration responses, and a launch control function for the best take-off from the start line.
The set-up also includes a performance shift light and shift indicator to enable drivers to make the optimal gear changes for either high-speed action or best economy.
Slowing or halting the car can always be done rapidly, too, as befits the red brake calipers on show beneath the striking 19in machined alloy wheels.
Inside, you’ll find plenty of Ford Performance and ST logos, and they even flash up on the infotainment screen and 12.3in digital instrument cluster upon start-up.
The figure-hugging, eco-friendly, faux-leather and suede Ford Performance front sports seats, red stitching, alloy pedals, carbon-effect detailing, flashes of red around the air vents and dark headlining leave you in no doubt about this car’s power credentials.
And yet there’s enough room for a family of four or five to travel comfortably – depending on the age of the kids. The 456-litre boot also boasts a washable, drainable, underfloor 80-litre space that’s ideal for wet, muddy gear.
The amount of creature comforts also ensures the Puma ST is great value. So buyers will enjoy keyless entry and start, auto lights (including high beam) and wipers, cruise control with speed limiter, lane keeping assist, automatic pre-collision braking and parking sensors at each end.
A decent automatic climate control is backed up by the Quickclear electric heated windscreen, along with heated front seats and steering wheel.
Tech highlights include the digital instrument cluster that provides a wealth of information and cleverly changes appearance depending on the drive mode.
Then there is the user-friendly SYNC 3 infotainment set-up, with an eight-inch touchscreen, sat nav and full smartphone integration.
There’s also a wireless charging pad, voice controls, wi-fi connectivity, 10-speaker B&O audio system and an emergency call function.
All Puma models have attractively bold front and rear ends, swooping lines and dynamic creases. But the ST steps things up a gear with a body styling kit, including a Ford Performance embossed splitter, black contrast roof, large rear spoiler and dual exhaust.
LED lights front and back as well as lights projecting the ST logo on to the ground from the powered/heated door mirrors add to the sense of this being a special car, which indeed it is.
