Ford Puma cars

The style of the car

The Puma has a distinctive look, with its headlights almost on top of the front end. There’s certainly no mistaking it for any other small SUV. It’s small enough to be nippy around town but big enough to have a spacious, user-friendly interior.

How it drives

Most Fords are fun to drive and that’s definitely the case with the Puma. It feels light and responsive on a country road, easy to drive around town and quiet and comfortable on the motorway. The gear change is smooth and standard parking sensors are useful when manoeuvring. A range of petrol engines are available, some of which are more fuel-efficient mild-hybrids. The sporty ST model is fast and fun.

The interior

The Puma is a small SUV with five doors, five seats and an interior big enough for four adults, though tall people in the back seat might find headroom a little tight. It’ll certainly work as a family car whatever age your children are. The boot is big for a car of this type, with space for three large suitcases. The height of the boot floor is adjustable and the back seats can fold down to create extra space. There’s a ‘MegaBox’ storage compartment under the boot floor, ideal for carrying dirty shoes. A removable plug at the bottom means it can even be hosed clean. All models have air con, sat nav and cruise control.

Running costs and reliability

The Puma is great value for money. All models do at least 45mpg, according to official figures, and it won’t cost you much in road tax and insurance. Fords are generally reliable and the Puma has no apparent issues. Safety experts Euro NCAP awarded it a full five-star safety rating.

How it compares with similar cars

There are a lot of small SUVs to choose from, including the DS 3 Crossback, Peugeot 2008 and Seat Arona. Some rivals are slightly more spacious than the Puma, but it’s so much more enjoyable to drive and the MegaBox adds another level of practicality to its interior.