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The Ford Puma is one of the best small SUVs you can buy. In a market packed with rivals – some of them very good – the Puma stands out as one of the most well-rounded options. It’s spacious enough for family use, has a big boot and comes packed with features included as standard. On top of that, it’s fun to drive and is available with a choice of trims and engines. There’s even a high-performance model for maximum fun.
The Ford Puma has been on sale since 2019 and you have four trim levels to choose from, as well as various special-edition models. You could also opt for the sporty Puma ST, which has more power than the rest of the range. Only petrol engines are available. Almost all of the smaller, 1.0-litre engines have mild-hybrid technology to help improve fuel economy.
Even the Ford Puma’s entry-level trim – called Titanium – is well equipped with alloy wheels, a heated windscreen and cruise control, as well a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There are several ST-Line models, which have a sportier look taken from the high-performance ST. These are ST-Line, ST-Line X and ST-Line Vignale, all of which add various extra features, such as bigger wheels and a driver’s display in place of traditional dials.
The ST has 19-inch alloy wheels and extra-supportive seats. As well as extra power from its sporty engine, it also has the same features as the high-spec ST-Line X model and luxuries like a heated steering wheel.
All Ford Pumas are front-wheel drive and have relatively small, efficient engines, which means they don’t burn through fuel at the same rate as heavier four-wheel-drive SUVs. You can expect more than 50mpg from the ‘regular’ engines, while the performance ST model promises 41mpg, according to official figures, which compare very well to the fuel economy you can achieve in rival cars.
While the Puma can cost more to buy than some of those rivals, it gives you a good amount of features, space and power so it’s good value for money overall.
The Ford Puma is one of many small SUVs on the market, including some very good ones. Cars that you might want to check out include the Volkswagen T-Cross and T-Roc, which feel more premium than the Ford but can’t match its well-rounded appeal. If you want a diesel, look at the Renault Captur, which also offers a plug-in hybrid version with an official range of around 30 miles on battery power alone.
The Seat Arona has a sportier driving experience than many, and the Hyundai Bayon with its excellent five-year warranty, is also worth a look.
For its size, the Ford Puma is impressively spacious. You’ll get a decent amount of wiggle room in the back for a pair of adults, which means children should have all the headroom and legroom they need.
At 456 litres, the boot is very big for this class of car – easily big enough for several carry-on suitcases. There’s a useful extra storage space under the boot floor that Ford calls a ‘Megabox’. It’s made from tough plastic and is perfect for muddy shoes or other outdoor kit since you can fill it with water, scrub it and then pull a plug from the bottom to drain away the dirt.
The Puma is the smallest SUV that Ford currently makes, and it shares many components with the Fiesta hatchback. The other SUVs in the Ford range are the Kuga and the Mustang Mach-E.
That said, you can also find used examples of the Ford Ecosport for sale, which is an SUV that’s slightly smaller than the Puma. However, the Puma is a superior car in just about all other aspects.
Other non-SUV Fords include the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks and the S-Max and Galaxy MPVs.
When it was released in 2019, the Ford Puma was tested by the independent safety organisation Euro NCAP which gave it the maximum five stars. However, the Puma was put to an updated, more stringent test in 2022 and scored only four stars.
That’s still a good score, but it shows that the Puma is starting to show its age against newer rivals. Safety features fitted as standard in the Puma include automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and lane-departure warning.
Ford doesn’t make a full-hybrid, plug-in-hybrid or full-electric version of the Puma. Right now, the only electrified versions of the Puma are those fitted with mild-hybrid technology.