Small Fords are always a blast to drive, and the company’s new Puma, a Fiesta-based mild hybrid crossover, is no exception.
Whether you are scooting along country lanes or stuck in town it never fails to entertain, with leech-like grip, virtually no body roll and terrific steering. There is plenty of room for front-seat occupants although the rear is better suited to children than adults.
There is a choice of 125 or 155PS from a one-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost engine and a diesel version will follow. The 125PS unit feels totally up to the job and is uncannily quiet especially at low speeds. At tick-over you are hardly aware it is running.
I tried the 125PS model in ST-Line X trim, which came lavishly equipped with a Driver Assistance pack including 18-inch alloys, privacy glass, B&O audio system, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist, active braking, active park assist, front parking sensors and rear-view camera.
A totally unscientific poll among my neighbours was divided over the car’s styling. Some thought it aggressive-looking and attractive, others thought it pug ugly. I fall into the former group and thought its high stance and smart grey paintwork looked pretty good.
At first glance in the boot you think you have been short-changed. Even for a super-mini class car it looks a bit titchy, but hidden beneath the boot floor is another, 80-litre space called a “megabox” which can also be used for messy loads such as wellies and gardening waste and, because of its drain-plug, it can be hosed out. With 456 litres of loadspace the Puma is actually more capacious than a Focus.
The cabin is much the same as that of the Fiesta, with decent quality materials, and vision out is good – you sit 60mm higher than in a Fiesta, which is reason enough for many people to pick crossover models over saloons.
Rather than being a full hybrid, the belt-driven generator harvests energy normally lost during braking and provides a minor boost to economy and performance. You can specify the 125PS version with or without the hybrid system.
The cabin is comfortable and the Puma has adjustable lumbar support for front seats as standard across the range. Wind noise is subdued at normal speeds although it gets more noticeable on motorways, which is what you would expect from a taller crossover version. The quality feel is slightly let down when closing the doors, which make a clang rather than a reassuring thunk.
The Puma – not to be confused with Ford’s small coupe of the same name from the Nineties – is up against some stiff opposition, such as the Nissan Juke and Volkswagen T-Roc, although it is more fun to drive than either of them.
Prices start at £20,595, but choose a high-spec version and the car starts to look expensive. My test car cost £26,740 – not cheap for a supermini - although it was near the top of the tree in terms of trim.
If you pare back a little on the options list you can spec a well priced small crossover which you are unlikely ever to find boring. And there are not many cars like that.
Details: Ford Puma ST-Line X 125PS
Top speed: 119mph
0-62mph: 9.8secs
Economy: 43.5 to 60.1mpg
Price as tested: £26,740