Ford Puma review

You might remember the Ford Puma name on a small coupé back in the Nineties, but here we're reviewing its staggeringly successful small SUV reincarnation.

What does staggering success look like? Well, for the Puma it meant winning our overall Car of the Year award and spending many months at – or near – the top of the UK's sales charts.

Echoing the original Puma, you could say the latest model looks sportier than most other cars in its class and that it's more fun in other ways too, as we’ll come on to explain.

Ford Puma video review

The Puma was recently treated to a mid-life facelift – the front Blue Oval badge has been relocated to the grille and the design of the LED headlights is different, for example. There are changes inside too, with a new infotainment system and an updated dashboard and steering wheel.

So should you buy a Ford Puma instead of, say, a Nissan Juke, Skoda Kamiq or VW T-Roc? Read on to find out, as we rate it in all the important areas and compare it with the best small SUVs...

Excluding the ST version, which we review separately, all Ford Puma engines are 1.0-litre petrols with 48-volt mild-hybrid (mHEV) technology that can shut the engine off to save fuel when you’re coming to a stop. As you engage a gear, the engine fires back into life in the blink of an eye and a small electric motor adds a bit of zip to help you on your way.

Even the entry-level Ecoboost mHEV 125 was able to accelerate from 0-60mph in 9.6 seconds in our tests – much quicker than any Nissan Juke or the VW T-Roc 1.0 TSI. It pulls reasonably well from low revs and maintains cruising speed effortlessly. If you want more pace (not that it’s crying out for it), the Ecoboost mHEV 155 is noticeably nippier, hitting 60mph from a standstill in 8.7 seconds. That's as quick as pricier small SUVs, including the Audi Q2 35 TFSI.

The mHEV 125 comes standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, with the option to upgrade to a seven-speed automatic. The 155 mHEV, however, is exclusively available with the seven-speed automatic gearbox.

To read about the ST sports SUV version see our Ford Puma ST review.

If ride comfort is a priority, you’d be better off looking at the Skoda Kamiq or VW T-Roc. Both have softer suspension, which means you feel less impact from lumps and bumps as they pass beneath the car.

In fact, if you want the most comfortable Puma, Titanium trim is your best bet because it’s the only version to come without the firmer sport suspension fitted to all ST-Line variants. Even so, the Puma is far from a bone-shaker and never gets uncomfortable – it just follows the contours of the road more closely than the Kamiq and T-Roc.

There's a positive trade-off too: better body control equals less bouncing on undulating country lanes. We think most buyers will quite like the compromise. The Nissan Juke jostles you around in your seat far more. While we recommend sticking with 17in or 18in wheels if buying a Puma, the ride isn’t too harsh with the largest 19in alloys (optional on all but the entry-level trim).

If you enjoy driving and value handling, the Puma will really win your heart. It's super-nimble by small SUV standards and you’ll notice its agility whether you’re merely scooting around a roundabout or driving down your favourite country lane.

To experience the Puma at its most entertaining, you'll want an ST-Line version with sports suspension. It helps keep the body more upright when cornering, although even the entry-level Titanium version darts into bends more eagerly than most of the rivals.

Then there’s the steering. It’s quick to respond and gives you a far better sense of connection to the front wheels than you get from a Hyundai Kona, a Juke or even a Kamiq – again, something you can appreciate whether you're driving on quicker roads or zipping about town.

There are certainly quieter small SUVs than the Puma. Its engines have a slightly sporty rasp and there’s a fair amount of tyre roar at a steady 70mph – especially with 18in or 19in wheels fitted. On motorways, the Kamiq and T-Roc do a much better job of keeping unwanted noise from reaching your ears.

On the other hand, the Puma’s precise, snickety gearshift, feelsome clutch pedal and progressive brakes make it a really easy car to drive smoothly. Although the slick manual is our pick, the seven-speed automatic gearbox is smooth too.

The stop-start system goes about its business incredibly unobtrusively, and you hardly even notice when the engine switches off and on. It’s smoother and much quicker to respond than the system fitted to the Jeep Avenger e-Hybrid.

“The VW T-Roc is a little more comfortable than the Puma, but when it comes to driving thrills, the Ford is streets ahead. It’s the kind of car I find myself taking for a drive just for the sake of it.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

No matter which trim you go for, the driver's seat in the Ford Puma is comfortable and comes with adjustable lumbar support to help prevent back pain on long journeys. A minor gripe with the entry-level Titanium’s seats is that they could do with a bit more side support, but that’s solved on all ST-Line versions, with their thicker bolsters. 

All Pumas have front seat height adjustment and plenty of movement to get the steering wheel just where you need it, no matter your shape or size. And while you don’t sit as far above the road as you do in a VW T-Roc, you’ll prefer that if you favour a sporty driving position.

Depending on your driving position, you might find the aggressively angled front pillars block some of your view at junctions and roundabouts. Visibility out of the back of the Puma isn’t brilliant either – blame the rising window line and chunky rear pillars for that.

On the plus side, all Pumas come with a reversing camera and rear parking sensors as standard. If you want front sensors and a 360-degree reversing camera, you’ll have to option the expensive Driver Assistance Pack, which also adds adaptive cruise control.

LED headlights come as standard, while matrix LED headlamps – which alter their beam to avoid dazzling other drivers – are a reasonably priced option.

As part of the Puma’s mid-life facelift, it receives a new 12.8in infotainment touchscreen that’s located lower down on the dashboard than the 8in unit it replaces. That means it’s no longer in your line of sight, and as a result you have to look down and away from the road to use it.

The increase in screen size does mean the big virtual buttons are easier to hit while driving, plus it’s running Ford’s latest SYNC4 software. That means it’s noticeably faster to respond to inputs than the old system, which places it ahead of what you’ll find in the Nissan Juke and VW T-Roc. It’s just a shame the operating system isn’t as modern-looking as the T-Roc's system.

Unfortunately, the physical climate controls from the pre-facelift Puma are gone – instead you'll find them incorporated into the bottom section of the touchscreen. That's a shame because it makes them more distracting to use while driving than the previous set-up.

Range-topping ST-Line X models have a wireless charging pad for your smartphone and a punchy 10-speaker B&O sound system. If we’re being picky, the sound quality isn't quite as warm or enveloping as the Bose system in range-topping versions of the Juke, but it's still good.

The Puma’s interior looks more modern than before, but the quality of the materials used isn’t really any better. Most of the plastics on the dashboard feel cheap to the touch and the faux leather-wrapped trim pieces aren’t very squidgy.

However, what hasn’t changed is the standard of fit and finish. Most of the plastics on the dashboard feel cheap to the touch and the faux leather-wrapped trim pieces are not very squidgy.

Overall, it’s more lavish than what you’ll find in a Hyundai Bayon or Toyota Yaris Cross but it can’t quite match the Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 or VW T-Roc for upmarket feel. Meanwhile, the Lexus LBX feels significantly plusher and more robust inside.

“The Puma's steering wheel, pedals and gearlever are perfectly placed for a sporty driving position. For me, it's intrinsic to the model’s already impressive driving experience.” – Dan Jones, Reviewer

Unless you’re exceptionally tall, you’ll fit just fine in the front of the Ford Puma and won’t find yourself struggling for head or leg room.

It's not as roomy as the VW T-Roc though – that car has a few more centimetres of head room, along with a slightly broader interior that provides more shoulder room between the driver and front passenger.

There’s plenty of storage space, with decent-sized door bins, a cubby in front of the gear lever, another one below the front armrest and a couple of cupholders between the front seats.

The Puma's small rear side windows don’t help create an impression of roominess and, in real terms, a couple of six-footers will have less knee room than in the limo-like Skoda Kamiq or either the VW Taigo or VW T-Roc.

Head room is worse than it is in those rival cars, but in case that all sounds rather damning, you can still carry a couple of tall passengers in the back without too many grumbles.

We think it’s best to avoid the Puma's optional panoramic roof because it lowers the height of the ceiling and reduces head room further, especially in the back.

All Pumas have 60/40 split-folding rear seats, which matches what you get in almost all small SUVs, including the Kamiq and T-Roc, and the Lexus LBX. 

However, it's a pity there’s no ski hatch in the Puma (there is in the T-Roc), or any other neat touches, such as the sliding rear seats offered in the VW T-Cross.

You can fit six carry-on suitcases in the Puma's main boot compartment – one fewer than you’ll squeeze into a Kamiq, Toyota Yaris Cross or T-Roc. The Puma has a trick up its sleeve though: if you lift up its boot floor, you’ll find a large well underneath that can swallow two more cases, increasing the overall boot volume to 456 litres.

The boot floor can clip to the rear seatbacks so you can stand two sets of golf clubs, or a couple of large pot plants, upright in the well. There’s even a removable plug at the bottom, so you can hose out any mud afterwards.

The boot floor is height-adjustable. When it's set to its highest position and the rear seats are folded down, there's no step in the floor of the extended load bay and only a very small lip at the boot entrance. The tailgate-mounted parcel shelf lifts up when the boot is opened to give excellent access.

“The Puma's underfloor boot storage grabs the headlines but I’ve also found the 12-volt power socket in the boot to be very useful.” – Stuart Milne, Digital Editor

There are no weedy engines in the Ford Puma line-up, nor are there any super-basic trim levels. That explains why its starting price is higher than those of the Nissan Juke and Skoda Kamiq. However, in like-for-like form, it’s actually cheaper than both those cars, and also undercuts the equivalent VW T-Roc.

PCP car finance deals are usually pretty attractive, helped by the fact that the Puma is predicted to depreciate more slowly than many of its peers. It’s more economical too – in our real-world Real MPG test, a pre-facelift 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 155 averaged a very respectable 45.1mpg.

The Puma pumps out less CO2 than many small SUVs so it's a relatively cheap company car – just not as cheap as an electric SUV. Mind you, an electric Ford Puma is coming soon.

The cheapest Puma trim, Titanium, doesn’t feel that entry-level at all, with 17in alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, automatic climate control, cruise control, a 12.8in digital driver's display and heated door mirrors, alongside touchscreen infotainment and parking aids.

Our favourite trim is ST-Line because when paired with our favourite engine (the 155 mHEV) it’s only marginally more expensive than Titanium yet builds on that car’s already great specification, with sportier styling, power-folding door mirrors, sports seats and sports suspension.

ST-Line X trim is too expensive to recommend, but if you want all the kit then it’s your only choice. It introduces 18in alloy wheels, keyless entry, an upgraded B&O sound system, a powered tailgate, part-synthetic leather seats and adjustable lumbar support for the passenger’s seat.

The Puma finished 19th out of 23 small SUV models in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey –above the Nissan Juke but below most other rivals.

As a manufacturer, Ford finished mid-table, claiming 14th place out of the 31 brands included. That’s one position below Skoda but above Nissan and VW.

All Pumas come with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard, although that can be extended to five years (with a 100,000-mile limit) for an extra charge. That’s about average, but you get longer standard warranties with the Hyundai Kona and Kia Stonic.

All Pumas come with the modern safety aids you’d expect, including automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance and traffic-sign recognition.

The optional Driver Assistance Pack is well worth considering. It’s not cheap, but introduces adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, an Evasive Steering Assist system and Cross Traffic Alert (to stop you from pulling out on an unseen vehicle).

Safety testers from Euro NCAP awarded the Puma four stars out of five for safety in 2022 – a slightly disappointing score. To keep would-be thieves at bay, all Pumas come with a Thatcham category one alarm and immobiliser.

“While the Puma’s engines are punchy and fuel efficient, I think a full hybrid would be a good addition. I appreciate that there’s a fully electric version on the way.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here