Remember the old Ford Puma, that cute coupé that looked like someone had sat on a KA? During its short five-year production stint, the front-engined, front-wheel-drive car became a national sweetheart, even winning over cynical Clarkson and the Top Gear team, who named it their car of the year back in 1998.
Ford reveals next gen Puma SUV
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However, when production of the original Puma ceased in 2002 after 133,000 units, many assumed the name would die. And with fewer than 5,500 left on the road in 2019, that shouldn’t have been long… But, in somewhat surprising move, the Puma name is back. Gone is the diminutive little sportscar, and in its place is a muscular, SUV-styled compact crossover.
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Sitting somewhere among its already extensive range of hatchbacks and compacts, the new Puma boasts Ford’s Hybrid 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain, which enhances the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine with a 11.5kW ‘belt-driven integrated starter/generator’ (BISG). Replacing the standard alternator, the BISG regenerates energy in braking and coasting and uses it to charge the Puma’s 48-volt lithium-ion air-cooled battery pack. This stored energy is then used to provide torque assistance during acceleration.
Available in 125 and 155PS variants and mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox, the EcoBoost engine promises a punchy performance, with up to 50 per cent more torque available at lower speeds. Other petrol and diesel engines will be on offer without the mild-hybrid system, and with a six-speed manual gearbox.
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There’s a range of safety and assistance systems designed to make driving the new Puma as stress-free as possible, including adaptive cruise control, Speed Sign Recognition, Lane Centring and Local Hazard Information, a system that uses data from “local authorities, emergency services, and driving data from other vehicles connected to “the cloud”” to warn you of potential accidents or obstructions on the road ahead, even if you can’t see them yet.
You’ll also find a 180-degree reversing camera, a first for a B-segment Ford, massage front seats, wireless phone charging, Wifi, Post-Collision Braking (a system that uses the brakes to continue to stop the car automatically after an accident has occurred), and Ford’s Active Park Assist with Perpendicular Parking (a system that will park the car hands-free).
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Although seen here in ST-Line form, with Pearl Grey 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps and a metallic grey rear diffuser, you can opt for the ST-Line X with bigger 18- or 19-inch wheels and tweaked, more sports-orientated springs and dampers, or the Puma Titanium.
So, would you buy the new-look Ford Puma? Or is the original two-door still the apple of your eye?
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