Ford Puma review

The Puma isn't too heavy, so the little 1.0-litre engine does a decent job, especially as it's torquey and quick-witted. The mild hybrid system actually adds less weight than substituting a bigger engine would have. It's worth revving high as the power keeps swelling toward 6,400rpm, but unfortunately so does the noise.

The mild hybrid works entirely as advertised, making the engine drive like a bigger one, while still showing impressive economy when you're going gently. In our experience you'll better 50mpg whichever of the engines you choose. Also it does a great job of quick idle-stops in town, turning off the engine before you've come to a halt, and restarting it instantly and magically at the very last moment before you need it to pull away.

Should I go 123bhp or 153bhp?

It's worth noting that post-facelift you can only spec the six-speed manual gearbox with the 123bhp engine. We're yet to try that combo, but from past experience we'd say that it's worth changing gear yourself in the Puma. Yes, the auto claims to be 0.2 seconds quicker from 0-62mph (when comparing the two 123bhp versions), and yet it feels sluggish and produces more emissions, and at the same time costs £1,800 more than the equivalent manual. A manual that just happens to be a great gearbox with sweet changes.

If you really need the seven-speed auto 'box or if you’re looking for entirely fuss-free commuting, it works fine when you’re just mooching, but we'd advise upgrading to the 153bhp engine to drop the 0-62mph time from 9.6 to 8.7 seconds. It'll make a big difference when the car's full with people and stuff.

Does it handle as well as a Ford ought to?

The steering is very Ford-like if a bit more rubbery than in a Fiesta or Focus. It's intuitive and clean, with a bit of feel. The Puma contains cornering roll decently, and balances the grip at the front and back. You can bowl along through a set of tricky bends and it won't shirk the challenge. Body control is genuinely good.

To be clear a Fiesta – certainly one with the ST-Line set-up – was simply more fun. So was a Focus. But for a crossover, this is good, and the ST-Line spec Pumas get a sport suspension setup that's not too firm but ties things down nicely. What isn't so good is the road noise, with some gritty hubbub coming through the tyres.

The ride is a little bobbly, but the suspension accepts big hits well enough. You sit 3cm higher off the floor than in a Fiesta, and the floor is 3cm higher off the road. That 6cm total lift is noticeable, but it's not exactly SUV altitude, and the driving position isn't too upright.

Does it have drive modes?

The driving modes affect the powertrain and skid control, but not the suspension because that's passive. Also they change the instrument colours and fonts, but not in a distracting way. They're normal, eco (softens the throttle, emphasises regeneration), sport (perkier on the open road but a bit sharp in town), slippery and trail.

What about this new 1.0-litre ST?

In isolation it's actually quite good fun. Ford bumps up the little three-cylinder to 168bhp and it makes some sporty noises. Even torque steers a little bit. But compared to the previous Puma ST that used the 197bhp 1.5-litre engine from the Fiesta ST, this is nowhere near as engaging.

You can partly blame the auto gearbox for that even though there are paddles to take manual control, and the seriously sporty suspension setup now feels overly stiff for something that'll only manage 0-62mph in 7.4 seconds. Yes it feels eager to dive in to corners and there's very little body roll, but the fact it also uses a dinner plate for a steering wheel detracts from the performance car feel. Shame.