Review - Ford Puma

As one of the newcomers to the segment, the Ford Puma has more than a few tricks up its sleeve to impress buyers, but does it offer an enticing enough package to win over buyers?  Let’s find out. 

Starting Price: $29,990

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Ford Puma (ST-LINE) Specifications

For more details and other variants, check Ford Puma car page.

How Much Does It Cost?

The Ford Puma lineup kicks off in the form of the Puma FWD, which is priced at $29,990. The range then moves to the Puma ST-Line, which is priced at $32,340, moving to the range-topping Puma ST-Line V which receives a price tag of $35,540. 

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change, and do not include on-road costs. 

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Using OnlineAuto’s car buying service in Australia, you could save by using one of our car experts to help you find the best new car for you. 

What Features Does the Ford Puma Have?

The entry-level Ford Puma FWD comes riding on a set of 17-inch alloy wheels, and receive automatic LED headlights with LED daytime running lamps, LED tail lights, keyless entry and start, cruise control, a reversing camera with rear-mounted parking sensors, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, faux carbon fibre interior touches, wireless smartphone charging, two USB ports with three 12V outlets, as well as an 8.0-inch infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite navigation and DAB+ radio, which is paired with a seven-speaker sound system. 

Puma ST-Line Features

Opting for the Puma ST-Line adds a set of 17-inch machined alloy wheels, an ST-Line body kit, sports suspension platform, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, ST-Line sport seats, a sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, metal pedals and red contrast stitching throughout the interior. 

Puma ST-Line V Features

Finally, the flagship Puma ST-Line V adds a set of 18-inch alloys, adaptive LED headlights, chrome exterior highlights, a quilted leather upholstery, climate control, hands-free boot lift and an upgraded 10-speaker sound system from B&O. 

Range Features: 

• 17-inch alloy wheels 

• Automatic LED headlights, daytime running lamps 

• LED tail lights 

• Fog and cornering lights 

• Cruise control 

• Leather-wrapped steering wheel 

• Wireless smartphone charging 

• Faux carbon fibre interior elements 

• Keyless entry & start 

• 8.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, sat-nav and DAB+ radio 

• Seven-speaker sound system 

• 17-inch machined alloys (ST-Line) 

• Sports suspension (ST-Line) 

• ST-Line body kit (ST-Line) 

• 12.3-inch digital driver’s display (ST-Line) 

• Metal pedals (ST-Line) 

• Sport seats (ST-Line) 

• 18-inch alloys (ST-Line V) 

• Adaptive LED headlights (ST-Line V) 

• Quilted leather upholstery (ST-Line V) 

• Climate control (ST-Line V)

• Hands-free boot lift (ST-Line V) 

• 10-speaker B&O sound system (ST-Line V)

Ford Puma Colours 

The Ford Puma is available in a range of colours as standard, including Agate Black, Desert Island Blue, Blazer Blue, Grey Matter, Frozen White, Fantastic Red, Magnetic Grey and Solar Silver. 

Is it Comfortable to Drive? 

At its heart, the Ford Puma uses the platform taken from the Ford Fiesta, which is a car well-known and celebrated for its abilities while driving around town. As a result, the Puma is one of the leading options in the segment for those looking for a comfortable, confidence-inspiring vehicle for daily driving, which are all key considerations for compact crossovers. 

The Puma range is powered by a tiny little 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol unit that produces 92kW and 170Nm of torque, with power sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Translated to English, this means that the power figure might not seem impressive on paper, but in the Puma’s small and lightweight platform it feels perky and agile, and with a dual-clutch transmission at hand, gear shifts are lighting fast. 

On the road, the Puma takes all the things we’ve come to love about the Fiesta in and around town, and adds a little bit more ride height for those looking to get a better view of their surroundings. Ford has designed the Puma no doubt with city driving predominantly in mind, and we’re pleased to report that the results are class-leadingly impressive. 

The lightweight steering rack makes it easy to drive, even at low speeds, while the compact proportions and sharp steering offer an extremely impressive turning circle that makes parking and U-turns a simple task. 

In terms of overall driving comfort and stability, the Puma offers a fairly firm ride quality that is perfectly suited to the smooth city streets, however, driving on B-roads with rough surfaces can transmit some noticeable bumps into the cabin. Overall, though, the suspension strikes a nice balance between being supportive and even engaging for the driver, while being comfortable enough to soak up major bumps on the road. We’d recommend steering clear of the sports suspension fitted to the ST-Line variants, which detract from the Puma’s overall day-to-day driveability. 

As a complete driving package, the Puma is an outstanding entrant to the already crowded world of compact SUVs, and in a number of ways, leads the pack with its perky engine, sublime chassis design and user-friendly platform that makes city driving a simple, effortless task.  

Is it Practical and Spacious? 

Considering the fact that the Puma rides on a chassis taken from the Fiesta, practicality and spaciousness aren’t exactly the Puma’s strongest points, however, Ford’s designers have worked wonders with the limited space available in the platform. 

The front cabin offers a heap of space and comfort for the driver and front passenger, with a relatively straightforward approach to the design. While it might lack the design flamboyance of something like the Nissan Juke, Ford’s interior packaging prioritises user ergonomics and real-world practicality rather than stylish interior features. As a result, the Puma features a number of clever storage areas for a small vehicle, including a large storage tray behind the gear lever for smartphones and loose items, large door bins either side, as well as storage in the folding armrest. 

Moving to the rear of the cabin, you’ll find a bench seat with in-built ISOFIX anchors for those of you with young children. Sitting in the back of the Puma as an adult is entirely possible, although there is a distinct lack of head and legroom for taller adults, as per usual with vehicles of this segment. The rear of the cabin is, however, perfectly suited for growing families with young kids, and so long as the driver can sacrifice some room, adults will be fine in the rear for short to medium-length journeys. 

Thankfully, though, the Puma makes up for this and continues to stand out from the crowd when you look at its cargo storage potential. With the help of some clever designs from Ford, the Puma offers some of the largest boot space of the entire compact SUV segment, with a boot rated at 410L, which extends to 1,170L with the rear seats folded down. This means that the Ford Puma matches the boot space figures on offer in some significantly larger SUVs, and makes for a genuinely practical offering within the compact SUV segment.  

Is it Safe? 

The Ford Puma has been awarded a five star ANCAP safety rating, scoring 94% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child protection, 77% for pedestrian protection and 74% for safety assist technology. 

As standard, all Puma variants receive autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a reversing camera with rear-mounted parking sensors, automatic lights, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and lane keep assistance and a host of airbags. 

Is it Fuel Efficient?

Another area that the Ford Puma manages to excel over its competitors is fuel economy. Powered by a small capacity, turbocharged three-cylinder engine that returns combined cycle figures of 5.3L per 100km, making it one of the most fuel efficient vehicles within its segment.  

The Puma also receives engine stop-start technology that reduces the amount of fuel used while sitting in traffic, as well as cylinder deactivation technology that significantly reduces how much fuel you’re using. 

Our Verdict: Is the Ford Puma Worth it?

The Ford Puma is an absolutely outstanding little compact SUV that is significantly more fun and engaging to drive than pretty much all of its major competitors. In terms of ticking all the important boxes of relaxing, user-friendly driving, impressive fuel economy, smart features and outstanding practicality with one of the segment’s largest boots, it’s difficult to find any major faults with the Ford Puma. 

If you haven’t already, ensure the Ford Puma is added to your shortlist while shopping around within the small SUV market, and on that note, if you’re in the market for a new car, you can get a free quote and see how much OnlineAuto can save you on your next car, or call us on 1300 719 925 

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year, unlimited KM warranty 

2. Four-years / 60,000km of capped price servicing included 

3. 12-month/15,000km service intervals 

4. Five star ANCAP safety rating

5. 5.3L/100km fuel economy on combined cycle 

Pros 

• Perky, fuel-efficient engine and smooth transmission combination 

• Generous equipment lists 

• One of the largest boots available in the small SUV segment 

Cons

• Premium starting prices for the segment 

• Headroom issues in the rear cabin for tall passengers 

• Firm suspension 

OnlineAuto Rating: 9/10

Ford Puma Competitors