• Car Dealer Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
No Result
View All Result
Home Car News
These were the UK’s best-selling cars in 2020

Road Test of the Year 2020: Ford Puma

Car Dealer Magazine by Car Dealer Magazine
January 19, 2021
in Car News, Road Tests
0

How do you make a car such as the Ford Fiesta appeal to a wider audience? After all, it’s a consistent frontrunner in the monthly sales charts, outpacing key rivals when it comes to sheer overwhelming popularity, writes Jack Evans.

The Fiesta is a core part of British motoring, as applicable to families and couples as it is to first-time drivers and everyone in between.

But the thing is, hatches aren’t hot property. Oh no, the big deal is crossovers – which is why we’ve seen manufacturers from Mercedes to Mazda introducing their own not-quite-an-SUV-not-quite-a-hatchback models to enthral the vast swathes of people who find the idea of sitting up a little higher quite appealing.

And would you believe it, Ford has cottoned on to it. Which brings us to the Puma you see here. Yes, I know, it’s not a coupe-esque sports car like the one first introduced back in 1997, but rather an upright, happy-looking kind of thing. I quite enjoy the styling of the Puma if I’m honest. It always looks like it’s pleased to see you.

Yet underneath this rather quirky exterior beats a platform that is near-identical to the one you’ll find underpinning the Fiesta. The Puma feels bigger in the metal than the little hatch, but that’s largely thanks to increased overhangs. The Fiesta measures 4,040mm in length, whereas the Puma comes in at 4,207mm. So there’s not a lot of difference, really.

But it’s taller, and that’s where the crossover appeal really hits. It stands more upright than the Fiesta too and, from behind the wheel, it does feel a little more on its tiptoes. You can see what Ford is getting at with the Puma; don’t make it so large that it’s a real pain to park, but bump up the seat height a nudge so it’s got a slightly clearer view of the road ahead. It’s clever stuff.

But one of the Puma’s magic tricks is in the boot. You see, it features something Ford calls a ‘MegaBox’. It’s housed underneath the conventional boot floor and, once accessed, gives you an extra 80 litres of space.
It’s also lined with waterproof material and even features a drain, so you can put grubby wellies and boots in there should you want to. Heck, you can even hose them down in the box itself and all the waste water simply empties out of the bottom. I didn’t think I’d get this excited about a box in the boot but honestly, it’s a bit like witchcraft.

Waterproof boxes aside, what’s it like? As we’ve seen in a lot of recent Ford models, the Puma is very good to drive. Spirited and involving without being wearing, it’s a car that can easily inject a bit of fun into any dreary drive. The steering is somewhat rubbery, but the peppy little 1.0-litre turbocharged engine thrums away ahead of you and gives the whole operation plenty of thrust. In fact, the mild-hybrid powertrain is punchy enough to get you from 0-60mph in just 8.7 seconds, which seems pretty impressive for a ‘normal’ type of car.

But of course, efficiency is the name of the game here and the Puma does well in that respect. Combined, it should return just over 51mpg while emitting 126g/km CO2. It does mean the Puma will be cheap to run and cheap to tax, too.

The interior is a nice place to be as well. It’s not bejewelled or overladen with technology, but everything that’s been fitted has been fitted well. It’s also got Ford’s latest SYNC infotainment system, which is by far the best we’ve seen, operating smoothly and easily. The cabin is light and airy, while there’s a decent amount of space in the back as well. In short, it’s an ideal not-too-big family car.

There’s also an ST version of the Puma on the way, which uses the same 1.5-litre turbocharged engine as – you guessed it – the Fiesta ST. And although the heightened performance that the ST variant brings will likely appeal to many a petrolhead, it’s safe to say that this regular Puma pulls no punches in making ordinary drives interesting.

You could mourn the increased attention that crossovers are getting – after all, they’re one more niche to deal with – but cars such as the Puma show there’s a compromise to be struck. Though it’s slightly more practical than the Fiesta with which it shares so much, Ford has ensured it’s no less easy to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

It’s why I reckon the Puma will be so popular. In fact, I’d say that’s already the case – I’ve seen plenty on the roads already, grinning cheerily towards me. I wouldn’t blame their owners to be grinning just as widely either, as the Puma really is a rather accomplished crossover and one well worth taking a closer look at.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Price (as tested): £22,895
Engine: 1.0-litre petrol mild-hybrid
Power: 153bhp
Torque: 240Nm
Max speed: 124mph
0-60mph: 8.7 seconds
MPG (combined): 51.4
Emissions: 126g/km

More Road Test of the Year 2020 here…

  • Honda e
  • Polestar 2
  • Mercedes-AMG A 45 S
  • Porsche Taycan Turbo
  • Land Rover Defender

Road Test of the Year VERDICT – click here

Road Test of the Year appeared in Issue 153 of Car Dealer – click here to read the digital magazine for free

Previous Post

Road Test of the Year 2020: Honda e

Next Post

Road Test of the Year – our celebration of the best cars to have launched in dealers’ showrooms in 2020

Next Post

Road Test of the Year – our celebration of the best cars to have launched in dealers' showrooms in 2020

Want the latest news?

Sign up to Car Dealer's daily news email updates

Subscribe
How many car dealerships does each manufacturer have in the UK? Car Dealerships Locations List 2021 revealed
News

How many car dealerships does each manufacturer have in the UK? Car Dealerships Locations List 2021 revealed

February 24, 2021
Used Car Awards with Mike Brewer and James Baggott graphi
News

Who won what at the Used Car Awards 2020? Mike Brewer reveals our winning car dealers

February 11, 2021
Car Dealer issue 156 front cover and Used Car Awards
Online Magazine

Out now: Car Dealer issue 156 features our Used Car Awards, H.R. Owen CEO Ken Choo and lots more

February 23, 2021
Used car market stronger than ever as August sees sales up by nearly 50 per cent for Big Motoring World
News

Opinion: Here are 10 reasons why I think there’ll be a rapid recovery in car sales when lockdown ends

February 16, 2021
Trophy Cars forecourt
News

Investigation: Meet the hyper-specialist car dealers making their money from weird and wonderful motors

February 11, 2021
Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice
News

Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice

January 15, 2021
Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK
Car Dealer Top 100

Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK

February 10, 2021
Bitcoin ATM terminal
News

Will car dealers in the UK accept Bitcoin for payment? Dealers speak out after Tesla plans to accept cryptocurrency 

February 18, 2021
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
Call us: 020 8125 3880

© 2020 Blackball Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Car Dealer Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100

© 2020 Blackball Media

Log In
Register
Register
Server C