The Ford Puma has been the UK’s best-selling automotive for 2 years operating, however is it truly any good? We spent per week with the favored SUV to seek out out…
Latest statistics reveal that the Ford Puma continues to be the UK’s top-selling automotive. After securing this title in 2024, the micro-SUV appears set to repeat its success in 2025, with SMMT knowledge indicating that 30,764 models of the Puma have been offered to date this yr.
The recognition of the Puma has been considerably shocking, notably because it changed the esteemed Fiesta as Ford’s smallest mannequin.
There have been considerations that discontinuing a car that had been the UK’s best-selling automotive for 12 consecutive years and had offered 4.1 million models may put Ford on the again foot.
Nevertheless, eight months into the yr, the Ford Puma has solidified its place because the UK’s best-selling automotive, in keeping with Autocar. This results in the query: why is everybody shopping for one?
As a critical journalist, I felt compelled to analyze. After per week, I used to be nonetheless unsure. The Puma is not a foul automotive; in reality, it is fairly good and succesful when all elements are thought-about.
Nevertheless it did go away me with some questions. The. most important drawback I’ve with it’s the value. To be honest to the Puma, it holds its personal compared with its rivals by way of pricing.
The bottom mannequin Titanium model begins at just below £27,000, making it aggressive with the likes of the Toyota Yaris Cross and £500 cheaper than the Peugeot 2008. Nevertheless, it is nonetheless about £1,000 costlier than the Volkswagen T-Cross.
In case you’re after a sportier really feel, you will must shell out extra for the ST-line trim. The highest-tier Puma ST-Line X, geared up with a 1.0 litre Ecoboost engine and a 7-speed automated gearbox, together with a number of non-obligatory extras, will set you again £34,730.
Strip away a few of these choices and the usual on-the-road value comes right down to £30,830. £30,000 feels a bit steep. From a cursory, surface-level financial perspective, it feels akin to paying enterprise class fares for an financial system flight.
However, what is the Puma like when you delve deeper? Inside, the attraction to most patrons turns into instantly obvious – its distinctive practicality.
The boot is deeper and extra spacious than the Mariana Trench, and there are ample cubby holes and storage compartments for stashing further procuring, keys, and numerous different ins and outs.
Regardless of the preliminary disappointment of dropping a lot of the buttons, the central contact display proved straightforward to make use of and shortly turned second nature. It is an intuitive automotive to familiarize yourself with, which may clarify its recognition over rival fashions.
The identical practicality was evident within the 2025 mannequin we had the chance to check drive on our second outing within the Puma. This model was barely extra inexpensive, priced at £29,280 for the usual spec, however with added extras it got here to £32,680.
After a drive to Southend-on-Sea on a cloudy July day, my impressions remained constant. So, how does this compact automotive deal with corners, motorways, and newly laid tarmac?
Surprisingly nicely, in reality. Regardless of its SUV form, which is often much less agile, the Puma carried out admirably.
I wasn’t anticipating Fiesta-like nimbleness, however it wasn’t far off. The chassis held tight, the engine delivered ample torque, and the steering was responsive.
Nevertheless, it was let down by tyres that appeared to lose traction at comparatively low speeds. Moreover, the big, sq. steering wheel felt too cumbersome for one of these car; it could work nicely within the Ford Explorer, however not right here.
Maybe it was the street situations, or possibly the latest rainfall, however there was a definite sense of the automotive’s lean, a heightened consciousness of being in a car that after was compact however now needed to carry out like a bigger mannequin. The Puma’s measurement lends it a sure gravitas and stability on motorways and different routes, with its splendid one-litre engine making it an pleasant trip.
Nevertheless, after each experiences, I discovered myself harbouring the identical sentiment. Why not merely go for a second-hand Ford Fiesta as a substitute?
Granted, the Fiesta is older and smaller given it isn’t an SUV, however it’s prone to be extra inexpensive, extra entertaining, nearly as sensible, and doubtless simply as economical to restore.
