Curious case of ambitious Puma
OFFERS BOUTIQUE STYLING, PLENTY OF SUBSTANCE Although a step-up from the EcoSport, the cabin isn’t perfect.
With its long overdue reveal last year, the Ford Puma became one of the most talked about vehicles of 2023. On the cards as a “will it, won’t it” option for South Africa ever since its global reveal in 2019, the indirect replacement for the EcoSport caused an immediate rift within the local motoring media.
Lauded but also criticised, the successor for the now discontinued Fiesta, debuted in a two-model line-up priced at R569 900 for the range-opening Titanium, and at R613 300 for the subject of this test, the flagship ST Line Vignale.
The former’s sticker being almost R100 000 more than the Titanium version that topped the EcoSport range, the Blue Oval’s argument involves the Puma being a newer design, comparatively better equipped, and competing in more premium capacity instead of a volume selling role as the case has been in the United Kingdom.
The Puma’s overall reception has at best, been beset with descriptions such as “overpriced”, “underpowered” and “badly equipped” on local online platforms.
It’s multi-award winning 1.0 EcoBoost engine also not immune from the backlash as a result of being carried over from the Fiesta without additional grunt considering its price, the exclusion of a service plan in the pricing also come in for extensive scrutiny.
As the seven-day stay commenced, some of the Puma’s promised talents did arise, the first being its styling.
Appearing stockier, sportier and more compact than the EcoSport, the Puma does loose out on the wheelbase and height fronts, but boasts a width uptake of 40mm, a 69mm longer wheelbase and gains on every dimensional front compared to the Fiesta.
Inside, the interior is more of a mixed bag and in places, a sign of the Puma’s age Ford will most likely address later this year when the updated model touches down in the EU. Logically laid-out, functional and ergonomically easy to understand, the cabin gets the outmoded eight-inch display used in the EcoSport and Fiesta.
Still running the older SYNC 3 software, the setup belies the cabin’s age by being as user-friendly as ever and with physical buttons shortcut buttons, plus dials for the audio system that sports 10-speakers and B&O branding.
Although a step-up from the EcoSport, the cabin isn’t perfect as some of the materials, especially the imitation carbon fibre trim, felt plasticky while the seats’ inclusion of a massaging function but no electrical adjustment or even heating, made for a compromise some found strange.
Given its sporty demeanour, the Puma’s biggest downfall is rear passenger space. Whereas those seated in the front are offered descent amount of moving capacity, those in the rear will feel cramped.
With electrical, no-hands assistance included, the bootlid opensup to reveal what appears to be an equally small hold, but one able to swallow 123-litres more than the EcoSport for a total of 456-litres with the rear seats up.
Besides the already mentioned specifications items, which includes integrated satellite navigation, voice command, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as part of the infotainment system, the ST Line Vignale also gets a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, ambient lighting, push-button start, a tyre pressure monitor and white stitch work.
Fitted to our tester, the R17 300 styling pack adds a black roof and the mentioned glass sunroof, while the driver assistance pack makes a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, driver attention alert, evasive steering assist, blind spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross traffic alert and lane centring possible for another R21 100. Auto high beam assist LED headlights, alloy pedals, LED fog lamps and racy 18-inch ST Line wheels are all bespoke to the ST Line Vignale.
Producing 92kW of power and 170Nm of torque, the EcoBoost engine pulls well and in spite of the audible three-pout soundtrack, offers brisk response taken up another notch when switched to Sport mode.
The drive mode selector comprising five modes; Slippery, Eco, Normal, Sport and Trail.
Teamed superbly well with the engine and, devoid of the usual low speed dual-clutch drag, the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is smooth, unobtrusive and willing to play to ball when stuck in Sport, or asked to drop a few cogs when required.
No sooner had it arrived, it was asked to ferry its minder to Bethlehem in the Free State to attend a wedding.
A task that came with some hesitation given the horrific condition of the province’s roads, ducking and diving to miss the potholes and badly tarred sections that characterise the R57 between Sasolburg and Heilborn, revealed the Puma as being more of a boyhood racer than a luxury small cruiser.
What impressed the most was the frugality of the EcoBoost once back in Johannesburg. The weekend trip to and from Bethlehem, with the cruise control and climate control being used regularly, saw the Puma record an indicated best 5.6l/100km.
The controversy surrounding the Ford Puma is unlikely to go away soon as the seven-day tenure simply had more questions than answers.
Engaging to drive and decent if slightly oddly equipped, it finds itself over is head when examples of the Renault Captur, Opel Mokka, VW T-Cross and even the Mazda CX-3 are priced between R50 000 to R100 000 cheaper with bigger engine, more standard kit, more power and with an inclusive service or maintenance plan.
Ambitious is probably the best way to describe the Puma.