Against the odds
‘Hot’ is evolving. By Curtis Moldrich
The Ford Puma ST is a slightly larger, slightly more practical version of the Fiesta ST it shares a platform with – and that puts it in a space parallel to my Focus ST. Driving the two back-to-back proved quite an eye-opener. With 197bhp and a 0-62mph time of 6.7sec, the Puma gives up 79bhp and one second to the Focus on paper, but in corners the story is more complex. The higher-performance Focus is more squat, with less bodyroll, but the Puma ST’s supreme feedback and lack of total grip makes it great to hustle round bends, like the Fiesta, even if it is 100kg heavier than the supermini. The Focus ST can be fun and pliable too, but it all happens at higher, less accessible speeds.
The interior of the Puma ST is arguably better, with the Recaro seats feeling more supportive than those in the Focus. Its storage space of 456 litres (with the rear seatbacks upright) is well above the Focus’s 375. So, the Puma ST is the one you take for practicality, while the Focus ST gets the edge in terms of ultimate performance. Except in daily use the two are closer in driver enjoyment than you’d think.