FORD PUMA 1.0 ECOBOOST ST-LINE VIGNALE

In soaring temperatures, the prospect of a blazing hot car is far from appealing, so we tried out the Puma’s connected services in a bid to stay cool

4 694 km

7.90 L/100 km

+ Air-con prep via Fordpass app handy in hot weather Still a bit thirsty

At the tail end of the Puma’s introduction in last month’s issue, I was looking to explore some of the car’s lesser-known features, namely the ‘Megabox’ extendable underfloor storage bin in the boot floor and the Fordpass app-related connectivity services. With the Mercury soaring in the Mother City, the conditions lent themselves to experimenting with the latter. In essence, the system comprises an onboard modem that hooks into the Puma’s ECU and some of its drivetrain functions, allowing

you to monitor and control certain aspects of the car via the proprietary Fordpass smartphone app. Once installed and registered to the car, Fordpass can use the Puma’s GPS to locate your car remotely and find Ford service centres and dealerships in the vicinity. The app also assists with scheduling vehicle services and connecting to a roadsideassistance provider. You can see how much fuel you have left – including a distance-to-empty reading – as well as check your tyre pressures and oil condition. This is all interesting and useful stuff, but with the week’s weather forecast reading 30s all the way, it’s the remote-ignition function and its ability to pre-charge the air-conditioner that’s really got my attention. There are two means by which you can do this: a schedule option that allows you to set a time at which the engine fires up, and a dedicated screen with push buttons for the ignition and door locks. In the latter case, a prolonged button press is required, ensuring you don’t pocket-dial your car into life when fishing for your phone in a bag or jacket. The remote ignition will then run the engine for 15 minutes, which is more than enough time for the air-con to cool the cabin (or, indeed, warm it up in winter). The system works well and there is no understating the satisfaction one gets from jumping into a parked car in summer that doesn’t feel like a leather-bedecked sauna. It’s not a function I’ll be using all the time, but it is handy. Otherwise the Puma continues to please with its entertaining handling and head-turning looks. The 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine is still on the thirsty side, but opting for the Eco drivetrain setting has meant consumption has started to drop to a more palatable 7.9 L/100 km.