KILDARE CAR REVIEW: Ford Puma ST – A sporty cougar

Ford launched its impressive Puma SUV in 2020, and have now added some performance flavour in the form of the new Ford Puma ST.

With a starting price of €41,813 (ex works), the Puma ST is aimed at buyers who want to mix performance-car pace with useable SUV space.

The Puma ST is based on the same underpinnings as the mighty Ford Fiesta ST. Under the bonnet lies the same 1.5-litre Ford Ecoboost 200PS petrol engine but with torque boosted to 320Nm, and this helps the Puma ST match the Fiesta’s 0-100km/h time of just 6.7 seconds.

Also like the Fiesta, power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. However, the Puma’s exhaust note is tuned to be slighly less noticable than the Fiesta ST and this is done to make the Puma ST a more practical family car. To ensure that the 3cm taller Puma ST feels as agile as the its smaller sibling, the car benefits from a faster-acting steering, stiffer suspension and Michelin Pilot Sports tyres developed especially for Ford.

The ST adds some very comfortable Recaro sports seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with ST badging, some new pedals and a sporty gearknob. Wireless charging for smartphone devices, parking sensors front and rear, and a 12.3 inch digital drivers display are all standard features. With the Puma’s distinctive frontal design and smart looks from the rear, the ST has similar bumper designs to the existing ST-Line trim, but with selective use of black paint and different mesh patterns for the grille. A contrasting black finish is applied to the roof, the rear spoiler, the door mirrors and the window trim, while the strandard 19-inch alloy wheels are offered in two different finishes. The “Mean Green” paint finish of my test car is in keeping with Ford’s performance cars of the past, but it can be ordered in subtle colours as well.

The new Puma is available in a choice of five specifications — Titanium, ST-Line, ST-Line X, range-topping ST Line X Vignale and now with the newly introducted ST, for perforence car buyers.

While pricing for the new Ford Puma starts at just €26,069 (ex-works), the full-fat ST model is priced at €41,813 (ex-works).The Puma ST is a welcome performance-car addition to the smaller end of Ford’s SUV line-up, and is a very appealing proposition in every respect. It is fun to drive, practical and sporty, and is a very dynamic car with strong cornering ability, and a dignified ride quality, which is hard to match in the performance class.