Ford Puma ST now available with automatic gearbox option

Ford is introducing an automatic gearbox option to its sporty Puma ST crossover for the first time.

The ‘ST’ version of the Puma – which is now Ford’s best-selling car in the UK – arrived in 2020, and featured a fun 197bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, but exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox.

But customers will now be able to get Ford’s dual-clutch seven-speed Powershift automatic gearbox in the Puma ST, though it will use a different engine to the manual model. Instead of the 1.5-litre unit is a turbocharged 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, which produces 168bhp and 248Nm of torque – the most power to come from this compact unit yet.

Ford says the Puma ST with this automatic gearbox can sprint from 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds – seven-tenths of a second down on the manual version.

It’s also equipped with a mild-hybrid system, which aims to reduce fuel usage, with this automatic Puma ST returning a claimed 44.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 144g/km. This is, however, only marginally better than the more powerful manual car, which Ford says will return 42.8mpg with 148g/km CO2 emissions.

While using a less powerful engine, the stiffer chassis of this automatic model is still from the ‘full fat’ ST, as well as an active exhaust system and distinctive ST engine note.

The ST also gets a bespoke bodykit, including a large roof spoiler and rear diffuser, while Ford is introducing a new ST-exclusive Azura Blue to the colour palette.

Ford is yet to announce pricing for this automatic Puma ST, but we expect it to be similar to the more powerful manual model, which is available from £31,045.