05/02/2025
Ford Puma revisited
If old age confirms one thing, it’s that time really does fly. You see, it was nine months ago that I made my first acquaintance with Britain’s best-selling car model, yet it seems more like nine days ago that I settled into the cockpit of a Ford Puma ST-Line Vignale. In those intervening nine months, I’ve wondered just why it is that Saffers haven’t been migrating in their thousands into Henry’s current crossover given the now enduring trend set by motorists some 10 000km distant.
The chance to renew acquaintances was therefore accepted with alacrity as I’ve read lots about the Puma in the meantime and noted that one issue has dominated on-line sites. That’s the matter of the once-revolutionary turbocharged three-cylinder 1,0 litre engine that powers this compact but far from small Ford hatchback on stilts of sufficient loft to confer it with the “crossover” moniker. To me, it remains a mildly high-riding hatchback.
Despite being the recipient of a barrow load of awards, this engine, which arrived in 2012 to the accompaniment of much praise - the top version delivered no less than 92kW from its diminutive capacity - earned a dodgy reputation for self-destruction.
The cause was the “rubber” belt used to synchronise the rotation of crankshaft and camshaft. Unusually, this operated within the engine and so lived in the lubricating oil, an environment which was initially touted as a recipe for extra-long life.
Partly as a result of the use of incorrect oils, it turned out that the flexible belt deteriorated over time and shed enough particles to block the oil pump feed and various oil galleys with predictably disastrous consequences.
Ford’s engineers reacted in 2019 by ditching the belt and going back to that old stalwart, the chain. This significant mod is found on all Puma models so should you hear of naysayers advising potential Puma buyers of pending problems, put them right. The timing belt is no more!
Indeed, one of the nicest attributes of the range-topping ST-Line Vignale that graced my driveway in an oddly named “Grey Matter” paint was the diminutive engine with its 92kW/170Nm peak outputs. The latter is achieved from just 1 400rpm! Put simply, no-one would ever guess that just 998cc is on hand to deliver the momentum. From idle to peak revs, the three cylinders go about their business ever so smoothly and with enough torque in reserve to ensure that low rev lethargy is not a significant issue.
Indeed, on the cruise, the EcoBoost engine is especially discrete and feels much more like an engine of 50% greater displacement. Sure, its efforts can be heard at peak revs but even then, it’s just a pleasant thrum that infiltrates the cabin and that’s achieved without vibration thanks in part to the deliberate use of an “unbalanced” flywheel that counteracts the natural imbalance of a third piston operating in isolation.
Ford has always been coy about publishing performance figures so my estimate of a 0-100 time of 9,5s is unofficial but my overall fuel figure of 7,8l/100km is the real thing. And the top speed is listed at 191km/h. Like all small displacement engines though, thirst varies a lot depending on how vigorously the accelerator is depressed or on how much claustrophobic urban work is encountered. For example, I noted that in stop/start conditions, a figure in the mid-nines was the norm.
The test unit in its ST-Line config purports to be endowed with a sportier disposition which in reality translates into tauter suspension settings, about which more in a mo, but of immediate import is the fact that the 7-speed dual clutch transmission is 100% self-shifting. In other words, there is no manual override in the form of paddle shifters or even Ford’s more commonly used lever-mounted shift button.
I think this is an extraordinary omission and not just because I prefer to use engine braking on descending the slopes that abound in my neck of the woods – or in this instance, should that not read “in my neck of the hills?” More’s the pity someone decided that a processor should have 100% control over cog meshing. Nonetheless, this gearbox is a good example of the breed, shifting smoothly and with alacrity for the most part but still with a mind of its own, albeit that it does hold onto gears longer when the accelerator is buried.
Now for that suspension. As suggested earlier, the ST-Line brings with it a sportier disposition and that has meant slightly stiffer dampers and, I suspect, less forgiving bushes which collectively will help resist body roll in a vehicle with a slightly more generous ground clearance than is the norm.
Any driver with a modicum of experience will know that Ford has earned a fine reputation for endowing its smaller cars in particular with sharp driving characteristics that suit enthusiastic drivers in particular. This Puma offers more of the same but there is a minor downside. At low speeds on coarse or broken tar, the ride on its 215/50/R18 rubber wrapped around smart alloys, is just a smidgin knobbly, a characteristic that is highlighted to an extent by a slight resonance that permeates the cabin.
As speed rises though, a measure of pliancy is delivered together with terrific control and an assured level of directional stability and response to the helm. Curiously, the steering can feel a little leaden just off centre at parking speeds, but it too delivers the most satisfying feedback as the speedo swings into its further reaches. The result is an unusually responsive Crossover that delivers the feel of a larger, heavier car but the agility of a seasoned hatchback such as the late lamented Fiesta ST. Additionally, five different drive modes are offered, being Normal, Sport, Eco, Slippery and Trail, each easily accessible via a button in the vicinity of the shift lever.
As for braking, that Aussie expression “no worries, mate” applies even if the pedal is just a tad over-sensitive at low speeds. And in terms of refinement, the Puma does well thanks to the effective suppression of wind roar, courtesy, in part, of the use of dual door seals and to acceptable curbing of road generated commotions on smoother highways. All this is helped by a perception that the body is really stiff – most use the expression “solid” – as there is a total absence of rattles from the structure or thumps from the underpinnings.
Talking of the structure, the external detailing of the Puma confers it with a classy disposition courtesy of close panel gaps (left front fender excepted) and smooth, glossy paint all complemented with lots of body colour add-ons such as wing mirrors, rear spoiler, wheel arch embellishment and lower sill extensions.
Each to his own as this comment falls into the realms of the subjective, but few Crossovers show off such a rakish, sporty look as this. Swept back LED headlights and steeply angled front and rear screens are the prime contributors, albeit rear three- quarter visibility is impaired somewhat, an impairment partly alleviated by the presence of a camera system and parking sensors – front and rear. If ever a car qualified for the accolade of looking better in the flesh than in photos, this is it.
Inside, the Puma presents what I call a “well filled out” look which means it has a large dashboard area and lots of moulded trimming, not to mention extremely well bolstered seating that sadly – for me at least – utilises a synthetic material that’s often passed off as “artificial leather” but which is no more related to leather than the plastic bag you carried out of the supermarket today.
Those seats, up front at least, are generously proportioned and are comfortable if lacking in lumbar support, while the rear is a little tight in kneeroom terms but still fine for two adults. The boot though is generously proportioned and nicely finished and comes with a false floor which when removed, reveals an unusually deep tray with drain plug that makes the area ideal for carrying pot plants and the like.
Being a top model, the ST-Line Vignale comes very, very well equipped – please visit www.ford.co.za to establish the full picture – but take it that means B&O sound is on board along with a host of “alert” systems and related safety and convenience aids, not to mention auto air con, ambient lighting and the like.
I did enjoy the 12,3-inch digital instrument display but the 8-inch centrally mounted colour touch screen with nav and voice control, Ford Sync3 compatibility and smart phone connectivity proved a tad laggy and the graphics a little tired. I’ve noted the latest Puma models in the UK have a bigger screen with updated Sync4 system and integrated air con controls (not a good idea!) so I assume this feature will soon be on its way to Mzansi?
Subject to final spec, the Puma in ST-Line Vignale trim retails from around R617 000 in RSA. This is clearly seen as an obstacle to sales as there’s a very common belief in RSA that engine capacity and price are very, very closely inter-twined. That may have been the case many years ago, but pollution regs in particular have seen to it that many of the most sophisticated cars today have been forced into using high-tech, small displacement engines. Equipment levels though remain high as in the case of this Puma, so that matter should be allowed for when assessing the asking price of this Ford. Whatever, its dynamic virtues are up with the very best in class, so for those who truly enjoy driving, just remember that 1965 Western movie, “For a few dollars more” and enjoy the fun factor! The Brits certainly do.
RICHARD WILEY
Pricing as at February 2025: From R617 500
Included as standard is Ford Protect comprising a four-year/120 000km warranty, four-year/unlimited distance Roadside Assistance and five-year/unlimited distance corrosion warranty. The recommended service interval is 15 000km or annually, whichever occurs first.
Customers have the option of purchasing service or maintenance plans up to eight years or 135 000km. The warranty can be extended up to seven years or 200 000km, while the Roadside Assistance can be extended for an additional one or two years.
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