Ten Second Review

Having made the standard version of its small Puma crossover pretty sporty to drive, Ford wants you to also consider this top ST variant, now powered only by a hot version of its familiar 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. What's delivered here is a car the family driving enthusiast will find easy to justify. Few small SUVs could keep it in sight on a twisty road.

Background

For Ford, 'ST' is an evocative badge - and one that enthusiasts have flocked to for decades with fast Fiesta and Focus hot hatches. But does it belong on an SUV? Well it belongs on this one. The Puma was always developed with this quick variant in mind and in ST form, the Ford Performance team have done a really thorough job in further evolving what were already very impressive drive dynamics.

This revised version now comes only with a 170PS 1.0-litre engine and an auto gearbox but it's still an engaging thing to drive. It's not only that it goes faster than the standard model: you can get the power down more easily too, thanks to a whole range of handling and suspension changes. Sounds promising. Small SUVs haven't to date been very engaging to drive. This one bucks that trend.

Design and Build

The Puma's sporty styling - including a sloping roof line silhouette and pronounced wheel arches - lends itself to the more extreme design of this ST variant. A Ford Performance-embossed splitter is integrated into the front bumper to increase front end downforce by almost 80% for greater stability and traction. The large rear roof spoiler also supports optimised aerodynamics, with a distinctive diffuser incorporated into the rear bumper. Signature ST upper and lower grilles are designed to deliver increased engine cooling capability. And of course this ST gets the revised grille and headlights that mark out models in the facelifted Puma range. Ford says that the beady daytime running lights are a nod to its GT supercar. Maybe.

The interior is equally charismatic; even before entering, standard power-foldable door mirrors project the ST logo onto the ground when unlocking. Inside, heated, bolstered Ford Performance sports seats - embossed with the ST logo and finished with synthetic leather and suede inserts - hold driver and front passenger firmly in place. Ford Performance skid plates, a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel and an ST gear knob also feature.

Otherwise, it's just as in any other version of this improved Puma. So the redesigned dashboard is less cluttered than before and features slim air vents, a wraparound feel and a revised two-spoke squared-off steering wheel. The displays are larger too: there's now a 12.8-inch customisable digital instrument panel with higher-definition graphics. And a 12-inch SYNC4 central infotainment monitor which apparently has 'twice the computing power' of the previous SYNC3 system. Underneath that screen lie new 'soft' buttons for the climate control and heated seats. Plus there's a new 'phone storage compartment with an intregrated wireless charging mat.

As before and as you'd expect from a supermini-based SUV, there isn't a great deal of space in the rear, but a couple of adults can be accommodated reasonably easily for medium-length journeys. We continue to be impressed by the boot. At 456-litres, it remains one of the very biggest trunks in the small SUV segment and can be accessed by a powered hands-free tailgate. There's also an adjustable-height floor that can be folded back against the back seats. Under the floor, there's still a drainable 'Megabox' for dirty items, a strong selling point.

Cost of Ownership

Obviously the main reason for ditching the original Puma ST's 1.5-litre engine and manual gearbox combination lies in a drive towards improved efficiency. Given that, it's a little disappointing to find that the 1.0-litre 170PS three cylinder model that remains isn't really that much more efficient than the much faster 200PS four cylinder variant it replces, despite its much-trumpted mild hybrid tech. The official figures are up to 47.1mpg on the combined cycle and up to 136g/km of CO2, which is around 5mpg and 12g/km better than that old 1.5.

Servicing is required every two years or 18,000 miles - whichever comes first. Maintenance bookings can be done online through the 'My Ford' portal. This is part of the 'Ford BlueService' scheme that wraps up all of the care and maintenance of your car into one bundle that includes a free 30-point 'eCheck' of vital parts and highlights any work required with a red, amber and green traffic light warning to rank items that need attention in order of importance. There's also the 'Ford Service App' that you can download to your phone for free. It lets you locate your nearest dealer and make a booking, plus has a couple of extra elements, allowing you to find petrol stations and including a 'Park Me' feature that remembers where you left your Puma ST, so you won't have to hunt for it, say in busy multi-storeys.

As for the warranty, well like all Fords, this one comes with a 36-month 60,000-mile package that also includes one year of Europe-wide breakdown assistance. On top of that, there's an anti-corrosion guarantee for 12 years.

Driving Experience

It's hard not to feel a sense of disappointment that the engaging drivetrain format this Puma ST was originally launched with - the fizzy little 200PS 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and 6-speed manual gearbox combination from the old Fiesta ST - is no more, another victim of emissions legislation. What we're left with is a powertrain combination introduced in the latter stages of the pre-facelift model's production - an uprated 170PS version of the ordinary Puma's usual 1.0-litre EcoBoost mild hybrid three cylinder unit; mated to a 7-speed auto gearbox. There are paddleshifters provided for the Powershift transmission and the rest to 62mph sprint is eagerly dispatched in 7.4s en route to 130mph.

At least there's still plenty of Ford Performance engineering incorporated here in a bid to give this fast small SUV some real handling credibility. An optimised chassis features bespoke twist-beam, anti-roll bar and damper configurations. Plus steering response is 25% faster and the brakes are 17% larger than the standard Puma. Specially-developed Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres also help deliver an agile Ford SUV driving experience, plus thick front and rear anti-roll bars add to cornering stability.

On the test drive, you'll immediately notice how firmly this car rides the bumps - inevitably as the rear suspension has been stiffened by 50% - but you could live with it on the commute and at cruising speeds, this ST feels much like any normal Puma. Like any ordinary variant in this model line, the ST version features selectable Drive Modes, including an additional special 'Track' option. Properly sporty versions of supermini-based small SUVs are surprising rare, especially when they're engineered as well as this one.

Market and Model

From the launch of this updated model, Puma ST pricing for the single remaining 1.0-litre 170PS auto model was pitched from just over £33,000. At least you get plenty of kit for that, with 19-inch alloy wheels, ST suspension, a 'Track' drive mode, a 360-degree surround view camera, Ford Performance sports seats and a bespoke ST interior based around two screens, a 12-inch landscape touchscreen display and a fully digital 12.8-inch instrument cluster. You also get heat for the front seats and steering wheel, a powered tailgate, keyless entry, a quickclear heated windscreen, rear privacy glass and a wireless 'phone charging mat.

Standard FordPass Connect modem technology allows Puma ST owners to remotely control a selection of vehicle features - including Door Lock Unlock and Vehicle Locator - via the FordPass mobile app. The modem also enables cloud-connected Local Hazard Information, which can inform drivers of a hazardous situation on the road ahead, even if the incident is not visible due to a bend in the road or other vehicles.

Included driver assistance technologies include Pre-Collision Assist with Active Braking, which has pedestrian and cyclist detectiuon. there's also Adaptive Cruise Control with an Intelligent Speed Limiter. Plus a Blind Spot Information system, a Driver Impairment Monitor and Post-Collision Braking.

Summary

Denied the chance to develop an RS version of the Focus, the Ford Performance engineers instead threw themselves with a will into the task of making this hot Puma more than just a sporty-looking SUV. Even with the single remaining 1.0-litre engine on offer in this car, there's real dynamic substance here - a rare thing to find in a compact Crossover.

Of course you've to pay fairly handsomely for the privilege - but the asking fee could easily be replicated by a far less capable rival fitted out with a few luxury bells and whistles. Here, you get a car that could really deliver hot hatch thrills on the right road on the right day. Yet for the rest of the year, function as unassuming family transport. And deliver an affordable set of daily running costs. If that sounds an attractive combination, you'll know what to do next.