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Having made the standard version of its small Puma crossover pretty sporty to drive, Ford couldn't resist releasing this top ST version, complete with the livelier 1.5-litre EcoBoost turbo engine from the fiendish Fiesta ST hot hatch. In this case, what's delivered is a car the family driving enthusiast will find easier to justify. Few small SUVs could keep it in sight on a twisty road.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00​​​​ Introduction
00:40 Background
01:31 Driving Experience
04:46 Design & Build
11:55 Market & Model Range
17:02 Cost of Ownership
19:50​​​ Summary

Background

For Ford, 'ST' is an evocative badge - and one that enthusiasts have flocked to for decades with fast Fiesta and Focus hit 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.

It doesn't just go faster than the standard model either. 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. But we think that this one might just buck the trend.

Driving Experience

Properly sporty versions of supermini-based small SUVs are surprising rare, especially when they're engineered as well as this one. As you'd expect, this car borrows much from its Fiesta ST showroom stablemate, including its lively 1.5-litre EcoBoost turbo engine, though that unit's been tweaked here for extra torque, so as to compensate for this little crossover's extra 100kgs of weight. As a result, this top Puma is able to match the Fiesta ST's 0-62mph time of 6.7s (which is just a second behind a Focus ST). The top speed is 137mph and active exhaust valve technology amplifies the naturally sporty three-cylinder engine sound too.

Lots of other Ford Performance engineering changes feature here in a bid to give this fast Puma 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 the most agile Ford SUV driving experience yet, plus thick front and rear anti-roll bars add to cornering stability.

Whatever your final choice of spec, 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 a 'Sport' setting (accessible via this bespoke steering wheel button) and a special 'Race Track' option.

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.

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 Recaro sports seats - embossed with the ST logo and finished in grippy Miko Dinamica material - 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 Puma. Which means you get a digital instrument cluster screen and the usual SYNC 3 centre stack infotainment screen with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' compatibility and an incorporated premium B&O sound system. Out back, there's a reasonably comfortable space for a couple adults. And you get a decent 456-litre boot, with an 80-litre recessed well beneath the floor (the Ford 'MegaBox').

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