Ford Europe has been teasing the Puma crossover for quite sometime. The Puma isn’t a new nameplate for the American carmaker. It was in use for quite sometime on a sports coupe. Ford says that the Puma crossover has been developed from scratch and is squarely designed for the European market. While there were talks of the Puma replacing the EcoSport, the company has said that both the vehicles will co-exist. Moreover, the Puma is a “SUV-inspired crossover” in Ford’s words.
So, what is new in the Ford Puma?
Everything! The crossover has a new face and it is likely that future Fords may follow the same design philosophy. The LED canoe-shaped headlights are placed high while the LED fog lights sit right below it. There is also the familiar Ford grille that is done in a darkened tone and looks extremely good on this blue specimen. Ford is offering a choice of 17-inch alloys as standard, however the ST-line will have 18-inch machined units with a wider set-up. At the rear, the lights again follow the LED pattern and look super cool. Frankly speaking, the Puma looks more like a hatchback on stilts than the typical crossover.
Inside, the steering wheel is similar to the one in the Fiesta. There is also the grey upholstery that covers the cabin. The 8.0-inch touchscreen system boasts SYNC3 capability and is compatible with Android as well as iOS devices. Ford is offering a segment-first lumbar seat massage with three different positions. Speaking of which, the Detroit-based carmaker also has a handsfree tailgate as well as adaptive cruise control, adjustable boot floor, three radars as well as two cameras and adaptive cruise control. This Ford is loaded to the gills and one literally has storage spaces in the cabin amounting to 80 litres. The boot volume is 465 litres.
In terms of powertrain, this is the first Ford to feature a 48v mild hybrid with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost. A 11.5kW belt-drive integrated starter generator is used and this one helps in storing energy lost during braking or coasting. This stored energy is used to charge the Li-ion battery pack. Lower emissions, start-stop tech as well as enhanced fuel efficiency are a part of the package. Ford offers this powertrain in two configurations – 125PS and 155PS. At lower rpm, the system offers 50Nm torque boost while at higher speeds, it supplements the petrol engine by giving around 20Nm more. Did we also mention that this champ of a 3-cylinder engine also features cylinder-deactivation?
Ford will also offer a diesel with dual-clutch technology at a later date. This engine will be joined by a 125PS, 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. At the moment it is unclear about the Puma’s competition. However, we believe most of the B-segment hatchbacks will be put on notice for sure.
