Is a used Ford Puma a good buy?

The Ford Puma used to be a sporty coupe a few decades back, but the 1990s are long gone now and the latest version is a small SUV. It's also one of the best around.

You could also consider a Vauxhall Mokka, a Renault Captur or the excellent Peugeot 2008 as these are a similar size and price to the Ford Puma. Yet the Ford has a unique selling point, as it’s really good to drive, unlike most SUVs of this type.

The Ford Puma shares parts with the great fun Ford Fiesta, and much like its hatchback sibling, it's really enjoyable to drive on twisty roads and also comfortable on bumpy roads. 

The old Ford Puma was a curvy coupe and while this modern model is a long way from that, it still has funky looks - yet it’s also a lot more practical. It’s roomy enough for a family of five, and while the rear seats aren’t the most spacious around, there’s plenty of room for kids in the back.

There’s also a clever ‘megabox’ under the boot floor. Where the spare wheel would normally be, there’s a huge hidden storage area that’s perfect for shopping. It’s so deep you can even stand up a bag of golf clubs inside the boot, vertically.

Read our full Ford Puma review

Which used Ford Puma should you buy?

The Ford Puma’s engine range is solid but limited. There are 1.0-litre petrol engines with 125hp and 155hp, which come with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

Thanks to mild hybrid technology on all models, which can use energy recuperated when you slow down to give a small boost to the engine, efficiency is pretty good. The 1.0-litre engine should return around 50mpg, give or take, no matter which power output or gearbox you choose.

Optional extras for the Ford Puma include the Winter Pack, which adds heated seats and a heated steering wheel, the Parking Pack, which adds parking sensors, a reversing camera, and the Driver Assistance Pack, which adds key safety equipment such as blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise control and active parking assist.

What used Ford S-MAX trim levels are available?

There are a range of trim levels to choose from. It’s worth noting that most of the specifications have the ‘ST’ brand in the name, but only the actual Ford Puma ST comes with a more powerful engine and upgraded suspension. All the other models are available with the 1.0-litre petrol only.

Ford Puma Titanium

The Ford Puma Titanium is the base model but it’s well equipped, so you don’t need to look further into the range for the essential kit. Titanium models have 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, electric folding door mirrors, rear parking sensors, and automatic headlights as standard.

Inside, it comes with leather-effect trim for the steering wheel, handbrake and gear lever, plus a heated windscreen, cruise control, lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), air-conditioning, hill start assist, and automatic wipers.

On the dashboard, there’s an eight-inch touchscreen media system with digital radio, Bluetooth, sat-nav, USB, voice control, and smartphone connectivity (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay).

Ford Puma ST-Line

The Ford Puma ST-Line has a more sporty exterior look thanks to its slightly different exterior trim pieces to the Titanium model. It also has different 17-inch alloys.

This version also features different suspension to improve handling around corners, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and a roof spoiler. Most notably there’s a 12.3-inch digital display instead of conventional dials behind the steering wheel, which is highly configurable and looks very modern. The rest of the kit is the same as what is available with Titanium models.

Ford Puma ST-Line X

The Puma ST-Line X costs from about £24,000 when new, and has all the same kit as the ST-Line models, plus some key extras.

For example, it has 18-inch alloy wheels, upgraded faux leather trim (Ford calls this ‘Sensico’), tinted windows, lumbar support on the front seats, climate control, a wireless phone charger, and some carbon-look interior trim. It also has an upgraded B&O stereo.

Ford Puma ST-Line Vignale

The top-spec Puma is the ST-Line Vignale model. This version comes with everything on ST-Line X, but with different 18-inch alloy wheels, a different grille and some extra standard equipment.

This includes LED headlights, some chrome trim on the exterior, faux leather seats and dashboard, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, front parking sensors, and keyless entry.