In-depth reviews

Ford Puma - Practicality, comfort and boot space

Although smaller than most rivals, the Ford Puma remains practical for family use and offers clever storage solutions

Overall Auto Express Rating

4.0 out of 5

Practicality, comfort and boot space Rating

4.1 out of 5

Price
£25,620 to £33,050
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Ford has worked hard to ensure the compact Puma combines its athletic low stance with plenty of practicality and comfort. From the driver’s seat, the links to the Fiesta’s chassis are clear, with ability to tackle the twisty stuff with vigour as well as being a solid, quiet performer at motorway speeds.

ST-Line cars get sports suspension, and while on the firmer end of the spectrum for SUVs of this size, it’s not overly harsh. The driving position definitely feels sportier while there’s a great level of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel; a typical Ford trait.

Size

The Puma is one of the smaller options in the supermini-sized SUV class. It measures 4,207mm in length, 1,805mm wide and stands 1,537mm tall. By comparison, the Peugeot 2008 and Mazda CX-30 are 93mm and 188mm longer, respectively.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

The Puma manages to maintain decent passenger space, despite its sloping roofline. Room up front is very good, while the rear bench is an acceptable size. 

Passenger space  in the rear is compromised when compared with a Renault Captur. Passengers in the back sit higher up, which brings your legs back towards the seat base, so although there’s enough space overall, the seating position might not be as comfortable.

Boot

A boot of 456 litres is on-par with competitors in this class, and there’s virtually no lip to get over, so awkward items shouldn’t be too tricky to load. In comparison, the Peugeot 2008 offers 434 litres of boot space and the Renault Captur 12 litres less than that, although the Captur has an ace up its sleeve in the form of a sliding rear bench seat. When the bench is pushed all the way forward it frees up a 536-litre capacity.

One area where Ford has been rather clever is in the Puma‘s adjustable boot floor with the so-called ‘Megabox’ hidden storage area beneath. This is a 68-litre plastic compartment that you can use to store muddy boots or wet clothes, for example. It also has a drain plug so you can hose it out. Plus, Ford claims that using the MegaBox allows you to stand a golf bag upright in the Puma’s boot.

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • Price
    £20,415

Most Economical

  • Name
    1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • Price
    £20,415

Fastest

  • Name
    1.5 EcoBoost ST 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • Price
    £31,435
News reporter

As our news reporter, Ellis is responsible for covering everything new and exciting in the motoring world, from quirky quadricycles to luxury MPVs. He was previously the content editor on DrivingElectric.com and won the Newspress Automotive Journalist Rising Star award in 2022.

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