Ford Puma - Interior, design and technology

Ford’s small SUV is based on the best-selling (but now discontinued) Fiesta, which is no bad thing. Despite being one of the smaller B-segment models, the Puma has ensured it stands out from competitors with a distinctive design and impressive levels of standard equipment.

In the cabin, the dash and centre console will be familiar to those who’ve peered inside a recent Focus, although the visible plastics aren’t the Puma’s greatest quality. There’s far too much hard black stuff to be found, while other small SUVs are available with nicer interiors, and for similar money. A facelift, due in 2024, could address this issue.

Ford offers four core specifications for the Puma: Titanium, ST-Line, ST-Line X and ST-Line Vignale. There's also a Vivid Ruby Edition model available at the time of writing, plus the standalone Puma ST which we've reviewed separately.

The Puma range doesn't really have a basic entry-level model, so the cheapest Titanium car is priced at around £26,000, but is well equipped and finished with flair. The standard kit includes 17-inch alloy wheels, power-folding mirrors, rear parking sensors, an eight-inch central touchscreen display and cruise control. The other side to this is that the Puma’s starting price is a touch high compared with rivals, namely the Renault Captur, which starts at around £23,000. 

ST-Line models add extra standard equipment such as a widescreen 12.3-inch digital instrument display, but these cars major on sporty touches, including a body kit, different alloy wheels, sports seats and pedals and a sports suspension setup that helps the Puma to shine as one of the best crossovers to drive.

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ST-Line X builds on this with luxury features such as upgraded upholstery, rear privacy glass, a wireless smartphone charging pad and a 10-speaker audio set-up from Bang & Olufsen, while the ST-Line Vignale trim includes heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, front parking sensors and keyless entry. We'd advise looking at what kit you need, because the ST-Line Vignale model seems a little indulgent at nearly £30,000.

As the name suggests, the Vivid Ruby Edition model only comes in ‘Vivid Ruby’ metallic paint with a contrasting black roof, black door mirrors and rear spoiler. It also comes with 18-inch alloy wheels finished in black, LED headlights, a powered tailgate, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view parking camera as standard. We wouldn’t recommend it though, due to it costing even more than the already pricey ST-Line Vignale.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

All Puma models come with Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system using an eight-inch touchscreen with integrated navigation, Bluetooth, a DAB radio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. Stepping up to ST-Line X gets you a wireless charging pad as standard. Considering the high list prices as you climb the range, we think the Titanium trim offers a sweet spot regarding equipment and on-board tech.

Mid-range ST-Line features a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, replacing the small 4.2-inch digital display and analogue instruments of Titanium. If you need better quality audio while on the move, the ST-Line X models add a B&O Premium stereo with 10 speakers.

The infotainment display in the Puma is smaller than in some rivals, while its shortcut buttons are on a pop-up menu on-screen rather than being separate. It can make it a little tricky to use – requiring at least two presses of the screen to make a selection. Ford’s SYNC 3 menu system is easy to work through, although the pale blue graphics aren’t quite as sharp as we'd like, and the digital dials aren’t quite as clear, either. The updated Puma, due in 2024, will utilise the faster processing power of the SYNC 4 system on a much larger 12.8-inch display, which we hope will address our concerns.