HAVING thoroughly enjoyed taking the Ford Puma ST for a spin back in 2023, Drive thought it was high time that we also checked out the lukewarm version of Ford’s best-selling crossover SUV.
With the demise of the Fiesta ST, the Puma ST is now one of the blue oval’s last remaining ‘hot hatches’ alongside the aging Focus ST, which is apparently going to be retired later this year as Ford increases its drive towards all-electric vehicles – including the new Puma Gen-E, which has just gone on sale.
The ST-Line X sits just below the ST (which itself sits above the entry level Titanium) in the Puma range, offering drivers a taste of its appealingly sporty looks without the top-spec trim’s insurance group-boosting performance.
POWER PLAY
Both cars are powered by same 1.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine, a lovely sounding three-cylinder mild hybrid lump that utilises a 48‑volt electric motor to help save fuel and boost performance. However, the Puma ST comes in spicy 168hp tune and starts at £33,600 OTR, whereas the ST-Line X can be had from £28,000 OTR in milder 123hp form (the motor in the car we drove) or from £31,350 OTR in slightly warmer 153hp tune.
Controversially, the proper Puma ST is currently only available as a 7-speed automatic: you can choose between that box or a 6-speed manual with the ST-Line X, the autobox being a £1,800 option that will actually take you from 0-62mph very slightly quicker than the three-pedal car – a whole 0.2 seconds, in fact.
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However, unlike the ST, there is no flappy paddle-operated Powershift function allowing you to usher the car up or down its gears by hand when the mood strikes you.
HIT THE ROAD
While both models might look pretty similar (that’s the whole idea after all), unsurprisingly, you immediately notice the power difference between the ST and ST-Line X once you are on the go, especially while overtaking.
While the ST has 183 lb ft of torque on tap, the standard ST-Line X has just 125 lb ft on offer and slightly runs out of puff above 50mph unless you kickdown and really put your foot to the floor, sending the RPM needle spinning clockwise.
That three-pot motor does sound great at full stretch, to be fair, particularly in sport mode which produces an exhaust note that’s artificially augmented courtesy of the interior sound system.
AROUND TOWN
Of course, for everyday round-the-town driving, you’ll not be able to open the taps fully anyway, and the ST-Line X makes up for its lack of grunt by offering a slightly comfier ride, thanks to smaller wheels and a ‘sports suspension’ rather than the stiffer ST-grade set-up and 19” alloys.
The ST-Line X seats are also possibly a bit comfier than the Ford Performance seats in the top tier model, though you’ll have to fork out an extra £350 for the optional Winter Pack if you want them heated (totally worth it – and you also get a heated steering wheel).
PUSH THE BUTTON
One niggle which I noticed straight away with the ST-Line X over the ST is that it has a slightly different steering wheel, a ‘quartic’ affair with a flattened top and bottom. Nothing wrong with that in itself, but there’s no longer a drive mode selector toggle among its selection of multi-function buttons – instead, you must use the central Sync-4 touchscreen to switch between normal, eco, sport, slippery and trail while on the go, which is a definite step backwards in terms of driver convenience.
At least the voice command functionality proved to be excellent, with the car understanding and executing a variety of instructions including changing radio station and adjusting the cabin temperature.
INNERSPACE
While the Puma ST was essentially a replacement for the defunct Fiesta ST, allowing that hot hatch’s sporty underpinnings to live on in SUV form, the bigger body style meant extra room for carting your family about.
The crossover styling with a curved rear roofline does mean that taller rear passengers won’t have much headroom – at six-feet tall, my head was resting right against the roof lining - but there’s 460 litres of rear cargo space as standard, or 1,216 litres with the rear seats folded (almost) flat.
Like the ST, the ST-Line X also comes with Ford’s MegaBox, an under the boot floor ‘smuggler’s bin’ which provides an additional 80-litres of storage: Ford suggest it can even be filled with ice and used as a picnic cooler, since it includes a handy drain plug which allows liquid contents to be purged to the ground beneath the vehicle when required.
A LITTLE XTRA
“What’s the difference between the standard ST-Line (£26,350 OTR) and the ST-Line X?”, I hear you ask. Well, that extra £1,650 gets you 18” alloy wheels in a similar style to the 19” versions on the ST, a fancier interior with partial premium Sensico Synthetic Leather trim, black Neo Suede inserts and red stitching, wireless phone charging, B&O premium sound system, power tailgate and keyless entry.
Our test car also came equipped with a Power-opening Panorama Roof (£1,000), which allows lots of extra light into the cabin and allows you to feel the wind in your hair when the weather cooperates, Glare-free Matrix LED Headlamps (£800) and a Driver Assistance Pack (£950) which adds (deep breath) a 360-degree camera with front and rear parking sensors, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Evasive Steering, Stop & Go with Traffic Jam Assist, Blind Spot Information System with Lane Change Warning and Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Change Aid and Lane Centering Assist.
It was also finished in an attractive shade of Cactus Grey (£800), meaning that the total cost for the car as tested was £33,950 - £300 more expensive than a standard ST, which comes loaded with many of those extras as standard plus that extra performance grunt.
FAST OR LUXURIOUS?
Of course, as a result, the ST will incur the eye-watering premiums of insurance group 22, whereas the ST-Line X is in the more affordable group 13.
Really, it’s a case of horses for courses – do you want to pay for comfort and convenience or pulse quickening performance?
If it’s the former, then the ST-Line X hits the mark in style.
AT A GLANCE: Ford ST-Line X
- Price: from £28,000 OTR (£33,950 as tested)
- Drivetrain: 1.0-litre Ecoboost mHEV, 7-speed automatic gearbox
- Max power: 123hp
- Max torque: 125lb ft
- Max speed: 118mph
- 0-62mph: 9.6 seconds
- Fuel consumption: 49.6mpg (WLTP combined)
- Emissions: 131g/km
- Insurance group: 13
- Euro NCAP rating: Four stars (2022)
