THE Ford Fiesta ST might be extinct, but it has an unexpectedly worthy successor in the form of the latest Ford Puma ST.
Being old enough to fondly remember the launch of the original Ford Puma with its cheeky ad campaign that digitally implanted Steve McQueen’s Frank Bullitt behind the wheel of that sporty looking little city car, I’ll admit to much tutting and eye-rolling when Ford first ‘re-booted’ the model name as a crossover SUV a couple of years ago.
However, having recently spent some quality time behind the wheel of the new Puma ST – essentially a pleasingly souped-up Puma body equipped with Fiesta ST-derived underpinnings – it’s time to eat some humble pie. Or, at the very least, to concede that Ford have finally got the Puma ‘right’ in its sportiest incarnation.
The Fiesta ST was a proper ‘pocket rocket’ which was much-loved at Drive towers. Despite being 90kg heavier than the Fez, and the car I drove having a seven-speed autobox – surely antithetical to the entire ST aesthetic, even with its ‘flappy paddle’-controlled manual Powershift feature – the Puma ST still felt pleasingly rapid and a lot of fun to drive.
That this automatic version is powered by Ford’s three-cylinder 1.0l EcoBoost engine, a mild-hybrid affair that’s new to the ST trim and features the ST debut of an ‘Eco’ driving mode, will also make purists frown.
However, once you’ve got over the shock of a 1.0l lump in a fast Ford, you’ll find the car still makes a respectable 168 hp, with a maximum 183 lb ft of torque on tap. It will also get you from 0-62 mph in 7.4 seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph.
That’s only slightly less rapid than the larger, pure petrol 1.5l EcoBoost-powered Puma ST with the six-speed manual box, which can shift from 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds on its way to a vmax of 137 mph, making 197 hp with a maximum 236 lb ft of torque.
Read more:
- Ford Puma ST: Performance Puma ready to pounce
- Ford Puma pounces for the second time
- Ford Puma: Worth the wait?
- Ford Fiesta ST: The faST show still an unrivalled pocket rocket hot hatch
Crucially, the Puma still feels sporty even with the smaller engine. Put your right foot in and there’s a near-instant response, accompanied by a pleasingly roarty engine note that’s artificially enhanced via the cabin speakers depending on drive mode.
When pushing on, the autobox shifts up through the gears quickly without the slushiness you might expect from such a unit, and the Powershift function works well when you fancy taking charge. The steering provides decent feedback through the wheel, and the firm but forgiving ST-spec suspension ensures that the car feels ‘planted’ and copes capably with the kind of twisty roads you tend to seek out in a sporty hatchback.
An optional ST Performance Pack (£950) adds a mechanical limited slip differential, Launch Control, a Performance Shift Light and a Shift Indicator for those who require extra fast Ford fun.
True, the slightly roomier cabin and elevated driving position are constant reminders that you’re driving a crossover SUV rather than a true hot hatch, and it’s definitely odd to have a fuel economy meter taking pride of place in the driver’s display of an ST model, but I defy anyone to take a Puma ST out for a spot of spirited driving and not have a smile on their face within the first mile.
Being an SUV at heart, this five-door vehicle is also a practical family car – the boot is even equipped with Ford’s faintly ridiculous sounding MegaBox, which provides 80l of additional underfloor storage.
And, for all its 21st century inclinations, I loved the Puma’s traditional auto-shifter, ‘proper’ lever-based handbrake and – praise be – abundance of manual buttons and knobs on the dash. Even the tablet style touchscreen was intuitive to navigate when needed.
Indeed, I was pleasantly surprised by the car’s bold combination of old and new overall, and anyone mourning the Fiesta ST should definitely give this slightly bigger successor the chance to confound their expectations.
I don’t know what Steve McQueen would make of it, but the Puma ST definitely gave me paws for thought (sorry).
AT A GLANCE: FORD PUMA ST
- Price (OTR): from £31,070 / as driven £32,245
- Powertrain: 1.0L Ford EcoBoost Hybrid, 170PS seven-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive
- Fuel type: Petrol/electric hybrid
- Maximum power 168 hp
- Maximum torque: 183 lb ft
- Maximum speed: 130 mph
- 0-62mph: 7.4 seconds
- Fuel consumption (combined): 44.8 mpg
- Co2 emissions: 144 g/km
- Euro NCAP rating: Four stars (2022)
