Britain's new favourite car driven - we review the Ford Puma 

• e-mail

All hail Britain's new King of cars! 

Having amassed 49,591 sales, Ford's Puma has officially dethroned the Nissan Qashqai as the most popular new motor in the UK in 2023.

But before it officially received its crown as the UK's top choice motor, we've spent a week driving one to tell you if it is worthy of the title...

Britain's most popular new car of 2023: The Ford Puma is the nation's new favourite model. But does that mean it's any good? We spent a week testing one

Ford Puma: The car that killed the Fiesta

The Puma nameplate was reborn and reintroduced in 2019.

For those of us who can remember the mid-nineties, the Puma of that era was an affordably-priced, two-door coupe with a short wheelbase and darty driving dynamics.

Today, we can't be sure what segment the Puma fits into. Is it a supermini? An SUV? A 'crossover'? We've stopped trying to pigeonhole it.

But one thing is for sure - its recent rise in popularity is the reason Britain's favourite car of all time is now dead and buried.

A growing demand for jacked-up compact vehicles of this ilk (and the higher margins on each unit sold by car makers) has seen Ford prioritise it over the much-adored Fiesta - the motor that Britons own more of than any other car (there's around 1.5million of them on our roads today).

For those of us who can remember driving in the 1990s, you might associate the Ford Puma name with this car...

The new Puma has essentially killed off the Fiesta after 47 consecutive years of production dating back to 1976

As such, Fiesta - the UK's bestseller in sixteen different years, including an 11-year spell at the top of the pops from 2010 to 2020 - ceased production in July 2023.

Its gradual disappearance from showrooms in recent months has fed the Puma's success and seen its order books bursting at the seams.

It has obliterated its biggest rivals in terms of demand, with Vauxhall's Mokka, Nissan's Juke, VW's T-Cross and Skoda's Kamiq getting nowhere near it in the registrations league table.

Ford's even dared to offer one for boy racer types - a performance 'ST' variant that you've almost certainly passed at a McDonalds car park in recent times. 

Here, though, our review focuses on the run-of-the-mill Puma. 

What's the Puma like to drive?

Engine choice for the standard Puma is limited to 1.0-litre petrols with 48-volt mild-hybrid (mHEV) technology. It's smart tech, though.

The engine shuts off when decelerating to a standstill to ration fuel consumption and only fires back into life when you engage a gear. A small electric motor provides a little added oomph to help you move off.

There are two power outputs, 125bhp and 153bhp. Both are linked to a six-speed manual gearbox, though the former has the option of a seven-speed auto - and this is the one we've been driving.

If you want a Puma, you have the choice of 1.0-litre Ecoboost engines - just two with varying power outputs of 125bhp and 153bhp. The latter comes with the choice of a 7-speed auto gearbox, which is what we drove during our week-long assessment

Is it fast? 

In a word, no.

Officially, Ford tells me it can hit 60mph from a standstill in 9.6 seconds - that's the same time it took Usain Bolt in 2009 to run 100 metres in a world record time that still stands today.

Is it quick enough for UK roads? Undoubtedly.

It's punchy in town when driving becomes a stop-start exercise and you're reliant on low revs. And it adequately gathers pace on a slip road when accelerating from 30mph to 70mph to merge into lane one at the same speed as the flow of traffic.

In both urban and highway scenarios, its exceptionally smooth, though there is more than a hint of road rumble generated by the enormous 19-inch alloy wheels fitted to our test car (more on this later) at motorway speeds - and a passenger in the back assures me it's noisier than being sat in the rear of a VW T-Cross. 

Ford has managed to build a crossover that handles like a well-honed hatchback. How it changes direction and holds a corner is like nothing else you'll experience in this segment

But where it gazumps rivals is the handling - a trait that Ford has mastered for years. It's what made the Fiesta a class leader for as long as I can remember.

Despite the raised ride height and boxy proportions, the Puma is an enjoyably nimble car in the corners. It changes direction and turns on a sixpence - it's like a stocky shot-putter spinning on the balls of their feet before ejecting the metal sphere.

And the best part about it is that you get this sensation of agility at all times. Like when you're navigating round parked cars in town centres, touring a business park, or whizzing around a small roundabout.

Ours, delivered in ST-Line trim, came with the sporty suspension set-up that helps it to change direction on a B-road like a sheepdog trying to command its pack, while the connected feel through the chunky steering wheel rim is wonderfully weighted.

The little 1.0-litre engine is punchy in town when driving becomes a stop-start exercise and you're reliant on low revs. And it adequately gathers pace when you need it to

Is the Ford Puma comfortable?

Given how well the Puma corners, maybe we shouldn't have been surprised by how firm the ride is. But we still expected more from a car in this segment. 

Our ST-Line model came with both the harder suspension set-up and the largest, 19-inch, wheels. The combination makes for a harsh ride.

Fail to swerve a pothole and you will certainly know about it. However, even minor surface imperfections - such as cats eyes dividing motorway lanes - are felt in the cabin when you clip one.

The road rumble from the larger rims is also audible inside, with the constant drone at the national speed limit thumping into the ears of passengers in the back more so than those up front. 

A VW T-Cross definitely provides better ride comfort levels, though there are crashier compact crossovers, like Nissan's Juke, for instance. 

I'm sure that deleting the sport suspension and opting for smaller 18 or even 17-inch wheels would eliminate these ride comfort issues. 

In terms of the seats, the thick-bolstered sports chairs in our test car provide lots of support and comfort for the driver and accompanying passenger, even on longer journeys. There's plenty of adjustment too, along with the steering wheel for height and reach.

Unfortunately, the rear bench isn't as accommodating, with short and inclined seat bases that can get uncomfortable after a while.

Back seat passengers also have limited legroom - six footers are not welcome here - and there's a restrictive, almost cocooning sensation from the narrowing window frames, which make it feel darker and more enclosed than it truly is. 

This also impacts visibility for the driver, which despite the raised ride height is no better than a supermini hatchback. The letterbox-style rear window and those rising rear-quarters make over-the-shoulder lane change checks more difficult - though the wing mirrors are usefully large and square in shape. 

Our test model also came with the optional (£1,000) panoramic roof, which lowers the ceiling height somewhat - another reason why taller folk won't love being in the back. 

Practicalities and ease of use

Let's start from the front and move backwards, shall we?

If there is one thing Ford nails every time, it is logical control layout and functionality. It's no different with the Puma, with all the main switches, gauges and stalks exactly where you'd expect - and want - them. 

Every trim level comes with an eight-inch touch display infotainment system that houses the DAB radio, Bluetooth, sat-nav. There's also compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. 

It is by no means the most up-to-date operating system and sometimes takes a while to respond after you've made a selection via the on-screen menus, but it's an ample set-up.

Every trim level comes with an eight-inch touch display infotainment system that houses the DAB radio, Bluetooth, sat-nav. There's also compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The interior quality across the dashboard, main touch points and centre console feel chunky, robust and tactile. If you were expecting a wash of flimsy hard plastics, you'll be very impressed with just how plush the Puma's cabin is.

Further back, every Puma comes with 60/40 split-folding rear seats, though they didn't drop entirely flush with the boot floor in our test car.

The boot itself is extremely accommodating.

Lift the tailgate and you'll initially wonder where the quoted 456 litres of space is. But the Puma's adjustable luggage floor can be lowered deep into the chassis so that you can easily fit a pair - maybe three - medium-size holiday suitcases in the back.

Every Puma comes with 60/40 split-folding rear seats, though they didn't drop entirely flush with the boot floor in our test car

The boot itself is extremely accommodating. Lift the tailgate and you'll initially wonder where the quoted 456 litres of space is. But there's loads of extra space under the adjustable floor

‹ Slide me ›

With the boot floor dropped, you can load to a very low point in the chassis. You can easily fit a pair - maybe three - medium-size holiday suitcases in the back

It's also worth mentioning that despite all Pumas coming with the modern preventative safety aids you’d expect in a new motor today - automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance and traffic-sign recognition - you do have to pay extra for blind-spot detection and steering assist.

And while there is an assortment of six airbags, Euro NCAP only awarded the Puma four out of five stars when it crashed tested it in 2022.

Ford Puma: price and running costs 

Gone are the days of cheap Ford models. 

The Puma, now its smallest car in Britain, rings in from a whopping £25,640.

Our test car, an ST-Line X trim with the seven-speed auto gearbox, is £28,790 on the road, and kitted with a quota of options it tallied to a barely-believable £33,515.

Given that a BMW 1 Series in M Sport spec costs £31,585, this feels extremely steep on Ford's behalf. 

Gone are the days of cheap Ford models. The Puma, now its smallest car in Britain, rings in from a whopping £25,640. But the one consolation is that it should be cheap to run 

Fortunately, what you get with the Puma is a strong engine that's also affordable to run.

Official fuel economy is said to be 47.1mpg, and on a mixture of roads we still managed a respectable 45mpg.

The Puma also pumps out less CO2 than many of its rival small SUVs, meaning [relatively] low vehicle excise duty annual payments.

The Puma's success will be measured by sales, and in 2023 Britons have rated it as the number one four-wheeled product available in showrooms

Cars & Motoring verdict on the Ford Puma

There's no questioning that the Puma is among the best compact crossovers on the market at this very moment.

Where it leads its rivals is driving performance - it's probably the sweetest-handing small SUV out there right now. And while the rear of the cabin is more cramped than some of the competition, the flexibility of the boot is a real highlight.

But where it loses big points is its washboard ride comfort, which isn't as forgiving as its VW Group rivals - nor is the overall quality of finish.

And starting at more than £25,500, it's undeniably pricey for a small SUV that - inside - offers little to no more space than a Fiesta hatchback.

Yet, no matter our opinion, the success of any car is how it resonates with customers. And the Puma has proven its success as a product by the sheer volume of Britons who have bought one in 2023.