The Ford Puma returns as a mini SUV

The new 2019 Ford Puma is not the sporty coupe we were expecting. Not at all.

The Ford Puma that was once known as a cool, affordable sports car back in the noughties has now been brought back to life in a completely new guise. The new Ford Puma, which will go on sale at the end of 2019, is not a compact coupe at all but rather a compact SUV, commonly known as a crossover.

Although the new Ford Puma crossover isn’t at all what we were expecting, the car actually looks quite exciting and seems to take some design cues from the original Puma that was released back in 1997. Although it may not be the sports car we were hoping for, this Puma crossover is still enough to pique our interest and hopefully for ford, the interest of potential customers as well.

The new Ford Puma will be a ‘mild-hybrid’

So far, it seems that all Ford Puma models will feature a 1.0-litre engine which is paired to a small 11.5 kW belt-driven integrated starter/generator (BISG). The car will be available in both petrol and diesel options, with the diesel option only being available at some point after the initial release of the car.

Currently, Ford has only revealed stats for one model of the new Puma; 125 PS (approximately 123 horsepower) 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine will deliver 131 g/km CO2 emissions and 5.8 l/100 km (roughly 48.7 mpg) fuel efficiency.

The small electric generator makes the Puma a mild-hybrid, as the car is still mostly powered by an internal combustion engine. The 48‑volt lithium-ion air-cooled battery pack charges itself while the car is coasting or braking and the mild-hybrid system monitors the car’s performance to know when the deliver extra torque and take some of the strain away from the combustion engine. This increase in power supplied by the electric motor can increase torque by up to 50% at lower rpm, allowing the driver to accelerate quicker for a more engaging drive.

The mild-hybrid technology not only increases fuel efficiency and torque, but it also minimises turbo lag thanks to the torque supplementation that rotates the engine faster for maintained turbocharger boost response.

Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe had this to say:

“Our 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine has already proven that fuel efficiency and performance can go hand-in-hand. Our EcoBoost Hybrid technology takes that to the next level,”

“We believe customers are going to love the smooth and urgent power delivery of our EcoBoost Hybrid powertrains just as much as they’ll enjoy less-frequent trips to the fuel pumps.”

Like you’d expect from a modern Ford, it’s got plenty of tech

The 2019 Puma is equipped with 12 ultrasonic sensors, 3 radars and 2 cameras which are used for things like adaptive cruise control, parking and safety/protection features. With the 7-speed automatic transmission, customers can enjoy adaptive cruise control with stop & go, speed sign recognition and lane centring.

Ford’s new Local Hazard Information functionality can notify drivers of a hazard in the road ahead, even when it’s not visible to the driver. This is possible thanks to data provided by HERE Technologies, which includes updates from local authorities, emergency services, and driving data from other vehicles connected to “the cloud”. These updates, whether it be a fallen tree or a car incident, are accurate within minutes according to Ford.

There are many great driving assistant technologies included in the Ford Puma, including a 180° rear camera for greater reversing visibility, automatic bay parking, pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection and evasive steering assist which can help you avoid a crash.

“Puma is offered with an unprecedented array of technology for its segment,” Steffens said. “Features from wireless charging to Stop & Go are designed to fit seamlessly into owners’ lives, and make driving Puma an effortless and intuitive experience.” Roelant de Waard commented.

Ford’s trick up their sleeve: a sink in the boot

You could say the Puma has everything but the kitchen sink, but the car even has that to some degree. At the bottom of the boot is a spare-wheel-sized trench which has been named the ‘Ford MegaBox’. Essentially, it’s an extra 80-litres of storage space with a drainage hole, which is very handy for dirty items such as muddied wellies, as Ford demonstrates.

Like the original Puma, it’s cool, quirky and fun

We can’t help but see the original Puma when looking at the wing-top mounted headlights, rounded rear lights and sporty design but truthfully, the new and old Pumas don’t really have much in common. They may share the same name, but other than that, Ford seems to have all but forgotten about their cute and crazy little coupe that brought joy to so many owners 20 years ago. The ‘Puma’ name stands for something entirely different now.

What we can say, however, is that the new Puma is shaping up to be a very interesting compact SUV and we’re looking forward to learning more about it. To stay up to date on all things motoring-related, subscribe to our email list today!

Let us know what you think of the new Puma in the comments!