Ford Puma review

The Puma’s standard seats, fitted to Titanium models, lack a bit of side support but are otherwise comfy and even have a massaging function as well as adjustable lumbar support – many small SUVs, including the Juke, don't even offer the latter. Go for sportier ST-Line trim and you'll have to forgo your massage, but you'll still get lumbar adjustment along with thicker side bolsters for cradling you in the corners. 

All models have seat-height adjustment and plenty of movement to get the steering wheel just where you need it, no matter what your shape or size. Some people might find the gearlever is set a little low down, though.

You don’t sit quite as far from the road as you do in a Volkswagen T-Roc, but you do sit far higher than you would in a Ford Fiesta – or a Skoda Kamiq, for that matter. And the Puma's dashboard is easy to get the hang of, thanks in part to the chunky, intuitive controls for the air-conditioning.

Depending on your driving position, you might find that the aggressively angled front pillars block some of your view out at junctions and roundabouts. The view out of the back of the Puma isn’t brilliant, either; blame the rising window line and those chunky rear pillars for that.

On the plus side, all Pumas come with rear parking sensors, while a reversing camera is available as part of the optional Driver Assistance Pack. You also have to pay extra for LED headlights, which at night project a more intense beam farther down the road than the standard halogen lights.

All trim levels come with an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system, with DAB radio, built-in sat-nav and a couple of USB ports. You also get a wireless charging pad to make it easier to charge certain smartphones. 

True, the operating system isn’t as user-friendly as the equivalent in a Skoda Kamiq or Volkswagen T-Roc or T-Cross, and the touchscreen sometimes takes a while to respond after you’ve pressed it. However, all things considered, it’s a better infotainment system than the one you get in a Nissan Juke and far better than a Citroen C3 Aircross's or Peugeot 2008's.

Go for range-topping ST-Line X trim and the standard seven-speaker sound system is replaced by a really punchy 10-speaker B&O setup. If we’re being picky, though, the sound quality it delivers isn't quite as warm or enveloping as the Bose system in range-topping Jukes.

The Puma’s interior is dressed a little more lavishly than that of a Volkswagen T-Roc or T-Cross. Those cars have primarily hard, unforgiving plastics inside, whereas in the Puma you'll find some pleasingly squidgy surfaces on the dashboard and tops of the doors. Range-topping ST-Line X models even have some faux carbonfibre highlights as well as part-leather seats. 

However, some of the dashboard plastic feels a bit flimsy and low-rent, so overall there’s no doubt that the Juke and Kamiq are that bit more upmarket inside.