The saying goes that “times change, wills change” and the new Ford Puma is proof of that. Initially associated with a small sports coupé derived from the Fiesta, the name that first appeared on the Ford range in 1997 is now back, but with a format that meets the wishes of the 21st century car market.
Gone are the obstacles to family duties and the coupé lines, with the Puma re-emerging as a crossover, in a clear response to what has been revealed as the main trend in the automobile market in recent years.
Despite the departure from coupé shapes, there are still common features between the two Pumas in Ford's history. Because, as in the past, Puma not only continues to share the platform with Fiesta, but also inherited its interior. However, being a crossover, the new Puma takes on a much more practical and versatile aspect.
You don't lack space...
Having left behind the coupé format, the Puma was able to assume itself as a much more family-friendly option. Let's see: despite sharing the platform with the Fiesta, the Puma has a luggage compartment with 456 l, much more than the 292 l of the Fiesta and even the 375 l of the Focus.
Still in the trunk and as if to prove that the times when Ford Puma and space were antagonistic concepts have long since disappeared, the Puma has solutions such as the Ford MegaBox (a compartment at the base with a capacity of 80 l that allows you to transport more objects tall) and a shelf that can be placed at two heights.
To complete the versatility source of the new Puma, Ford also endowed its latest crossover with a system that allows opening the luggage compartment through a sensor under the rear bumper, something we already knew from other models of the brand and a debut in the segment according to Ford.
…and technology too
While the first Puma focused (almost exclusively) on driving pleasure, the new one had to take into account the evolution the world has gone through in the 22 years that separate the launch of the two models.
So, although the new Puma remains faithful to the brand's dynamic scrolls (or didn't it have the Fiesta chassis) it also reveals itself as a model with a strong technological commitment, which translates into various safety, comfort and driving aids. .
An example of this are the 12 ultrasonic sensors, three radars and two cameras that integrate the Ford Co-Pilot360.
These are joined by equipment such as the adaptive cruise control with Stop&Go function (available when the Puma are equipped with a double-clutch gearbox), the recognition of traffic signs or the maintenance aid on the carriageway, all equipment with which the first Puma could only… dream.
Mild-hybrid system also makes its debut
It wasn't just in terms of body shapes and available technologies that the automotive industry has evolved over the last 20 years, and it's proved by the range of engines with which the new Puma will be available.
So, like the Fiesta and Focus, the new crossover with the feline name will have a mild-hybrid version, in which a small 11.5 kW (15.6 hp) electric motor takes the place of the alternator and engine. start, and is associated with 1.0 EcoBoost with two power levels – 125hp and 155hp thanks to a larger turbo and a lower compression ratio.
Designated Ford EcoBoost Hybrid, this system brings the Puma the possibility of recovering and storing the kinetic energy of braking and when rolling downhill without acceleration, converting it into electrical energy, which then feeds 48 V lithium-ion batteries; reduce turbo lag; ensures smoother and faster operation of the start-stop system; and even allows freewheeling.
As for the other engines, the new Puma will also be available with 1.0 EcoBoost in the version without the mild-hybrid system and 125 hp, and with a Diesel engine that will appear associated with an automatic transmission with seven-speed dual-clutch, but that will only reach the national market in 2020. Also in the field of transmissions, a six-speed manual gearbox will also be available.
On the front, the chrome details stand out.
Scheduled for arrival on the Portuguese market in January at Titanium, ST-Line and ST-Line X equipment levels, only mild-hybrid with both 125hp and 155hp outputs associated with a 6-speed manual gearbox, the prices of the new Ford Puma.
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