Updated Ford Puma Coming Soon: Specs, price and release info

The Ford Puma stands for the shifting tastes in the small car sector, given it has thrived and now lives on in updated form while the Fiesta it was based on has been discontinued. While some may mourn that loss there is some consolation for the Puma being both a great small car and a great Ford, combining as it does classic brand values like affordability and fun driving manners into a sharp-looking and practical package. Updated for 2024, this refreshed Puma wisely doesn’t mess with the fundamentals or looks, instead concentrating on bringing the onboard tech up to date and increasing the scope of the driver assistance features. An all-electric Puma Gen-E version will follow soon.
• With the Fiesta no more the Puma is now the small Ford – good news being it’s always been a cracker! • Bigger digital instrument cluster now standard on all models, while a much larger central screen running Ford’s latest SYNC4 operating system increases functionality with new features like Alexa Built-In • Petrol-only (for now) engine line-up uses proven 1.0-litre turbocharged engine with ‘mild’ hybrid assistance to help the stop/start system and power deliver – it still can’t power the car on electric drive, though • Flagship ST performance version lives on, though only in less powerful automatic trim • Pricing starts at just £150 more than the outgoing version

Taller and a bit longer than the Fiesta on which it was based, the Puma has the crossover stance modern drivers seem to prefer and is that bit more practical thanks to improved rear legroom and a big boot, the latter featuring the signature ‘MegaBox’ underfloor storage. Wipe clean and, as previously demonstrated by Rory, watertight, the MegaBox is perfect for carrying muddy boots, tall items like golf bags or plants or … goldfish. Watch Rory’s video for more on the latter! New ‘Cactus Grey’ paint and puma logo puddle lights aside the external changes are minimal, though top models now have the option of fully active headlights using ‘Matrix LED’ tech to effectively peer round corners in the dark. Familiar trim levels comprising Titanium, ST-Line and ST-Line X are carried over, though the ‘posh’ Vignale option seems to have been dropped. As before the ST heads up the range.

There are bigger changes inside the Puma, the most obvious centred around the large, 12-inch screen now dominating the middle of the dash. This is a big – literally – upgrade over the previous 8.0-inch screen while the system powering it is Ford’s latest SYNC4, with twice the processing power and a heap of new features including Alexa Built-In for those comfortable with voice-activated features. Physical switches and controls for heating, ventilation have been removed and are now controlled through the screen to create what Ford claims is a ‘calm environment’, though those not of the smartphone generation may beg to differ as they squint at the icons trying to figure out how to turn the demisters on. In further tech news the Ford Connect app through which you can interact with your Puma via your phone is now upgraded and both Apple and Android devices can connect wirelessly rather than on a cable as before. Driver assistance technology has also been improved, with a much more advanced Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control system now capable of lane centring and automatically adjusting speed according to bends, junctions and other hazards. The blind-spot warning system – one of our favourite bits of assistance tech – has also been uprated and the Puma will now brake automatically if it thinks you’re about to reverse into something or risk backing out into an unseen vehicle crossing behind you.

We’ll have to wait for more news about the promised all-electric Puma Gen-E – ‘later this year’ is all Ford is saying for now – but for now the range carries on with the existing 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engines in three power outputs, including the range-topping ST. Disappointingly this is now only available in 170 horsepower trim with the ‘Powershift’ automatic gearbox where the previous ST also offered a 200 horsepower manual option to successfully reimagine and preserve the hot hatch legacy of the much-loved Fiesta ST. Sad faces for that news. Meanwhile all engines feature what’s known as mild hybrid assistance, the electric motor helping out the petrol engine under acceleration and in stop/start traffic but not able to power the vehicle on its own, this also a carry-over from the existing Puma range.

Impressively for all the extra kit the prices on the updated Puma have only gone up by an apparently small amount, so small in fact you’ll likely not even notice when it comes to the monthly finance payments. In the meantime if you fancy one of the outgoing versions there may be deals to be done as dealers clear stock.

As well as updating the Puma Ford has also announced some improvements for its plug-in hybrid big brother, the Kuga. But tweaks to existing models are only the side show for the main event, this being the arrival of the all-electric Explorer, which has been developed using shared foundations with VW but channels a distinctively American vibe in keeping with the brand’s Stateside roots.

As the small car segment moves away from traditional hatchbacks and into what are known as B-segment SUVs and crossovers there are new models launching all the time, this being one of the most vibrant sectors of the new-car market. The Puma has always done well here, the addition of the electric Gen-E version meaning Ford will have a much-needed competitor to new arrivals from the likes of Smart, Volvo and others, not to mention existing favourites like the Vauxhall Mokka Electric and related Peugeot e-2008.