Ford Ireland has confirmed that the Puma crossover will go on sale here from January, with prices starting at €24,465.
Three trim lines
The Ford Puma will come in Titanium, ST-Line and ST-Line X specifications; yes, that's right, the Titanium X model that was shown at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show doesn't look to be making it to these shores.
As per Ford's intention to have half of its European car sales electrified by 2022, the only engine confirmed so far is the mild-hybrid (MHEV) enhanced 1.0-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol turbo unit, which delivers 125hp. If you want this as a Titanium, it'll cost from €24,465 and will come with 17-inch alloys, LED headlamps with auto high-beam, Pre-Collision Assist, eight-inch SYNC infotainment with navigation and the FordPass Connect system, keyless start, electronic climate control, massaging front seats, ambient lighting, Qi wireless smartphone charging, cruise control with an adjustable speed limiter and a rear spoiler.
A generous list, we're sure you'll agree, but making the €1,600 step up to the ST-Line (starting at €26,065) will bring in the ST-Line sports body kit on the outside, a larger rear spoiler, LED fog lamps at the front with a cornering-light feature, an ST-Line sports exhaust, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a dark sports headliner, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and alloy pedals and gear knob. Another €1,800 from here is the ST-Line X (from €27,865), which further adds 18-inch matte-black alloy wheels, the more intuitive SYNC Gen 3 infotainment with both satnav and a B&O Play uprated sound system, partial-leather sports trim, privacy glass, and - finally - a shark-fin antenna on the roof.
Incidentally, every one of these Puma models is said to emit 127g/km CO2, placing them in Band B1 (€270/year) for road tax.
MegaBox boot
The Puma joins Ford's existing line of SUVs and 'SUV-inspired' crossovers in Europe, which currently are the Fiesta Active, the Focus Active, the EcoSport and also the Kuga, the last of which is itself due for replacement with an all-new model in 2020. If you're wondering where the Edge has gone in this list, well... underwhelming sales have seen Ford cancel it in Europe. Never mind; console yourself with the fact you can still buy a Ranger Raptor, if you need something big and 4x4 and Ford-y. And a bit mental, at that.
Anyway, the reasoning for all of the above is that SUVs now account for more than one-in-five Ford vehicles sold across Europe, with sales of these machines rising more than 19 per cent in 2018. Ciarán McMahon, chairman and managing director of Ford Ireland, said: "I am sure the new Ford Puma will be a big hit in the Irish market. It is a compact SUV that feels like a much bigger car, thanks - in part - to the innovative design of the MegaBox boot area [which accounts for a boot volume of 444 litres]. Then add in the very fuel-efficient mild-hybrid 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and you can see why Puma will tick all the boxes for many prospective new-car buyers."