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Used Ford Puma EcoBoost Review
30 Jan 2023
If you’re looking for a stylish, small SUV that’s fun to drive, has a huge boot and is big enough for all the family, you can’t go wrong with a used Ford Puma.
If you cast your mind back to the early 2000s, you may remember the Ford Puma as a small, front-wheel-drive coupe. It sold well and built up a solid fanbase before being discontinued in 2002. However, in 2019, the Puma name was revived, with the all-new Ford Puma shedding its small coupe skin and taking the form of a compact five-door SUV. And you know what? It’s fantastic. With rivals including the Peugeot 2008, Skoda Kamiq, Mazda CX-30 and Renault Captur, the small family SUV market is overflowing, but a used Ford Puma is up there with the very best in its class.
So, if you’re on the lookout for a second-hand Ford Puma, where should you start? Here’s our guide to the best engines and trim levels and how much a good used Ford Puma will set you back.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Fun to drive
- Good value
- Frugal petrol engines
- Practical with a good-sized boot
Cons
- Average length warranty
- Rear legroom could be better
- Dashboard is not the most stylish
How does it look?
We think the Ford Puma is a great-looking thing, with its modern, chunky body, raised SUV styling, sharp creases and deep front grille. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this is a class where you can get away with being a bit different - as the Nissan Juke showed - and still be a roaring success. As well as its striking looks, all Ford Pumas get alloy wheels and electric mirrors as standard, with ST-Line versions getting a sportier body kit, too.
Inside, the Puma is not quite as striking, but while the interior is conservative and unadventurous, everything feels durable and good quality. The driving position is spot-on, there’s plenty of headroom and legroom in the rear, and there’s a cleverly designed boot that’s big enough for six carry-on-sized suitcases in the main compartment.
What’s it like to drive?
On the road is where the used Ford Puma really separates itself from the pack. It’s great fun to drive, whether you’re cruising smoothly on motorways, pottering around town or blasting along twisting country lanes. The engines are all nippy and responsive from low revs and it darts into corners without any of the usual body roll you typically get from an SUV.
Although the ride may be a little firmer than some of its rivals, the Puma is always comfortable and it handles rough roads and potholes with ease. There’s an excellent manual gearbox and all the controls have a pleasing weight that makes it feel very natural to drive.
Is a second-hand Ford Puma reliable?
Even the oldest used Ford Pumas are still quite new, which means there are limited reliability reports available at the moment. However, the Puma has performed well in driver satisfaction surveys and it came a respectable 21st out of 75 top models in the 2022 Driver Power Survey. The build quality is rated above average by its owners, who also have positive things to say about the Puma’s engines and gearboxes.
Which is the best used Ford Puma to buy?
You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a good used Ford Puma for sale. It’s still relatively new to the market, so you won’t be able to pick up an older model for a bargain price. However, as one of the best-selling cars in the UK, there are plenty of preowned options from 2019 onwards.
When it comes to picking your engine, there isn’t a huge amount of choice. There are two 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol engines with either 123bhp or 153bhp. Mild hybrid assistance is standard on the more powerful model and an option on the 123bhp unit. There’s also a sporty ST model, which has a 1.5-litre 197bhp petrol engine. All the engines come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, although there’s also a seven-speed automatic gearbox which is available on some trims.
When it comes to the trim levels, there are four to choose from - Titanium, ST-Line, ST-Line X and ST-Line X Vignale. They offer a good level of standard equipment across the board, with a DAB radio, built-in sat nav, LED rear lights and 17-inch alloy wheels.
The Titanium has rear parking sensors, body-coloured exterior trim and selectable drive modes, while the ST-Line models add a more muscular body kit and sports suspension. The ST-Line X upgrades the alloys to 18 inches and adds privacy glass, while the Vignale brings luxurious touches such as heated seats, keyless entry, a heated steering wheel and front parking sensors.
All the engines are very good and pack plenty of punch. However, we’d consider going for the 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 155 engine, which is more than powerful enough and includes mild-hybrid technology as standard to help with the economy. Depending on your budget, it may also be worth upgrading to the ST-Line trim to get the sportier suspension.
How much is a used Ford Puma?
You’ll need around £18,000 to buy a preowned Ford Puma, which will get you a 2019 Titanium-spec car with low mileage on the clock. Increase your budget to £19,500 and you’ll be able to get an ST-Line car from 2020, while a top-of-the-range ST-Line X Vignale model will cost around £22,500. You can expect to pay upwards of £20,000 for a 2021 used Ford Puma, which we think is a snip for a car that’s practical, economical and a lot of fun to drive.