2020 Ford Puma Pricing and Spec Australia

Ford’s funky Puma is coming to Australia and it will be here soon. We’re getting three versions, starting at $29,990 for the European built baby SUV.

Readers of a certain age will remember – with some fondness – the original Ford Puma. A nineties icon, it was a small, two-door coupe that spawned the cult hit Ford Puma Racing. I never got to drive one, but boy did it look cool.

And that’s probably the main link between the new baby SUV and the old baby sports car – the funky looks.

How much is a 2020 Ford Puma and what do I get?

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Safety – 5 Stars (EuroNCAP, not yet ANCAP tested)

The compact SUV segment is surprisingly strong on safety. All 2020 Ford Pumas score AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition and rear parking sensors. All of this is on top of the usual six airbags, ABS, traction and stability controls.

The Park Package ($1500) replaces the standard cruise control with adaptive cruise with stop and go and lane centring, parking sensors all around and blind-spot monitoring.

For child seats, you’ll get three top-tether anchors and two ISOFIX points.

SYNC 3

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Once again, SYNC 3 is standard across the entire range. It comes with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, voice-activated sat nav, wireless charging, FordPass app compatibility, reversing camera, DAB and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Puma and ST-Line stereo system has seven speakers, which is pretty good for the segment. The ST-Line V has a B&O-branded 10-speaker system with a sick subwoofer.

Ford Puma – $29,990 + ORC

The entry-level car comes with a leather steering wheel, two USB ports, cloth trim, 17-inch alloys and, keyless start and LED headlights.

Ford Puma ST-Line – $32,340 + ORC

The ST-Line will likely be the big seller (call me crazy) with 17-inch ST-Line machined alloys, matte black grille, body kit (including front apron, skirts and rear spoiler), ST-Line sport suspension, 12.3-inch digital dashboard, flat-bottomed steering wheel, paddle shifters, red stitching around the cabin and metallic pedals.

That’s not a bad amount of gear for an extra $2350.

Ford Puma ST-Line V – $35,540

That’s V for Vignale, like the new Escape. The V scores leather accented seating (that’s fake leather to you and me), privacy glass, chrome all over the place, 18-inch wheels, keyless entry and start, climate control and a hands-free power tailgate. The steering wheel and trim feature metal grey stitching. Sounds reasonably classy, actually.

Options

On top of the Park Pack, you can get prestige paint ($650), hands-free power tailgate ($750, standard on the V), black roof rails ($250), black roof ($500) and a panorama sunroof ($2000).

Chassis and Drivetrain

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Similar to the clever Peugeot 2008, the Puma ships with some clever drive mode trickery to help hide its two-wheel drive reality. The usual Normal, Sport and Eco do what they say on the tin (citation needed, obviously). Slippery sorts you out in the wet, snow and ice and Trail is supposed to help keep you moving in sand or “a powdery dirt road.”

The 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder Ecoboost spins up 92kW and 170Nm. Like most titchy SUVs, the Puma is front-wheel drive only. Ford’s seven-speed twin-clutch changes the gears for you.

Ford says the Puma will score 6.3L/100km on the combined cycle.

Servicing and Warranty

All Fords have a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist (via a motoring organisation membership) and free loan car when you bring your car in.

If I read the press release right, you’ll pay $299 for servicing for the first 60,000km, so I guess that means $299 per year. If it’s $299 all up, that’s a dead-set bargain.

Redline Recommendation

The hybrid we don’t get is the one I’d get, but hey, we don’t get it. That thing has 114kW and uses a decent chunk less fuel (5.8L/100km WLTP).

Failing that, the mid-spec ST-Line looks like the one to go for. I’m oddly excited about this car which will be here around the middle of the year.