Hot Ford Puma ST revealed

The Puma ST is Ford’s offering for families that don’t want to give up on fun. “Real driving enthusiasts aren’t going to settle for less excitement just because life demands a more ‘sensible’ car,” said Stefan Muenzinger, Ford Performance manager, Europe.

“Our number one priority was that the Puma ST had to be as exhilarating and capable as every ST model, without sacrificing any of Puma’s practicality.”

So, part with £28,495 (starting) and you’ll get yourself a sportier suspension setup and punchier styling in addition to that Fiesta ST heart transplant. That’s not to mention the option of ​that p​aint which is as distinctive as it is exclusive to this hot new family hack.

The sportier styling doesn’t go to RS levels of madness, but adds a tasteful level of aggression to the Puma ST. At the front, the familiar honeycomb grille joins a more chiselled jaw, complete with a sizable visible radiator hinting at the more aggressive powerplant within. Gloss black touches appear on the mirrors, roof and lower sides, with 19-inch ‘statement’ wheels, and a more aggressive spoiler and lower rear-end treatment.

So what about the colour? It’s called ‘Mean Green’ and it joins a long line of eye-catching ST-exclusive paints to ensure you won’t be missed at the local Cars & Coffee, or Halfords car park Grand Prix. In Clarkson’s own words, first levied at the original Focus ST, “if it’s stolen, plod won’t need an infrared gun to find it again”. Practically speaking, the kids won’t miss it in the line-up of crossovers come the school pick-up, either. ‘Mean Green’ joins ‘​Agate Black’, ‘Desert Island Blue’, ‘Fantastic Red’ and ‘Frozen White’ on the colour options list. Go on, be brave.

The new Puma ST will hit 62mph from a standing start in 6.7 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 137mph. Though borrowed from the Fiesta ST and still producing 200PS, the torque figure in the Puma is upped to 340Nm (251lb ft), from 290Nm (214lb ft). The Fiesta ST’s six-speed manual transmission also makes the jump.

To sharpen up what is already a nice-driving car, the Puma ST features 25 per cent quicker steering, 17 per cent larger brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres for those big stylish wheels. The rear twist beam is a hefty 40 per cent stiffer than the Fiesta ST and 50 per cent stiffer than the standard Puma. 24mm (front) and 28mm (rear) anti-roll bars also help the Puma keep it together in the corners. Optional for £950 is a proper mechanical limited-slip differential, to maximise traction and minimise understeer.

The result? “We believe that we have the best-handling small SUV in its segment,” claims Muenzinger. “It really does feel connected and has the true ST feel. It is a joy to drive.”

Four driving modes control the character of the Puma ST – Normal, Eco, Sport and Track. Yes, Track. Normal and Eco do what they say on the tin, though it’s worth noting this is the first time ‘Eco’ has featured on an ST. Sport makes throttle and steering a bit sharper, and delivers more noise. Track makes sure ‘all vehicle dynamics features are tuned for the fastest possible lap times’. Importantly, Track disables traction control as well as loosening the ESC in wide-slip mode. Not one for the wintery Monday morning school runs to come, then.

As above, none of this added sportiness impedes in the standard Puma’s clever practical touches. Praise be – the 80-litre ‘Megabox’ remains. So the Puma ST looks like it’ll be best-selling fun for all the family. We can’t wait to try it out.