Compact crossover proportions deliver a raised ride-height for a confidence-enhancing driving experience, and support class-leading luggage capacity of 456 litres.
The crossover is introduced with distinctive personalities including the sporty Puma ST-Line and stylish Puma Titanium.
Advanced driver assistance technologies delivering a simpler and less stressful driving experience include:
> Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Speed Sign Recognition and Lane Centring, for effortlessly negotiating highway and stop-start traffic
> New Local Hazard Information, which can inform the driver of hazardous situations in the road ahead before they become visible to the driver or vehicle sensors
> Puma is also the first vehicle in its segment to offer hands-free tailgate and Lumbar Massage Seat comfort and convenience technologies.
The mild-hybrid powertrain, using EcoBoost Hybrid 48-volt technology, integrates electric torque assistance with a low-friction, three-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine to deliver up to 155 PS.
EcoBoost Hybrid technology enhances Puma’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine with an 11.5 kW belt-driven integrated starter/generator (BISG). Replacing the standard alternator, the BISG enables recovery and storage of energy usually lost during braking and coasting to charge a 48-volt lithium-ion air-cooled battery pack.
The BISG also acts as a motor, seamlessly integrating with the low-friction, three-cylinder engine and using the stored energy to provide torque assistance during normal driving and acceleration, as well as running the vehicle’s electrical ancillaries.
Offered in 125 PS and 155 PS variants, the self-regulating mild-hybrid system continuously monitors how the vehicle is being used to determine when and how intensively to charge the battery for optimal benefit, and when to use the stored battery charge.
The new Puma joins Ford’s expanding line-up of SUV and SUV-inspired crossover models in Europe, including the Fiesta Active, Focus Active, EcoSport, Kuga, Edge, and the all-new Explorer Plug-In Hybrid. SUVs now account for more than one in five Ford vehicles sold in Europe, and sales rose more than 19 per cent in 2018.
“Our customers told us they want a compact vehicle with stand-out looks that also delivers solutions for everyday living. The result is our new Ford Puma – charismatic, practical and offering technologies from massage seats to mild-hybrid powertrains,” said Ford of Europe president Stuart Rowley.
Puma will go on sale at the end of the year, and will be produced at Ford’s Craiova assembly plant, Romania.
