Wheels of the Week: Ford Puma – the new faithful

The longer I drive the Ford Puma, the more it feels like a faithful companion. “Old faithful” might sound like something you’d say about an ageing workhorse or canine friend, but this sleek animal is anything but old.

Launched at the end of 2023, it is still one of the freshest faces in the Ford stable. Faithful, however, is the word that fits. It gives one exactly what is needed, when it is needed, without drowning the driver in buttons, menus, or high-tech gimmicks. Yet, when you want the technology, it is there waiting, and it rewards you for using it well.

During a long-term review at GadgetWheels, we got to know this cat well.

The first surprise comes in the way it consumes fuel. At the highway speed limit of 120 km/h, consumption climbs quickly, and it doesn’t feel all that rewarding. Ease back to 100, or to the frustratingly lower limits that dot many South African roads, and the numbers suddenly make sense. On one long trip, I saw the figures tumble from 10.5 litres per 100 km on the open highway to 6.4 litres in urban driving. It is not the story most cars tell, and it was not what I expected.

Climbing in, the Puma makes a modest first impression. There is no wireless smartphone connectivity, which in 2025 is hard to excuse. But plug in an Android phone and Android Auto appears instantly, bringing maps and Spotify onto the display in seconds. That screen itself won’t win awards for drama: it is small and unassuming, sitting almost shyly in the dashboard, as if bolted on as an afterthought. Passengers fiddling with it may find it underwhelming. But for the driver, its understatement is its strength. It stays out of the way until it is needed.

The key buttons, the ones that matter on every journey, are exactly where they should be. Air conditioning, fan speed, temperature, on and off, are all clear, visible and within easy reach. The same goes for the hazard lights, or as we South Africans know it, the “thank you” button when another driver gives way on a narrow stretch. In the Puma, they sit right below the infotainment unit, perfectly placed for instinctive use. It’s remarkable how many modern cars bury that particular button, only for the driver to discover its absence when it is most needed. Ford gets this right.

_{A Puma lurks in a parking garage. Photo: ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK.}

The design philosophy carries through the entire cabin. The controls and layout focus on usability. There is a sense that someone thought about how the car would actually be used in daily driving. The result is a cockpit that makes you feel taken care of, not challenged.

Out on the road, the Puma carries itself with confidence. It doesn’t beg to be driven hard, nor does it punish you when you do. Instead, it seems to reward a lighter touch. Keep it steady, and it pays back with smooth handling and reasonable consumption. Push it harder, and it reminds you that it’s not a hot hatch. But that’s part of the honesty of this car: it does not pretend to be what it is not.

There is technology under the surface, of course, but it is never intrusive. Driver assistance functions are there when needed, and absent when they’re not. This makes the Puma feel like a partner rather than a supervisor.

If the Puma lacks anything, it is a sense of occasion. The only flashy moment is when one opens the door at night, and a bright, white puma is briefly sculpted into the ground next to the car.

For the rest, it won’t dazzle your passengers with screens or over-designed interiors. Instead, it offers a competence that grows on you the more you live with it. Faithful, again, is the word that keeps coming to mind.

What are the biggest negatives of the Ford Puma?

• No wireless smartphone connectivity in 2025 feels dated.
• Infotainment screen is small and feels bolted on.
• Highway consumption rises sharply at higher speeds.

What are the biggest positives of the Ford Puma?

• Practical and intuitive cabin layout.
• Excellent urban fuel economy when driven sensibly.
• Feels dependable and user-centred, rather than gimmicky.

* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx, editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za, and author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI – The African Edge”.