fbpx
Newspress Awards 2024 wide

Automotive Website of the Year

Automotive Website of the Year

Newspress Awards 2024 wide

Automotive Website of the Year

Automotive Website of the Year

Find an Expert Rating: 

Ford Puma range grows with ST-Line X Vignale model

Crossover also benefits from a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission

Our Expert Partners:

Motorway 600x300

Sell your car with Motorway
Find out more

Cazoo 600x300

Find your next car with Cazoo
Find out more

ALA Insurance logo 2022 600x300

Warranty and GAP from ALA Insurance
Find out more

Motors 600x300

Find your next car with Motors.co.uk
Find out more

MotorEasy logo 300x150

Warranty, servicing and tyres from MotorEasy
Find out more

Mycardirect subscriptions – 600x300

Carsubscriptions from Mycardirect
Find out more

spot_imgspot_img

Ford has bolstered the appeal of its Puma crossover with the introduction of a new high-end specification and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The ST-Line X Vignale trim level, which arrives from £25,240, extends the amount of standard equipment fitted to the Puma. Aluminium exterior trim pieces have been added to the exterior of the car alongside 18-inch alloys, while LED headlights help to improve night time visibility.

Inside, the Puma receives a full leather upholstery, a wrapped instrument cluster and heated front seats. The steering wheel is heated, too. There are no safety improvements as part of this update, although the Ford Puma range received a five-star rating from Euro NCAP only last December so it’s still at the sharp end of the field.

Minor tweaks for the class leader

The Ford Puma is currently the highest-rated car in the smallSUV/crossover, according to The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating system. Its overall score of 84% from 15 UK reviews puts it at the top of the class of 21 models we have analysed to date, a couple of points clear of the Volkswagen T-Cross. The new gearbox, in particular, is likely to help it retain that crown.
Stuart Masson, Editor

Roelant de Waard, vice president, marketing, sales & service, Ford of Europe, said: “Customers have told us that they want a range of options to help find a combination of style, equipment, performance and efficiency that’s just right for them. That’s something we committed to delivering with Puma, and with a new Puma ST coming later this year, we’re not finished yet.”

A new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox has been added to the Ford Puma too. Available alongside a 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, the setup helps to return emissions figures of 138g/km of CO2 as well as 45.6mpg. Ford claims that the gearbox helps to return ‘seamless gear changes’, which help in terms of efficiency and refinement.

Latest news from the car industry at The Car Expert

Jack Evans
Jack Evans
Articles by Jack Evans are provided for The Car Expert by PA Media (formerly the Press Association). They include test drives of the latest new cars and features on various aspects of automotive life.