RETURN OF THE ST(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 55

Having made the standard version of its small Puma crossover pretty sporty to drive, Ford wants you to also consider this top ST variant, now powered only by an uprated 170PS version of its familiar 1.0-litre EcoBoost powerplant. Can this differently-engined updated model really replicate the fizzy spirit we so loved in the original version?

Background word count: 142

For Ford, 'ST' is an evocative badge - and one that enthusiasts have flocked to for decades with fast Fiesta and Focus hot hatches. But does it belong on an SUV? Well it belongs on this one. The Puma was always developed with this quick variant in mind and in ST form, the Ford Performance team have done a really thorough job in further evolving what were already very impressive drive dynamics. This revised version now comes only with a 170PS 1.0-litre engine and an auto gearbox but it's still an engaging thing to drive. It's not only that it goes faster than the standard model: you can get the power down more easily too, thanks to a whole range of handling and suspension changes. Sounds promising. Small SUVs haven't to date been very engaging to drive. This one bucks that trend.

Driving Experience word count: 574

Let's get straight to it: we loved the original Puma ST. And this updated version is still an exceptionally fine-handling small SUV. But with the replacement of the original model's 200PS 1.5-litre four cylinder Fiesta ST-derived engine with the 1.0-litre three cylinder 170PS unit that now features here, it's lost a lot more than just 30PS of power. Initially, you might not notice this very much - unless you start to rag the thing about. It actually starts with quite a nice burble, as an ST-badged Ford ought to. And first impressions are of beautifully sharp and direct steering. Get beyond the city limits and start to push along and you'll find yourself admiring the exception corner turn-in and body control. And once you get over 3,000rpm, there's quite a bit of low speed punch, given that the engine's just a litre in size. The rest to 62mph sprint is still quite eagerly dispatched - in 7.4s en route to 130mph. Those figures are, respectively, 0.7s and 7mph slower than the pre-facelift version, but all of this might still be fine, providing you've no experience of the previous model. If you have, then you'll instantly miss the way that there's now no incentive to rev the thing out like a shopping rocket; this car's lost its zing. Which of course isn't helped by the way you now have to have it with an automatic gearbox, rather than the primary transmission choice with the old car, a slick-shifting 6-speed manual. The 7-speed dual clutch Powershift auto is a paddleshift affair of course, but it isn't a particularly engaging or quick-responding set-up and sometimes hesitates just when you need a quick response. At least there's still plenty of Ford Performance engineering incorporated here in a bid to give this fast small SUV some real handling credibility. As with the pre-facelift model, an optimised chassis features bespoke twist-beam, anti-roll bar and damper configurations. Plus, also as before, the steering response is 25% faster and the brakes are 17% larger than the standard Puma. Specially-developed Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres help deliver an agile Ford SUV driving experience, plus thick front and rear anti-roll bars add to cornering stability. On the test drive, you'll immediately notice how firmly this car rides the bumps - inevitably so as a hallmark of the Puma ST has always been that its rear suspension is stiffened by 50%, plus there are big 19-inch wheels. But you could probably live with the firm damping on your daily commute - which is just as well because there's no built-in selective damping system or optional adaptive set-up available. At cruising speeds, this ST feels much like any normal Puma. Like any ordinary variant in this model line, the ST version features selectable Drive Modes - 'Normal', 'Eco' and 'Slippery' are the everyday ones, plus there's a more red-blooded 'Sport' setting that deepens the exhaust note and to which you can go directly via this S button on the right hand steering spoke. On the original Puma ST, there was also the possibility of having a further drive mode setting - an extra 'Race Track' driving mode, if you paid extra for Ford's optional 'Performance Pack', which more significantly included a limited-slip differential and launch control. Another disappointment with this facelifted model is that this Pack is no longer available, replaced by an optional 'Handling Pack', whose only dynamic inclusion is more agile KW Coilover Suspension.