After years of being “under investigation”, Ford has finally confirmed that the new Puma is coming to South Africa before the end of 2023.
The crossover will be available in two flavours, the Titanium and ST-Line Vignale, from a starting price of R569,900.
Puma specifications
The new Puma is well-equipped with the entry-level Titanium spec coming with “canoe-shaped” LED lights and daytime-running lights; LED fog lamps; 17-inch alloy wheels; chrome elements for the grille, side skirts, and fog lamps; a metallic grey rear diffuser and skid plate; and high-gloss black window surrounds.
On the sportier ST-Line, the Ford further gains adaptive LED lights, a matte-black grille, high-gloss fog lamp surrounds, signature lower wing elements, a functional roof spoiler, puddle lights on the wing mirrors that illuminate the ground with the Puma logo, unique 18-inch wheels, and sports suspension with specially-tuned springs and shock absorbers.
Inside, the base Titanium has a leather steering wheel, wood-effect appliques for the cluster bezel and instrument panel, fabric inserts for the door interiors, and cloth seats with Metal Grey stitching.
The pricier ST‑Line, on the other hand, features a flat-bottomed steering wheel with red needlework, alloy pedals, an aluminium gear shifter, a black headliner, and partial leather upholstery.
Standard fittings across the line-up then come in the form of a wireless charging pad, an 8-inch infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, keyless entry, and FordPass Connect support that enables a range of functions such as a vehicle locator, vehicle status checker, remote door lock/unlock, and remote start via a smartphone.
Once again, the ST-Line Vignale offers a few more goodies such as a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, keyless start, lumbar massage front seats with a “slim-back” design for extra rear kneeroom, a height-adjustable driver seat, a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, and a hands-free tailgate.
Regardless of the chosen model, the crossover provides a rear luggage capacity of 456 litres which can be enhanced with the optional “Ford MegaBox” that has a total of three storage configurations.
Both Puma derivatives are available with the paid-for Driver Assistance Pack, too, providing adaptive cruise control, blind-spot information with cross-traffic alert, front parking sensors, a rear wide-angle camera, active park assist with perpendicular parking, and a driver impairment monitor.
For the range-topper, an ST-Line Styling Pack is also on offer, comprising a black-painted roof, full-length panorama sunroof, and four-way adjustable front passenger seat.
Under the hood, the Puma line-up is fitted with a 1.0-litre, turbo-petrol motor churning out 92kW and 170Nm, with power channeled to the front axle via a seven-speed automatic shifter.
This configuration provides five Selectable Drive Modes, namely Normal, Eco, Slippery, Trail, and Sport, as well as an auto start-stop function.
The official consumption and acceleration figures for the Puma have yet to be revealed, however, Ford guarantees that it strikes “a perfect balance between fuel efficiency and performance.”
Price
The South African pricing and model line-up for the new Ford Puma are as follows:
- Ford Puma Titanium – R569,900
- Ford Puma ST-Line Vignale – R613,900
Each purchase is accompanied by a 4-year/120,000km warranty and four years of roadside assistance.
Ford Puma
Keyword: New Ford Puma confirmed for South Africa – Pricing and launch date