Ford Puma ST review

The Puma ST is not backwards about coming forwards: the door mirrors throw a big ST logo Bat-light onto the ground. There’s another logo on the – overly grainy – flat-bottomed steering wheel, and a Ford Performance one all over the infotainment screen when the car wakes up (and another ST one on the gear knob). It’s verging on the try-hard, and no one will mistake it for a cooking Puma.

If only the gear knob itself was a bit longer. A higher driving position means it feels the tiniest bit lost down in the transmission tunnel if you're shorter of arm. What'd really fix it is an overly elaborate rally-style shifter...

As noted, the Recaro seats are superb. The 12.3in instrument display and infotainment look good and are blissfully easy to use, although the graphics and typeface are a bit low-rent. Ford’s commitment to interior quality isn’t as complete as some of its rivals, the softer touch stuff up top becoming more unyielding the further south you go.

But there’s lots of storage space and it’s usefully shaped, with all the necessary USB ports and connectivity. Someone who actually has a family clearly contributed to the design of this family car.

There’s enough room in the rear for a six-footer to sit behind another six-footer, although it’s not overly comfy back there. Ford claims a best-in-class load-space of 456 litres, with another 80 under the floor in the shape of the MegaBox. This has a plug, so you can throw all sorts of shizzle in there and not worry about it. Or stand two golf bags upright in it.