Ford Puma Gen-E review: The UK's best-selling car goes electric
The Ford Puma Gen-E is an electric version of the UK's best-selling car. Ford has done such an uncontroversial job of electrifying its chart-topping compact crossover that it's almost safe to end the review right there. The Gen-E handles like a Puma. It mostly looks like a Puma. The interior is what you'd expect from an entry-level Ford. The price is right at £29,995. The capacious boot – including the 'megabox' as Ford calls it – is actually bigger than in the petrol car, expanding into the space where the exhaust once lived.
There were countless ways to drop the ball here, and Ford has handily avoided most of them. Range is the only big concern.
Although it's the final piece of Ford's all-electric line-up, the Gen-E doesn't use the dedicated, Volkswagen-sourced EV architecture seen in the pricier Ford Capri and Ford Explorer, but instead retrofits electric tech into the existing Puma's frame, which was never designed for it.
That means less space for the battery, which rates at 53kWh but with just 43kWh usable energy to play with. The Ford Puma Gen-E gets a claimed range of 233 miles, which worked out to around 200 miles on our real world test drives. That will drop further in cold weather, on motorways, and with a family on board and a full boot, plonking the Gen-E firmly into city runaround territory.
While the range dawdles behind rivals, it'll still be plenty for many drivers. The Gen-E is efficient too with 4.7 miles per kWh.
Look past the battery and the Ford Puma Gen-E hits all of its marks. It's practical, fun to drive, composed and comfortable. And it will take an impressive 523 litres of luggage, which is enough for some buyers to snap one up.
It won't shatter the entry-level EV market, but neither will the Gen-E disappoint existing Fiesta and Puma owners looking to make the switch to electric. And that's before you consider Ford's impressive new value-add: the Ford Power Promise – an enticing raft of freebies and bonuses designed to lure you away from petrol.
How we tested
We spent two days driving the Ford Puma Gen-E around Spain, testing the car on winding mountain ascents, squeezing through densely packed urban streets and cruising along stretches of motorway.
Ford Puma Gen-E: From £29,995, Ford.co.uk
Independent rating: 7/10
Pros: Familiar Puma charm, loads of storage, decent standard tech, composed handling
Cons: Modest range, only one battery option, cabin quality decent but not premium
Ford Puma Gen-E specs
Price range: £29,995 to £31,995
Battery size: 43kWh
Maximum claimed range: 233 miles
Miles per kWh: Up to 4.7
Maximum charging rate: 100kW
Battery, range, charging, performance and drive
The Puma Gen-E launches with just one battery option – a 53kWh pack with 43kWh usable – and two trim levels. This translates to an official range of up to 233 miles for the entry-level Select trim, dropping slightly to 226 miles for the heavier Premium model. In reality, you can expect closer to 180-200 miles in varied driving, and significantly less on a motorway run with a full car.
Charging speed maxes out at 100kW, which allows a 10-80 per cent top-up in around 24 minutes – acceptable, but rivals like the cheaper MG4 offer a faster rate and a longer range. An overnight charge on a 7kW home wallbox will take around 6-7 hours.
Performance from the 166bhp front-wheel-drive motor is adequate rather than thrilling, with 0-62mph taking eight seconds – although that's a whole two seconds quicker than Ford's legendary hot hatch the Fiesta XR2 used to do the same sprint.
The Puma feels nippy enough around town thanks to instant electric torque, even if acceleration tails off near the top speed of 99mph. Pleasingly, Ford's chassis magic is very much on display here. The steering is direct, body control is tidy so the car (and your passengers) won't lean through roundabouts, and the ride is generally comfortable despite the extra weight of the battery.
Interior, practicality and boot space
Inside, the Gen-E takes its cues from the recently refreshed petrol Puma, with a large 12.8in digital driver display and a 12in central touchscreen running on Ford's unfussy and easy to use Sync 4 system. There's a lack of many knobs to twiddle; air-con controls are on the touchscreen, though your wing mirrors get physical controls in the door
The gear selector has been moved up to a stalk to make room for three cupholders, a sliding armrest, a few inches of extra storage and a wireless charging pad for your phone. Otherwise, not much of your £30,000 has been wasted in the cockpit. The interior is inoffensive enough, but hard, shiny plastics abound in the entry-level Select trim. The Premium edition gets some pleather upholstery and a few practical touches like keyless entry, but the luxury B&O sound bar clings to the dashboard like an aftermarket limpet, looking out of place and unintegrated.
The so-called 'megabox' – a deceptively spacious bonus compartment hidden under the boot – remains the Puma's standout party trick. In the Gen-E the compartment is upgraded to 'gigabox' status, claiming extra room where the exhaust pipe would normally go, giving the car a whopping 523 litres of space for your stuff.
It must have tempted the designers, but Ford doesn't expect you to keep your charging cable in the gigabox either. The frunk can hold it, along with a few other small bits like the emergency kit. And all that storage space hasn't left the cabin feeling cramped. Up front is roomy and things in the back are acceptable for a compact crossover.
Technology, stereo and infotainment
Ford's Sync 4 infotainment system is intuitive and well-designed, and connecting wirelessly with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is straightforward, even for technophobes. Ford's own infotainment systems play nicely with your phone's features too. You can use the car's navigation while still seeing windows for Spotify and other car apps alongside the map, for instance. All very sensible.
The entry-level trim comes with a decent amount of kit as standard. You've got all of your usual driver assists like lane-keeping, rear parking camera and cruise control. There's an intelligent speed limiter that, like in most cars, isn't quite reliable enough at spotting the correct signage to leave switched on. Elsewhere the Select trim enjoys ambient interior lighting, button start, Alexa voice controls and a perfectly alright-sounding six-speaker audio system.
Spend an extra £2k on the Premium trim and you get matrix-LED headlights with Puma-claw detailing, 18in alloys, puddle lights and folding heated mirrors, a hands-free tailgate and keyless entry. The interior steps up too with pleather seat trim and a 10-speaker B&O system with soundbar. All nice to have, but questionable value for money when the base-spec car is reasonably kitted out to begin with.
Prices and running costs
Ford has completed its EV line-up with its cheapest electric car. Starting at £29,995, the Puma Gen-E is about £3.5k more expensive than the petrol Puma. That undercuts a few EV rivals, but is far from a knockout blow in an increasingly hot compact crossover market. Similarly priced alternatives are the Volkswagen ID.3 and Kia EV3, which offer better range, or the Volvo EX30, which offers a more premium interior.
You can't talk about the Gen-E's value without mentioning the newly deployed Ford Power Promise, which could claw back thousands of pounds depending on your circumstances. Buy an EV from Ford and you get a free wall box for your home, free installation and 10,000 free miles' worth of charging if you switch to Octopus Energy and use their EV charging tariff. That tariff gets you a rate of 7p/kWh overnight – meaning driving 233 miles in the Gen-E would cost £3.23 compared to £29 in the combustion Puma.
And if that limited range is still haunting you, Ford's Power Promise also gets you free roadside recovery, towing your car to the nearest charging point should you ever get stranded.
Ford Puma Gen-E rivals
Vauxhall Mokka Electric
Volkswagen ID.3
Volvo EX30
FAQs
How long does it take to charge?
On a 100kW DC fast charger, 10-80 per cent takes around 24 minutes. A full charge on a typical 7kW home wall box takes approximately 6-7 hours.
How much does it cost - is it worth it?
From just under £30k, it offers familiar Puma practicality with low EV running costs. It's decent value if the range suits, and the Ford Power Promise bundles plenty more value with perks like free miles and free wall box installation.
Does Ford replace batteries for free?
Like most EVs, the Puma Gen-E's high-voltage battery comes with an 8 year/100,000 mile warranty.
The verdict: Ford Puma Gen-E
Ford has done precisely as much as it needed to, and no more, to electrify the UK's best-selling car. The Gen-E retains the character and quality of the Puma. It's keenly priced, comes bundled with decent tech as standard and offers a bevy of free EV charging perks. It's fun to drive and has loads of space for the family's luggage. The circa-200 mile range is a limiting factor for sure, but urban drivers who don't need a touring car will appreciate that Ford has instead focused on practicality, build quality and tech. The Puma Gen-E is a worthy addition to Ford's newly completed EV fleet.
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