JOHN MURDOCH'S DRIVE TIME: We sample the Puma Crossover and share details on Suzuki's e Vitara launch
In this instalment of John Murdoch's Drive Time, John samples Ford's biggest seller - the stylish Puma Crossover - which proves to be an ideal family car, and shares details on Suzuki's launch of its first EV - the e Vitara.
The Ford Puma has been one of the UK's top selling cars since it first arrived on the scene over five years ago.
It is Ford's best seller, taking over from the popular Fiesta and it also sells well throughout mainland Europe.
I have sampled just about every version of it since it started to make an impact and it is a Crossover I still like.
It brought something new to the party when it was launched and it rightly met with deserved praise for its style and innovative features.
The Puma is also fun to drive, economical and practical as well as having stylish looks.
It has some neat touches, like the pouncing Puma that appears in the dash when you press the starter button or as a puddle light in the dark.
It stands out from the rest of the small crossover crowd because there is plenty of room for four to travel in comfort and you can pack in five for shorter journeys.
A smart steering wheel houses the usual push-button controls while the dashboard layout is typical Ford with a central display screen for connectivity and sat nav but it also comes fitted with a smart TFT instrument cluster and a huge amount of equipment.
The seats are very comfortable and fully adjustable and there is good all-round visibility.
As in all Fords, the switches and controls are clear and easy to read and use.
A Quickclear heated windscreen is ideal for winter motoring and there is a decent sound system as well as Ford SYNC 3 navigation and full smart phone integration.
On the practical side the Puma boasts impressive carrying capacity. The boot is large for a car of this size and comes complete with Ford's MegaBox.
This is an 80-litre storage space which lies beneath the split level boot floor and is ideal for carrying wet sports equipment, muddy wellies or anything else that is liable to cause a mess.
It has a drain plug at the bottom and can be hosed out afterwards.
If you need even more space you can collapse the split-folding rear seats to get class-leading room.
This flagship ST sporty version costing £33,260, sits at the top of the range and has a 1.0-litre EcoBoost three cylinder petrol engine linked to mild hybrid technology and is good for 170ps.
Digital Aqua Blue paint adds £800 to the tab and if you want the Track Pack it will cost you another £1050.
It takes just 7.4 seconds to tackle the sprint to 62mph before going on to a top speed of 130mph.
According to the official figures it is capable of as much as 55.4mpg with a low figure of 39.2mpg and I averaged over 48mpg during many miles of mixed driving.
You get lots of advanced driver assistance aids like cruise control and pre-collision assist plus lane departure warning and handy drive modes for Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Trail conditions.
You also get autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian/cyclist detection and hill start assist
This model features exclusive 19-inch alloys, privacy glass, front fog lights with cornering lights and LED rear lamps.
The kit list wants for nothing and you get a wireless charging pad, B&O sound system, Ford performance scuff plates, an ST flat bottomed steering wheel, red brake callipers, Ford performance seats as well as ST suspension to cope with the extra power.
I liked this Puma and it was a fun car to drive with great handling and a more than decent ride even with the sports suspension.
Stylish, practical, economical and entertaining, the Puma ticks all the boxes and it is also good value for money especially in the more modest versions.
FAST FACTS:
Price: £33,260.
Mechanical: 170ps, 998cc, 3cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 7 speed automatic gearbox.
Max speed: 130mph.
0-62mph: 7.4 seconds.
Insurance group: 19.
CO2 emissions: 136g/km.
Bik rating: 37 per cent.
Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles.
Overall rating (out of 5): 4.5.
Meanwhile, Suzuki's first electric car will arrive later this year with the e Vitara priced from £29,999 for a 49kWh battery model.
The e Vitara will be available in both Motion and Ultra grades as well offering ALLGRIP-e as an option - Suzuki's all-new four-wheel drive system - with the five vehicle range topping out from £37,799.
ALLGRIP-e has been developed specifically for e Vitara and Suzuki is currently one of only a few brands to offer 4x4 as an option in the SUV EV sector.
Suzuki has a vast experience of 4x4 technology and celebrates 55 years of ALLGRIP this year.
Further specification and technical details of the e Vitara range will be issued closer to the public launch date.
Buyers looking at finance options will see the e Vitara available from launch with zero per cent PCP, payable over two years and with a 20 per cent deposit.
With the 61kWh Motion 2WD as an example, a deposit of £8,436 is required followed by monthly payments of £379 per month with the usual optional final payment required to keep the car at the end of the agreement.
As an additional and attractive offer for customers ordering their e Vitara before September 30, Suzuki will provide a free Ohme home charger along with 10,000 miles of home charging credit.
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