01-08-2025
Ford Puma Gen-E Interior Layout & Technology
Interior
What is it like on the inside?
The regular Puma was refreshed back in 2024. That brought the new squircle steering wheel seen here, a 12.8in digital instrument display and a 12.0in centre touchscreen, as well as deleting pretty much all the switchgear. The biggest difference is the two-tiered centre console, made possible by the lack of a gear lever and manual handbrake.
That allows for more storage, a wireless phone charger and a sliding armrest. At least, if you don't mind sacrificing the rearmost cupholder. There's plenty of large pockets – it's far less poky in here than a Renault 4, for example. Some foam padding where your knees rest would have been nice to cushion out any bumps too.
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Upper spec versions get suede upholstery and B&O speakers, but walking up the trim ladder doesn't add a great deal in the way of materials. Will my technophobe grandma be able to get on with it?
Well, the widescreen digital instrument is clear and easy to read, if slightly limited in customisability. And the base colour is brilliant white, which a) looks a touch low rent to us, and b) is a source of glare at night. Ugh.
Worse though is that depending on your grandma's driving position, she might find the steering wheel does block the view of the display somewhat.
In the centre of the dashboard the high-def infotainment display boasts Ford's latest SYNC 4 system, complete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus built-in Alexa. So yeah, it's big, meaning she shouldn't have a problem seeing it. We've found it to be laggy though, which might put off younger, less patient generations of driver.
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Will she be able to fit the grandkids in at least?
Depends how old the grandkids are. While space is fine up front, in the rear the position of the battery underneath the floor means any lankier teens might find their legs up by their ears. Headroom feels adequate, at least.
But the Gen-E's real trump card is its boot, with up to 523 litres making it even bigger than that of the standard Puma. Ford's 'MegaBox' (the deep rubber-lined tub that sits below the boot floor, complete with plughole that allows you to jetwash it out) having morphed into a 'GigaBox'. More room for dirty wellies.
Fold the seats down and you get 1,283 litres of space, and if you're still lacking room for gubbins there's always a 43-litre frunk to chuck anything extra in too. Though, we reckon that's best kept for storing and accessing any dirty charging cables.
