1997 Ford Puma 1.7i Coupe review from UK and Ireland

Anti-roll link bars replaced.

Shock absorber replaced.

Various other suspension components replaced.

Car kept revving highly. Solved by replacing throttle control valve.

Bodywork showing its age.

Quite simply the best car I have owned so far.

Quite quick on the open road, but you need to rev (>4000 rpm) the engine to get the best out of it. Thankfully the excellent gearbox and rev-happy engine make this easy to achieve.

The handling is excellent with plenty of grip and feedback from the steering.

Despite the performance it is very easy to drive around town and can be economical (~40mpg on the motorway).

Interior niggles are well documented, such as rainwater dripping into the boot and the lack of space in the rear. I didn't find either of these points to be particularly problematic and occasionally had 2 or even 3 people in the back for short journeys.

The dash looks good with chrome-effect trim and the stereo is excellent. The seats are also very supportive.

My only criticisms are that the suspension components seem to be a bit weak (although I do mainly town driving on what must be some of the worst roads in the country), and that the paintwork is prone to chipping and needs to be looked after to prevent rust.