2000 Ford Puma 1.7

Summary:

Good, cheap, reliable fun..

Faults:

Rear parcel shelf hanger popped out of the tailgate (broken).

Occassional stalling (unexplained; engine ECU fault?).

General Comments:

A lot of people rave on about the Puma being "incredibly fast", "a true sports car", "handles like it's on rails", etc.

Well, yes, it's a good car - and it IS a sports car - but I think it's important to be realistic and realise there's plenty of quicker things out there.

But the key point is this: for the money, it's a veritable bargain. It's nippy enough that it's not embarrassing. The handling is the perfect balance of poise, grip and comfort - it will slide around on the throttle quite happily.

But if outright performance and ultimate sport riding/handling is what you're after, there are other things out there that will float your boat (Lotus 7 replica, Citroen Saxo VTS) for less money.

What you get with the Puma is an overall balance - cheap, reliable, quality fittings (comparatively speaking), acceptable performance, wonderfully entertaining chassis, air con and other luxuries, etc.

...and seats that don't fold forward fully because they hit the roof!!! Top design feature, Ford - well done!

Paintwork does seem to chip easily on the bonnet.

The rear seats, it is fair to say, are a little cramped! Front occupants fair better, but the seats aren't the most comfy for me.

Air con, quick clear screen and CD changer are worth having - get the Lux pack.

Worth looking into importing (what I did).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 11th July, 2001

2000 Ford Puma 1.7 petrol

Summary:

A modern day XR2 with air-con and suspension

Faults:

Rain water falls into the boot when the boot is opened.

There was a crack inside the headlight unit, which was replaced under warranty.

The plastic caps on the wiper arms fell off - both of them.

Tyres seem to be wearing quickly. The seat is too small for me (6ft), the headrest is about 6" away from my head, and it gives me back ache on a long journey. Ford really should have installed Recaros as standard.

The paint-work seems a bit brittle - stone chips everywhere.

General Comments:

Enjoyable handling and acceleration with a nice sporty engine noise, which is spoiled slightly by poor seating.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th July, 2001

11th Jul 2001, 08:06

The Amazing Leaking Tailgate (tm Ford 2001) : more of a design feature, I'm afraid... they all do that :)

Tyre wear : Yup, this has been reported a lot too - fronts have been heard to have called it quits after just 6000 miles... although I think these are probably cases of hard use and/or cheap tyres.

21st Sep 2001, 09:06

It shows that a proper test drive is always a good idea!

25th Jan 2002, 06:10

Fingers crossed when using Sainsbury's drive-through car wash, as the roller brushes usually force back my door mirrors (exposing the wiring).

2000 Ford Puma Millennium 1.7 petrol

Summary:

Definitely a high performance car

General Comments:

Previously had a Tigra which was a great car.

This Puma is a fantastic drive, very fast, and extremely responsive. Handles superbly.

More space than the Tigra, and the more sporty. Recaro leather seats are a dream.

Fantastic CD player too.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st May, 2001

2000 Ford Puma 1.7i 16v Zetec

Summary:

Great fun, sexy looks at a (now) bargain price!

Faults:

Very few problems. Problem with the parcel shelf attachments, Ford fixed easily enough at the first time of asking.

Got stung by Ford who reduced the list price by £2,000 weeks after I bought!! Not happy with Ford there!

General Comments:

Engine goes like a dream, top quality handling/brakes/steering.

Would recommend to anyone looking to buy a seriously fun everyday car.

Back seats are compact, but it is a coupe, I sit in the front anyway, so who cares about that!

Buy one, you won't regret it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th February, 2001

2000 Ford Puma 1.7 petrol

Summary:

Drop dead gorgeous

Faults:

Absolutely nothing, except lost both wiper caps due to poor fit.

General Comments:

Looks stunning, handles like a dream and 3 years on still looks unique.

The best sports coupe for the money, but buy in Europe and save around £4000 on a fully loaded model.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th August, 2000