2002 Ford Puma from UK and Ireland - Comments

The new mini my friend, just like the Puma, the Tigra, The Ka etc. were all aimed at hairdressers and women. No self respecting man would be seen dead in one (unless being picked up from the pub by his girlfriend).

I'm sure that a proper racing driver could take a civic type-r and a bmw 330i faster on my commute home than my puma.

I'm also sure that _I_ would take my puma faster on my commute home than a civic type-r or a bmw 330i.

I commute on proper roads with bumps and sometimes wet bits.

It is true that some people look at the puma and think it's a hairdressers/womans car. But they only haven't driven one and/or are ignorant of its abilities. I couldn't care less, I'm having too much fun.

The best car to race on the roads is the (now older) golf gti. What a body rolling tub of lard!

I tell you what; this is awesome!

I wrote this review ages ago and people keep commenting on it!

I agree with this last comment, pumas are fun. No-one that has one disagrees, including a sizable male group as well as a female ownership.

To bring "man-hood" into it is about as desperate as you can get!

Girl.

Well... I've read a load of rubbish at times and some good stuff and here I my conclusion (those who have never driven a 1.7 Puma should just shut up!).

The originator of the article seems to be a young, polite, BALANCED individual. He makes no brash claims and nearly all of us who have actually owned a Puma will avidly testify, this is a piece of motoring legend.

Quite simply I would love to see anyone (pretentious pratts who ingest car mags are not allowed a say - away back to your play-stations) show me a car in history which has had as many deserving accolades for its price as a PUMA (Yep - Pug 205 was a fantastic car too - close there). It is without doubt to me the best car ever when taking into account the following - looks, size, cost, fuel efficiency, acceleration, mid power range, cruising speed comfort, handling, sheer enjoyment feel, practicality, cheapness to run, comfort and the plethora of other stuff to numerous to mention! Other Puma drivers will have that warm knowing feeling right now, but it is not smugness... rather, we wish others could share the joy of driving this unique little car. Ask Tiff Needell how he made Jeremy Clarkson scream for his life, along with two other Top Gear presenters in a wild Puma ride. The Puma was built by Ford's engineers as the car they would love to build (unique in modern production car ethos) using a high proportion of Fiesta parts and this gorgeous Yamaha/Cosworth developed engine (only to be used in this project?).

I really feel this is the best all round car ever made!!!

I am a driver of a Puma and have driven countless other vehicles (incl. all mentioned above) and this is only MY view of this topic!!!

Hi. Me again. The author.

Its fairly obvious from the comments that it is a fairly split decision as to whether the Puma is as good as all that, but I really do think that an unbiased opinion or review and the Puma will easily stand up to the latest hot hatches because these are not about all-out speed; they need the elusive fun factor. Few people would argue that the Puma doesn't have this.

The Puma could not compete with the hot hatches of its day, never mind the modern ones. A Renault Clio 182 would destroy a Puma in every area of its game and it costs less new from a car supermarket than a similarly specced 1.7 Puma did in 1996.

What made me post my initial comments was the claim that you raced a BMW 330i, if I may quote you "A BMW 330 is about the most comparable. (That was a very close race!) "

A BMW 330i is a very fast car, it will blow a Puma away in any situation, they have a sorted RWD chassis and 231BHP.

I have a friend who bought a racing puma with 155BHP, he sold it because he could not keep up with his friends cars, it looked nice, sounded nice, handled really well and had the best brakes this side of a 911, but was just too slow to mix it with proper hot hatches.

When you say that the only other car you have driven is a Micra then I can believe you, because any hot hatch connoisseur would not make these claims!

To the chap who says that the Puma is the best car ever built, all I can say is "Priceless"!

I don't own a Puma, but have driven several. In chassis terms you're looking at the likes of the 205 GTi before you find a significantly better front driver. Whilst developing the chassis, Ford actually dissected several hot Peugeots including the 205 GTI and 306 XSi, in an effort to replicate their excellent handling as closely as possible. What they ended up with was 99% as capable, but with a little less tendency to snap into oversteer on a closed throttle.

I have driven a Clio 172, a Clio 182 Cup, a Civic Type-R and a Peugeot 206 GTI 180. All great cars, all vastly quicker than the Puma in a straight line, but none of them touch it for handling, and for feel. All understeer sooner and more doggedly at the limit, none have the Puma's steering feel, and the French cars transition to oversteer is much less exploitable.

The Puma isn't about outright headline grabbing speed (unlike the Clio), but about fun and exploitable handling, and value for money. Unlike anything with a Renault badge on it, it's also likely to be capable of covering more than 40,000 miles before it looks, sounds and feels thoroughly knackered. Renault consistenly perform appallingly in reliability surveys and had 3 models in the bottom 10 in last year's TG survey.

The Puma is not the best car in the world by any stretch, but great fun per pound.

Hi. I'm thinking of buying a Ford Puma, but have found the comments above very contradicting. I want a cheap sporty car with comfortable and plush interior. The Ford Cougar and Puma are the two cars I am interested in. Simple question: Ford Puma or Ford Cougar?

Hi mate. Original author here.

The problem is that it is a love/hate car. Only thing is that everyone that has owned one loves it! People that don't own one feel the need to make it sound bad. Truth is that I would buy another in a heartbeat, especially the 1.7 (the one I own). I truly love my car. It is a joy to drive, a joy to own, and a joy to look at. I love it.

Even if I had to start out again, I just would not buy any more modern hot hatches because they miss the point. Honda type R, even the newer Golf GTI... they are for 'bad-boys', not true car lovers. Many car reviews raved about the type R (I test drove one and found its steering a bit dull feeling) but now that the hype has died down they do not have nice things to say about it anymore. The GTI, the VXR, all of those, will not stand the test of time as the Puma will.

With respect to the Ford Cougar, I have never driven one, so cannot really comment first hand, but I have not seen a review that is as complimentary as for the Puma. Therefore, unless you want the marginal extra practicality the Cougar offered, I CANNOT RECOMMEND THE PUMA HIGHLY ENOUGH!

I would just like to add one more thing...

I had sort of a drag race the other day (10mph to about70mph), I "WAS" up against a new 2005 golf gti, and couldnt beleive it, as there was barely anything in it! my trusty Puma edging ahead till about 53mph, then the GTI slowly pulls ahead, leading by about half a car length at 70mph. So if I have similar performance to the new GTI, then my original comments stand.

I am 49F, have owned a Puma for 2 yrs (bought a 1978, loved it and have just updated to 2002). I am not into all the technical stuff, but just wanted to say how much I enjoy my little car to drive. I love the look - they are so sexy, the handling, the 'everything' about it. They have problems like all cars, I just think it looks great and a treat to drive.

You beat the new 2005 Golf GTi in a 1.7 Puma?

The 2.0 Petrol Turbo one with 197 BHP against your 123 BHP, which hits 60 mph in 6.9 seconds aginst the Pumas 8.7 seconds.

You must be an incredible driving talent, why don't you contact Frank Williams to see about an F1 contract?

I was going to buy a Focus ST, but will save my money and buy a 2002 Puma instead!

What is this speed thing all about? if you want a race I will race you in my 2ltr fiesta or if its speed you want get a kit car that does 0-60 in 3 seconds. I own a racing puma and it gives me a smile on my face every time I go out in it with it's looks, best handling front wheel drive car, and brakes that would halt a scania great fun!

HI, 49f again. My husband nearly bought the Puma Black just after I bought my Puma, but instead bought a Cougar and loves it. It has the power, style and sound of a 'real' car. Must say the Puma is a Fiesta with a Puma shape so making it more individual, as the Cougar is a Mondeo with its own individual shape...

If he had the cash now he would probably buy the new Mondeo, a super looking car - as all the Mondeos have been, but he does love being different.