The Ford Puma looks an interesting package for buyers in the small SUV segment searching for something a little more fun. Jonathan Crouch, writer from Car and Driving, takes a look.

Ford finally gets really serious about the small SUV segment - in the shape of this charming little Puma model. It champions mild hybrid tech and doesn't have much time for SUV conventionality. All of which will suit its fashionable band of potential buyers just fine. Frugal, fun and well connected, it fits with the spirit of its time. Just as the original Puma model did.

The original Puma was smaller than the Fiesta it was based on. This one's quite a lot bigger, its five-door SUV body being 46mm longer, 54mm higher and 71mm wider, plus the car has a 95mm longer wheelbase than the Fiesta. The headlights are high up on the bonnet (like the first Puma) and Ford says that the beady daytime running lights you get on 'St-Line' variants are a nod to a more modern Ford coupe, the GT supercar. Maybe.

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Inside, it's less distinctive. The interior is much like you'd find in any modern Ford, related most closely of course to the Fiesta, with its simple design, SYNC3 infotainment system and relatively smart materials. You do get a few bespoke features, like a digital display for the dials and zip-up covers for the front and rear seats. We were impressed by the boot. At 456-litres, it's one of the very biggest trunks in the small SUV segment and is accessed by a powered hands-free tailgate. There's also an adjustable-height floor that can be folded back against the back seats.

The big engineering interest here lies in the 48V mild hybrid powertrain, which in this case is based on Ford's familiar 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. Here, a conventional alternator is replaced with an 11.5kW integrated starter/generator (called a 'BISG'). The resulting powerplant is available in either 125 or 155PS guises, the more powerful version available with a 7-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox. For the 125PS variant, Ford is talking about CO2 emission readings from 124g/km (NEDC) and a combined cycle WLTP fuel return of 52.3mpg. If you really don't like mild hybrid petrol tech, you can ask your dealer about the alternative 1.5-litre diesel variant that's also been developed.

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Available to test drive now at T Wall Garages.