Ford Puma 1.4 Zetec Review

Good Points
Image, value for money, sports car

Bad Points
Not amazingly quick, Visabilty

General Comments
Ford Puma 1.4 Zetec Sports Car Review:


Visabilty



The problem with the ford puma is definalty the visabilty.

Rear view is horrendous so bad that I have actually hit 2 cars (luckly at minimum speed causing no damage)

The car can not be reversed parked easily and takes alot of work and driver skill to park.

The front view can some times be a problem to with the nose of the car being so small hard to tell how close you are to something.

Another problem with the visabilty is the A Pillars (part of the cars chassis by the windows) they are very thick

this makes it hard to see why going around roundabouts.





Driving



I must say this is where the puma exceeds. The ford puma is an amazing handling car you can go very quick into the corners and the puma just sticks a slight bit of oversteer is all you can feel as this car glides through the corners. (this is coming from a ex mini owner and came 2nd in the british kart championship) The only time the puma has ever stood away from me is when I corner a roundabout to fast the back gave a slight movement to warn me that im pushing it too much. No big drift like most cars just a small nudge the car feels very sound considering the size of it.



Engine



When I set out to buy a ford puma I was hoping for a 1.7. But when I came accross a 1.4 with low mileage, full service history, from a dealer, ABS option and other goodies. I couldnt resist and bought it - i must say i wish i had the 1.7 though the 1.4 engine is fairly quick it lacks real punch.



1st and 2nd gear seem a bit exciting in the lower rev range but as you go up to 3rd, 4th and 5th you feel the car slowing and struggling. My ford puma has done (not on a road) 120mph now the 1.4 was spec'd at 110mph I later found out. From a puma forum of puma owners that the speedo is actually a slight bit out in the high mphs figures and my car is proberly not doing those speeds.



Reliabilty



After owning my puma a year I have had no real problems with it. I took it for a bit of a rally as I had to go kart racing and parked it on the grass (in the rain) and it got a bit muddy in the engine bay causing the car to vibrate a bit. This was soon sorted when I had the bay cleaned. No problems with my puma at all really theres a slight buzz from the dash sometimes but nothing major. I am a motorway drive and cover alot of mileage so this car has been very good to me.



Overall I rate the car very highly. But a lot of people have asked me why haven't I upgraded to a 1.7 if I like it so much. The truth being I like the car I have but if I had the money I would buy something different, the ford pumas a great car but not so much that I would buy another. Must say though - I couldn't live with another car with the poor visabilty. Thank you for reading and I hope this has helped you.