REVIEW | Ford Puma Gen-E - Ending An Era On a High

The familiar face of Ford UK’s fourth passenger EV

Us Brits love a reliable little runaround—something with a peppy motor to pop to the shops in and bumble around in at the weekend. Taking pride of place on the nation’s driveways, they are the daily, dependable, thrifty long-termer and trusty friend. Often a first car, sometimes the last, the reliable little runaround has its place whatever stage you’re at in life, which is why the Ford Puma, the spiritual heir to the Fiesta, is Britain’s best-selling car.

Will the plug-in be as popular?

Born a sporty coupe in the 1990s and brought back as a chunkier compact crossover in 2019 – even Jeremy Clarkson approved of its reincarnation – the 2025 edition is the all-electric Puma Gen-E. The fourth and (for now) final model to join Ford UK’s EV passenger fleet, the Gen-E stays pretty faithful to the Puma’s discernible styling. The Ford GT-inspired headlights and signature haunches remain prominent; playing it safe is likely to make it an easier win with the model’s fans.

The redesign, says Amko Leenarts, design director of Ford Europe, was driven by aerodynamics but remains intentionally “recognisable” to reassure potential buyers that it’s still got the essence of the car they’re familiar with, and love. The flushed facia and larger rear spoiler help to coax a promised 233 miles of range out of the 43kWh battery, which can be zapped from 10-80% on a fast charge in 23 minutes. Just enough time to do my weekly shop, and given the chance, this cat’ll sprint from 0–62mph in eight seconds.

It might not purr on hairpins…

… but the faux engine note is actually quite charming. Taking a snaking drive through Spain’s Muntanyes d’Ordal, a wooded mountain region just outside of Barcelona, the Gen-E provided the sort of handling that gives meaning to the hackneyed word “sporty”. The ride and body control were excellent, the suspension soaked up lumps and bumps without complaint, and the steering felt well-weighted. On tight corners, the Gen-E felt utterly in its element, and on straight stretches, a reasonable 165bhp was there for the taking, which is only a whisper less than the 167bhp offered in the top-rung petrol engined Puma ST. When I eased up on the accelerator, the regenerative braking kicked in gently.

In the stop-start traffic that clogged up Barcelona city centre, the Gen-E also excelled, and although I didn’t have the opportunity to confirm it, the estimated range in urban environments increases by almost 40% to 325 miles. Comparable in size to the Renault 5 or Mini Cooper EVs, the Gen-E is a little over four metres long and with a 1.8m waist, parking isn’t a problem because you don’t have to worry about squeezing into a space.

But if you like a big booty, then the Gen-E more than delivers. Owing to the powertrain’s compact setup, it has a whopping 574-litre boot, which is inclusive of a sneaky 145-litre compartment under the floor that Ford has christened the “GigaBox". Cubbies in the cabin are aplenty, and there’s also a 43-litre frunk.

Interior & Price

Scratchy plastic has been kept to a minimum inside, giving the two-tone living space a refreshed touch of class. Strapped into the sturdy front sports seat I felt comfortable and really secure, and with easy-to-use controls and buttons, the dash instrumentation felt pleasingly analogue.

The entry-level Select model has a price tag of £29,995, which makes it Ford’s first EV to come in under the £30,000 threshold – by a fiver. As a marketing tactic, it's not even deceptively alluring, because to say something is cheaper is not the same as to say it is cheap. But for drivability, gadgetry and spaciousness, this five-door, front-wheel drive vehicle kinda punches.

With lots of kit as standard, including a 12-inch central touch screen, driver display, voice control, wireless phone charging and a six-speaker sound system, the Gen-E also features built-in cruise control, wrong way alert (uh-oh), and a driver monitoring system that gives early warning of when you need to take a break. It also comes with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. Don’t rely on the built-in navigation though, I’m yet to drive a Ford EV within which it works without a glitch.

Various bolt-on bundles offer customisation, such as the Winter Package, which guarantees warm hands and a hot bottom for £350 – the upgrade comprises a heated steering wheel and front seats. For an extra grand, you can get a glasshouse feel with an openable panoramic roof. Opt for the top-spec Premium model and you’ll get Matrix LED headlights that vary their brightness according to road conditions, but features, such as keyless entry and B&O sound system come as standard on the Puma ST so you can see where they’ve clawed back a few pounds to get that sub £30k price tag on the standard.

Buy an EV, get a home charger for free

To coincide with the Puma Gen-E’s arrival, Ford has launched a perks package called Power Promise that aims to take the faff out of converting for newbie electric vehicle owners. Benefits of purchase include the free installation of a home charger, up to 10,000 miles worth of home charging credit, extended service and warranty coverage, plus five years of towing assistance if you’re a plonker and find yourself stranded without any charge.

Is the Gen-E for me?

As the last car to break cover in Ford UK’s all-electric line-up, the Puma Gen-E marks the end of a new era on a high. It's a decent urban runaround that’s practical as well as fun to drive, and because it hasn’t had a total makeover it doesn’t stretch the accuracy of its name tag too far. Could I be converted? Perhaps.

words: Charlotte Vowden
pictures: Stuart Price - Ford UK