Ford Puma ST Gold Edition (2022) – Review & Video
We have here indeed a special model version of the Puma on our hands. 999 have been produced of the Ford Puma ST Gold Edition. 10 were allocated to the Netherlands, including this one with the number 284. Even if it’s mostly appearance, such a badge with a unique number is the icing on the cake of the Gold Edition, really!
A Ford Puma ST with a story
There is a story behind this Puma ST. It is the first-ever Ford Performance model assembled by the public. Nearly 275,000 Ford fans cast their votes in polls on Ford’s Twitter and Instagram channels. They chose the colors of the body and the brake calipers, and the decorations on the body. They also chose the name of this performance.
Fans chose colors and model name
The body color Agata Black metallic, the red brake calipers and the matte gray striping over hood and roof were determined by fans. The same goes for gray stitching in the seat belts, the ST logos in the interior and the door entry strips with internally illuminated ‘Puma ST’ designation.
‘It’s all in the details’
“We wanted to create something really special for our loyal performance fans. We took a forward-thinking approach and put together the Puma ST Gold Edition with input from the fans. The number of votes cast shows how enthusiastic our customers are – and that they have excellent taste,” says Dutchman Amko Leenarts, Director Design at Ford Europe. “It’s all in the details. With this special edition, our fans have really put together something desirable.”
Ford Performance Input
The base is and always will be the Ford Puma ST. Driveline, chassis and undercarriage settings have been determined by the sporting specialists in the Ford Performance department and they do it well. It doesn’t take many miles to make you a fan of the Puma ST, of its performance and sporty handling.
200 hp!
The Puma ST Gold Edition has a 147 kW (200 hp) 1.5-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine with a maximum torque of 320 Nm. That’s good for accelerating from 0 to 100 mph in 6.7 seconds. You can color gas response and steering input with Sport, Track and Eco driving modes. The last position fits a Puma, not an ST. If you want to drive economically, then in the other driving modes you just give it a little less throttle and shift up a little faster.
Front wheel slip
The Gold Edition tested had the optional limited-slip differential. Great when you’re doing spirited acceleration on slippery surfaces. The system curbs slippage of the driven front wheels. Ford makes fine chassis and proves it once again with the force vectoring suspension and suspension on the Puma ST.
‘A car that you put on like your favorite and has been a good fit for years’
Direct and playful steering behavior
Together with a decently direct steering, you take corner after corner with playful ease and also at speeds you wouldn’t think possible with a somewhat higher on the wheels SUV. The body hardly tilts and it seems as if the rear wheels are steering along a bit. It has an oversteer character as if it were a rear-wheel drive car.
The Puma ST you put on
In the Ford Puma ST Gold Edition, you don’t take a seat. No, it looks like you’re attracting it. As if it were a sporty garment that fell right off the bat. This is mainly due to the extremely sporty seats with high side cheeks on the seat and backrest. Designed by Ford Performance, they feature power adjustable lumbar support, heating and adjustable knee-high backrest.
Digital instrumentation
You look out on a fully digital instrument cluster, the layout of which you can change. The central display is easy to read and the menus are relatively easy to fathom. Only the heating and ventilation are still controlled by physical buttons. Really nice is the switch on the turn signal lever to turn off lane assist. Inadvertent reversals, such as in the case of bicycle lane markings, are thus quickly capitalized.
Enjoying sound in duplicate
The Ford Puma ST Gold Edition is very fully equipped, which is to be expected from a price just over 45,000 euros. Even the audio system is from a reputable supplier, namely Bang & Olufsen. You understand that the sound quality is of a high level and also allows itself to be neatly personalized. Without audio on, driving is also a listening pleasure, because the three-cylinder produces an audible and tasty dark brown rumble, framed at higher revs by a fat growl.
Ford Puma ST, but just a little different (2022) – AutoRAI TV
Conclusion Ford Puma ST Gold Edition review
The Ford Puma ST is based on the Fiesta ST. Bottom plate and chassis have many similarities, only the Puma stands a bit higher above the asphalt. Strangely enough, this has absolutely no negative impact on stability and steering sharpness. In fact, the Puma ST seems to be an even finer cornering packer. The Gold Edition has tasteful touches, including gold-colored 19-inch wheels.
Behind that sporty face are simultaneously practical features. It is roomier than a Fiesta and has a surprisingly large trunk. Especially since, under the folding floor, there is a square tray of, say, half a meter deep in which you can put crates full of groceries, or just mud boots. Because this container has a sealable hole through which water can leave. So actually the Puma is quite a fine car, even in the ST Gold Edition package. A car that you put on like your favorite and has been well-fitting for years.
Test note Bart Oostvogels
“The Ford Puma ST is genuinely a very fun-to-drive, compact performance SUV. At the rear, it even feels more lively compared to the Fiesta ST. The three-cylinder has a nice aggressive roar and hangs on the gas wonderfully. Those who push the limits and dive into a corner at full speed will benefit greatly from the performance seats, which hold you in place superbly. And when used quietly, they are nice and comfortable. As a Gold Edition, the Puma ST is extra special, but personally I think this car looks very cool in the poison green color Mean Green as well. Anyway, that’s a matter of taste, in terms of overall package, this Ford Puma ST is right on. I drove it on a track before, and it didn’t disappoint there either. Even the rear wheel up in corners, that’s cool, right!”