![]() Refinement is good, economy likewise (both cars are well capable of 50mpg on a longer out-of-town trip) and ride and handling are nicely resolved, with a sense of pragmatic compliance and low-speed cushioning to the ride that should endear the car to owners. We’ve driven both 94bhp and 113bhp tunes of the 1.0-litre TSI, and while the 113bhp model is a little bit faster and more drivable (thanks in no small part to having an extra cog in its manual gearbox than the 94bhp model), neither version feels slow. The engine range consists of a pair of 1.0-litre turbocharged three-pot petrols and a 1.5-litre turbo four-pot with 148bhp. ![]() Power comes from a trio of 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines, with 48V mild-hybrid technology enabling the top-level version to produce up to 125bhp. Better still, on cooking versions the damping is particularly fluent and skilfully tuned, allowing for strong comfort and refinement. Once again, it shares its underpinnings with the Fiesta (the current seventh generation machine), which means quick steering, surprising agility and faithful grip, allowing you to slice through corners with surprising accuracy and poise. And while there’s no denying a compact crossover can’t tug at the heart strings like a sleek driver focussed pocket rocket, the reimagined Puma distils enough of its namesake’s dynamic sparkle to forgive Ford’s marketing department’s choice of moniker. So Ford took no chances with its replacement, even if using the Puma name resulted in fans of the brand’s pert late Nineties coupe getting their knickers in a twist. Designed and built in Brazil for emerging markets, this gawky machine felt a little cheap, featured some glaring packaging flaws and was fairly tardy to drive, despite being based on the same platform as the sharp handling sixth generation Fiesta. Ford Pumaįord wasn’t exactly late to the compact crossover party, but its first offering, the EcoSport, felt like a half-hearted toe-in-the-water exercise. Yet as new arrivals hit showrooms this is changing, with a handful of compact crossovers proving genuinely entertainingSo, here are our ten favourites of this increasingly popular breed. ![]() Until recently, however, there weren’t many that would get a keen driver’s juices flowing - the combination of a higher centre of gravity and the modest margins in a small and affordable car meant that the emphasis was usually on everyday usability rather than emotional uplift. Mazda CX-3 2.0 Sport Nav+ 2018 first drive.Mazda RX-9 hopes boosted by new rotary-engine technology.Mazda CX-3 removed from sale 'for the moment'. ![]()
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