Ford Puma Gen-E Review & Prices

The Ford Puma has become one of Britain’s favourite new cars, regularly sitting right at the sharp end of the sales charts - but until now, it’s only been available with petrol-assisted power. That changes with the Puma Gen-E, an electric version of Ford’s hugely popular small SUV aimed squarely at affordable EV crossovers such as the Jaecoo E5, Skoda Elroq, Leapmotor B10 and Renault 4 E-Tech.

The Puma line-up is a bit like McDonald’s. The Big Mac is still there for anyone who wants the familiar option, but gradually the menu has got a bit greener - fruit bags in Happy Meals, a surcharge for full-fat Coke and paper packaging instead of plastic. It’s sustainability introduced gently, without frightening off the people who liked it already.

That softly-softly approach explains why the Puma Gen-E doesn’t look dramatically different from the petrol car. The easiest way to spot it is the blanked-off front grille, though even that keeps the same basic outline as the regular model. You also get model-specific alloy wheels and a couple of Gen-E-only paint options, with Electric Yellow doing the best job of shouting about the switch to battery power.

Ford Puma Gen-E: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 233 miles
Efficiency: 5.4 miles per kWh
Battery size: 43kWh (usable)
Max charge speed: 100kW
Charge time AC: 6 hrs 13 mins, 0-100%, 7kW
Charge time DC: 23 mins, 10-80%, 100kW
Charge port location: Rear left
Power outputs: 168hp

The bigger differences are hidden underneath, although the electric Puma still has plenty in common with the standard car. Instead of a petrol engine and gearbox, there’s a 168hp electric motor and a 43kWh usable battery. That battery isn’t especially large, but Ford claims up to 233 miles of official range, which points to some seriously impressive efficiency.

Around town, it mostly backs that up. In low-speed driving, the Puma Gen-E is one of the most efficient electric cars we’ve tested, making it feel very well suited to commuting, school runs and local errands. The trade-off comes on the motorway, where efficiency drops to around 3.2 miles per kWh, making it far less convincing for regular long-distance journeys. A Volkswagen ID3 or Skoda Elroq is a better bet there, as both can comfortably better 4.0 miles per kWh.

One upside of the Gen-E sticking so closely to the regular Puma formula is that it remains properly practical. Rear-seat space is acceptable rather than enormous - six-footers can squeeze in - but the boot is huge for a car this size. That’s thanks to the deep underfloor storage area Ford calls the Gigabox, which helps give the Puma Gen-E a 523-litre boot, more than you get in its key alternatives. There’s also a small front storage compartment for keeping the charging cable out of the way.

The cabin is less convincing than the packaging, though. There are some pleasing details, including the faux-leather strip running across the dashboard, but the overall design is quite plain and there are too many hard, scratchy plastics dotted about. The Gen-E-specific centre console doesn’t feel especially polished either, with a rather cheap-looking rubber mat covering the storage area beneath.

On the road, the Puma Gen-E feels reassuringly familiar - and that’s meant as a compliment. The steering has a good weight to it without becoming tiring, and while the ride is on the firm side over rougher surfaces, it stops short of being uncomfortable. Better still, find a twisting road and this quickly proves to be one of the most entertaining small electric cars you can buy.

Verdict

The Ford Puma Gen-E is a good-value and practical small electric SUV. It’s fun to drive and in so many ways is similar to the incredibly popular petrol-powered Puma that it’s not intimidating or strange to get used to. If your mileage is usually around town or short hops, then it’ll be fantastic. The poor efficiency on the motorway means its long-distance utility is really limited, though.

If the idea of an electrified Puma has you interested, check out our best Ford Puma Gen-E deals here, or find a used Ford Puma for sale here. You can check out Ford Puma Gen-E leasing deals or search for other Ford models for sale. Remember too that when the time comes to sell your old car, you can do that right here on Carwow.

The Ford Puma Gen-E has a bit of a trump card - it’s one of the first vehicles available to qualify for the full £3,750 off through the government’s Electric Car Grant. This means its starting price is less than £25,000, putting it more in line with models such as the Hyundai Inster or Citroen e-C3 than the Skoda Elroq or Kia EV3.

Or, you could consider the grant as a way to net a higher-spec Premium model for the price of a basic Select. Either way, it’s excellent value.

All models come with a good amount of kit - 17-inch alloy wheels are standard, as are LED headlights, wireless phone charging (and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto to match), keyless start, a heated windscreen and a rear camera. Stepping up to Premium gives you 18-inch alloys, keyless entry, Matrix LED headlights, a B&O sound system and a powered tailgate, while top-spec Sound Edition models get unique interior features, partial leather trim, a contrast roof and the advanced driver assistance pack as standard.

A bit stiff over bumps in town, but great fun on a twisting road

In town

You get a good view out of the Puma, though you don’t sit quite as high as in some SUVs like the Peugeot E-2008. Still, that makes getting in and out really easy. The door mirrors are tiny, though, spoiling the view backwards a bit.

The Puma’s steering feels nicely weighted and is really accurate. One issue we have is with the steering wheel, though - it’s gigantic, and square in shape, which means it’s weirdly tricky to feed smoothly through your hands. At least there’s lots of adjustment in the wheel and in the seat.

Performance round town is good, thanks to the instant pickup of the electric motor. You have two different levels of regenerative braking - you can press ‘L’ on the column-mounted gear selector for strong, or activate ‘one-pedal’ mode in the driving settings which will take you down to a full stop when you let off the throttle. The latter can be quite jerky though, especially at low speeds.

On the motorway

The Puma Gen-E only has a fairly weedy 168hp motor, and there’s no more powerful version available. While you won’t feel outclassed on the motorway and acceleration is strong enough, there’s none of the pushing-back-into-your-seat buzz you get from a powerful EV here.

Once you’re up to speed, the Puma is a little firm over expansion joints and rumble strips, but it’s not too bad. You’ll feel this more in high-spec models with 18- or 19-inch wheels.

The Puma’s suite of advanced driver assistance features works pretty well. The lane-keeping assist operates smoothly, as does the adaptive cruise control. You can also turn the speed limit assist off very easily with just one press on the ‘LIM’ button on the steering wheel.

On a twisty road

The regular Ford Puma is the best small SUV to drive on a twisty road and the Gen-E retains that title for electric SUVs. It’s lightweight - only 195kg more than the standard Puma - and the extra bulk is low down, so it doesn’t lean over too much in the corners and feels nimble.

The steering is perfectly weighted and you even get a little bit of feedback about what the front wheels are doing, which is all too rare among cars like this.

It’s not playful like a hot hatchback or a proper performance EV such as the Abarth 600e, but it’s still quite good fun and one of the most satisfying small electric cars to drive in this scenario.

Vast boot and useful storage spaces, though rear space isn’t as impressive

The Puma is quite a cosy car up front thanks to thick, figure-hugging sporty seats, that huge steering wheel and a high-set centre console.

The dashboard itself is the same as on the petrol-powered Puma, but in the middle there’s been a redesign to account for the new steering column-mounted gear selector. In its place you get two cupholders - with a smaller, energy drink-sized one between - and a large open tray with a wireless charging pad and slightly ill-fitting rubber mat to stop things sliding about.

The door bins are an okay size but are made of hard plastic and don’t get a lining, so items will rattle. The same goes for the glovebox.

Space in the back seats

The Puma’s back seats are best for two - it’s definitely not wide enough for three adults to travel in any kind of comfort. Legroom for a six-footer is just about acceptable, as is headroom, but your passengers would be much more comfortable in a Hyundai Inster or VW ID3.

There are ISOFIX points on both outer rear seats, but it’s tight for a bulky child seat. The rear doors do open nice and wide, though, and they have large windows giving a good view out.

Boot space

The Puma’s boot is the biggest out of just about any small electric car, and that’s thanks mainly to the huge underfloor storage compartment. Called the ‘Gigabox’ it occupies basically all the space between the rear wheels, and you can use it in a few ways.

With the boot floor in place, you can have a two-section boot - with space above and below. Lift the boot floor up and the Gigabox provides extra loading height - you can carry several sets of golf clubs upright in the back this way. Alternatively, there’s a waterproof liner and a drain plug - so the Gigabox can be used as a cooler filled with ice, a wash tub for muddy boots, or just somewhere wipe-clean where you can sling dirty items.

There’s 523 litres of space in total, and the rear seats fold easily to give a flat floor for bigger items. There’s also a narrow ‘frunk’ - it’s no good for suitcases, but you can store your charging cables there, freeing up even more room in the boot.

Big touchscreen works quite well, but material quality is a bit sub-par in a few too many places

The Ford Puma Gen-E gets the same interior as the regular Puma, with a couple of exceptions. That means it’s centred around a massive 12.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 10.0-inch digital gauge cluster, which seems like a lot of screen in such a small space.

The central screen has to be big as it contains almost all of the Puma’s controls - physical switchgear is limited to just a few shortcut keys underneath as well as a volume dial. That means you do have to control the air-con through the screen too, which can be fiddly to do on the move - though most of the interface is sensibly designed to be big enough for fumbly fingers.

The digital gauge cluster is pretty uninspired in its design, and you can’t select from alternative layouts like you can with some alternatives. One annoyance is that the speed readout is always off to one side, rather than front and centre.

The difference from the standard Puma is in the centre console, which has been redesigned to allow for the drive selector to move from the middle up to the steering column. In its place you get some open storage cubbies and cupholders. It feels cheap, though - the curved design doesn’t match the straight-edged dashboard, and the rubber mat intended to stop items sliding around looks cheap, marks easily and doesn’t even fit all that well.

Combine that with some pretty hard and nasty plastics higher up on the dash, and the Puma’s interior feels like a step down from some alternatives like the classy ID3 or stylish e-C3.

The Puma Gen-E’s official range is 233 miles. This compares reasonably with the 199 miles you get from a Citroen e-C3 or the 229 miles a Hyundai Inster returns, but you’re beaten by the 270-mile Kia EV3 or 260-mile Skoda Elroq.

Part of the reason for this is that while Ford fits a 53kWh battery, only 43kWh is usable - this large buffer is intended to improve the charge curve, allowing you to charge at top speed for longer. It should also prolong the lifespan of the battery.

In our testing, we found the Puma Gen-E to be hugely efficient around town. A real-world range of nearly 300 miles should be possible if you’re doing lots of low-speed journeys - that’s a week between charges of even the most demanding school run and shopping cycle. If you're beholden to public charging, then the Puma Gen-E really isn't a bad companion to have.

However, this inner-city efficiency dipped sharply at motorway speeds, and we saw a lowly 3.2 miles per kWh, resulting in a real-world range of about 140 miles on the motorway. This is particularly poor and means you should probably avoid the Gen-E if you’re planning to do regular longer trips.

The maximum charge rate is just 100kW, but due to the small battery that means a 10-80% top-up is possible in just 23 minutes. Charging at home should be quick and cheap, too.

As a fully electric car the Puma Gen-E pays the lowest rates of road tax and company car tax, making it cost-effective to run.

Euro NCAP score (2022): 4/5

Adult occupant: 75%
Child occupant: 84%
Vulnerable road users: 70%
Safety assist: 69%

The Puma Gen-E retains the four-star Euro NCAP rating of the standard Puma, as it hasn’t been tested separately. This score was given back in 2022, as well, so the tests have moved on somewhat - other small EVs have more up-to-date four- or five-star test ratings.

All models get the usual suite of driver assistance features, though Ford makes it nice and easy to turn off the more irritating ones. The speed limit warning is dispatched with just one button on the steering wheel, and a further two taps turns off the lane-keeping aids too.

The Ford Puma as a whole came in the top 10 of the 2024 Driver Power survey but slipped to 47th in the 2025 results. That rating doesn’t apply to the brand-new Gen-E, however.

The Ford brand came 23rd out of 31 manufacturers, which is quite poor as well. And unlike some other value-focused EVs, you don’t get a long warranty to reassure you - while the battery is covered by a standard eight-year/100,000 mile guarantee, the rest of the Gen-E gets a lowly three years or 60,000 miles of cover. Compared with seven years for the Kia EV3, that’s quite disappointing.