I drove UK's best-selling car for a week and realised there was far better alternative

Recent figures reveal that the Ford Puma continues to be the UK's top-selling car. After clinching the title in 2024, the micro-SUV could be set to repeat its success in 2025. According to SMMT data, so far this year, 30,764 units of the Puma have been sold. The Puma's popularity has been somewhat baffling, particularly after it replaced the esteemed Fiesta as Ford's smallest offering.

There were concerns that discontinuing a vehicle that had been the UK's best selling car for 12 consecutive years and of which 4.1m units were sold would trip up Ford. However, eight months into the year, and the Ford Puma has solidified its position as the UK's best-selling car, according to Autocar. This begs the question, why is everyone buying one? As a serious (yes, very) journalist I felt compelled to find out.

After one week, I was still unsure why. The Puma isn't a bad car, in fact, it's quite good and capable all things considered. But I did have some questions. The main problem I have is the price. To be fair to the Puma, when compared with its rivals, it holds its own.

The entry-level Titanium model starts at just under £27,000, making it a match for competitors like the Toyota Yaris Cross and £500 cheaper than the Peugeot 2008. However, this is still about £1,000 more than the Volkswagen T-Cross.

If you're after something with a bit more power, you'll need the ST-line trim. The top-of-the-range Puma ST-Line X, complete with its 1.0 litre Ecoboost engine and 7-speed automatic gearbox plus a few optional extras, will set you back £34,730.

Strip away a few of those options and the standard on-the-road price comes in at £30,830.

And frankly, £30,000 feels a tad steep. From a purely superficial, first-glance, judging-a-book-by-its-cover perspective, it feels like paying for business class but flying economy. Sure, they both land at the same time, but that's still a hefty sum.

But, keeping that well-known literary metaphor in mind, what's the Puma like once you delve into a few chapters? Inside, the appeal to most buyers becomes immediately apparent - its superb practicality.

The boot is deeper and roomier than the Mariana Trench, and there are plenty of cubby holes and storage compartments for stashing extra shopping, keys, and various bits and bobs.

Despite mourning the loss of most buttons, the central touch screen is user-friendly and one can easily adjust to it and other controls. It's a car that's easy to get the hang of, and I can see why it might be chosen over its rivals.

The same practicality was evident in the 2025 model we had for our second spin with the Puma during the week. This second vehicle was slightly less expensive, priced at £29,280 in standard spec, but with added options it totalled £32,680.

After a drive to Southend on a cloudy July day, my opinion remained unchanged. So what happens when this compact car encounters corners, motorways, and other newly laid stretches of tarmac? I wasn't anticipating Fiesta-like agility, but it came semi-close. The chassis grips well, the engine is torquey, the steering responsive, but it feels let down by tyres that seemed to lose grip at relatively low speeds.

There's also the issue of the steering wheel, which, being large and square, feels too big for the type of car it's in; it works well in the Ford Explorer, but not here.

Perhaps it was the road, or maybe the recent rainfall, but there was a noticeable lean and an acute awareness of being in a car that had once been small but was now tasked with behaving like a larger vehicle. The Puma's size lends it a certain presence and stability on motorways and other roads, and its splendid one-litre engine makes it a joy to cruise in.

However, I walked away from both experiences harbouring the same sentiment. Why wouldn't you simply opt for a second-hand Ford Fiesta instead?

Granted, the Fiesta is older and not as spacious, it's not an SUV, but it'll be more affordable, more enjoyable, nearly as practical, and likely just as inexpensive to repair.