The clue to why the new ST edition of this chic crossover could appeal here is in its full name.

ANOTHER performance version of Ford’s smallest crossover has been born, and conceivably it stands better chance of re-instating the ST badge to New Zealand than the first remains.

 The reason why new Puma ST Powershift might be of interest to Ford New Zealand as a flagship above the mild hybrid $36,990 standard and $3000-dearer ST-Line models it already sells is found in the name - Powershift is Blue Oval-speak for an automatic gearbox. The Puma ST hasn’t had one previously.

 The baby crossover spin-off from the Fiesta ST hatch – which has been dropped here – has until now married a 1.5-litre engine (which Ford here likes) to a six-speed manual (about which the Auckland-based operation is not so keen, even though they accepted it for a while with Fiesta).

The ST Powershift also delivers a clever 48-volt mild-hybrid version of the regular Puma 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol already availed here, with a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The mild-hybrid stuff side is also a Green box tick; Ford here only wants to represent its passenger fare here with electric assist drivetrains, because that enables lower CO2 counts that help it meet Clean Car aspiration – and offset the damage done to its overall fleet average wrought by the Ranger ute and Everest sports utility, which though hugely popular (Ranger accounting for more than 70 percent of Fors sales here in 2022) are also high emissions culprits.

Electric involvement assuages that issue. The big step forward on that front, of course, is the impending fully electric Mustang Mach-E and Ranger, in time, will go to a plug-in hybrid, though whether it ever adopts a full electric drivetrain is far from clear. It could, because Volkswagen has stated intent to make the Amarok – their version of Ranger – wholly battery compelled.

Puma’s 48 volt system is secondary to the petrol motor, but nonetheless plays a valuable role. It recharges the modest-sized battery faster, allowing the electric motor to add an extra 8kW to the 116kW the Puma’s 1.0-litre engine was already delivering in ST tune.

Combined, Ford claims the Puma ST Powershift is capable of 126kW and 248Nm of torque – by comparison, the standard and ST-line models have 92kW and 210Nm.

Ford cites this version of the long-lived, and most loved 1.0-litre engine has twice the per-capacity power of an original Ford Focus ST, even though the power output is exactly the same.

It talks of a 7.4-second 0-100kmh acceleration time alongside 6.3  litres per 100km fuel efficiency and 144 grams of CO2 per kilometre. The three-cylinder engine gets some electronic management tweaks and some active exhaust valve technology lifted from the 1.5-litre Puma ST.  

Stefan Muenzinger, Ford Performance manager, Europe, says that in normal driving, the auto will keep the engine working at the most efficient rate for the 48-volt mild-hybrid system.  

For moments of fun, there is a Sport mode, and the gearbox can triple-downshift on the approach to corners for maximum responsiveness. That’s when left to its own devices. A driver can use the paddle shifters behind the wheel to control everything, of course.

The Puma ST Powershift gets some of the same chassis and suspension tuning as the 1.5-litre Puma ST, including a rear suspension twist-beam rated at 2000 Nm/deg torsional stiffness - an increase of more than 50 percent compared to the standard Puma.

It also has fat anti-roll bars and is served up with ‘force vectoring springs’, increasing the suspension's lateral stiffness for better precision. The dampers are Hitachi twin-tube frequency-reactive front and rear. The steering is 25 percent quicker across its locks than that of the standard Puma, and torque vectoring control uses the brakes to help deliver power to the front wheel that can best handle it.

 Finally, there are bigger brakes - 325 mm front discs - 17 per cent larger in diameter than the standard Puma specification - befitting a car wearing the ST badge.  

Puma ST Powershift gets a chunky ST bodykit, including a front splitter said to  increases front-end downforce by almost 80 percent versus the standard Puma. A large rear roof spoiler and distinctive rear diffuser also feature, while signature ST upper and lower front grille incorporate.

There’s also a new ST-exclusive Azura Blue paint option, while you also get a gloss black finish for the roof and standard black grille surrounds, side spears, door mirror caps and rear roof spoiler, and a Magnetite finish on the standard 19-inch alloy wheels.

 Inside are Ford Performance-developed sports seats finished in premium Sensico synthetic leather-effect material, a wireless charging pad, heated windscreen, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, FordPass Connect modem, and Ford’s SYNC3 communications and entertainment system, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Driver assistance technologies include Pre-Collision Assist with Active Braking, Active Park Assist, Cross Traffic Alert with Active Braking, and Intelligent Speed Limiter.

The Puma ST Powershift retains its practical side, with a 456 litres of boot space, plus the 80-litre ‘Megabox’ that sits under the boot floor, which is waterproof and hose-out.