Ford Puma ST Handling Pack First Impressions!

[@suriko6286]

If you google for something like "ford puma st tech specs" you'll find a Ford released pdf with more info on the suspension of the handling pack. Just like you said, it comes with KW shock absorbers instead of the ones made by Hitachi. Spring stiffness is increased by 20% and height decreased by 10 mm.

[@SamAustin]

Thank you that is very helpful to share. I have just found that PDF and can see the below specific to the Puma ST Handling Pack: Front Suspension: Independent suspension with MacPherson struts, KW twin-tube shock absorbers with dedicated setting for improved handling characteristics. Spring stiffness increased 20 per cent, height decreased 10 mm. Finished in Ford Performance Blue. Rear Suspension: 24.2 mm x 6 mm diameter anti-roll bar. KW twin-tube shock absorbers with dedicated setting for improved handling characteristics. Spring stiffness increased 20 per cent, height decreased 10 mm. Finished in Ford Performance Blue.

[@suriko6286]

@@SamAustin YW and thanks for sharing your impressions. Your enthusiasm is contagious :) Now I just wish they'd build mine faster.

[@benwatki]

Taking delivery of my STHP tomorrow! - very excited to try it out and your video couldn’t be better timed haha

[@SamAustin]

Many congratulations on your incoming ST HP. Happy the video has helped before tomorrow 😊

[@Manu-fn3uy]

I got my Puma ST in August and i absolutely love it😊. It sounds pretty good and makes lot of fun. The fastest i go on the german Autobahn was 207 Km/h, but in my opinion the fun with the car isn‘t in the speed but rather in cornering or occasionally accelerating. Greetings from Germany

[@SamAustin]

Many congratulations on your Puma ST and I am happy you are enjoying the car 😊🎊

[@Inmyopinion10101]

Hi Sam and everyone picked up an ST Gold edition number 248. It is an absolute blast to drive. Best car I’ve had on handling acceleration cornering(but be careful) my very old xr2 cornered better. Overall great car and a pleasure to drive. A few golds for sale out there about 6 at present. Get one.

[@SamAustin]

Many congratulations on your ST Gold Edition! Not many around for sure and I would love to try one on the channel. If you would be happy to share it in the same way with me, as I have done the Handling pack on the channel, feel free to drop me an email [e-mail] or DM me on Instagram @samaustin657 as it would be wonderful to share on the channel 😊

[@Inmyopinion10101]

@@SamAustin hi Sam. Would be great to see our car on your show. However it’s our little treasure and we look after him like a member of the family. So it would have be a no. Sorry. Only 300 were released in the uk. So not seen another as yet. Fingers crossed we do. Cheers.

[@SamAustin]

No worries at all! I wish you all the best with your Gold Edition 😊

[@adamsmallman4744]

I got my puma st facelift a few days ago and i absolutely love it! I also got it in white as i love the black and white combination

[@SamAustin]

Many congratulations on your Puma ST Facelift! 😊🎉

[@RyanHall-e9d]

Nice car, i nearly chose one of these before i went for the new polo GTI

[@digitalst0rm438]

This is the death of the Puma ST. I will stick with my mean green, with black roof and performance pack, 1.5 manual st thanks. Mountune springs, stiffen and lower it by 25mm.

[@markhorton4504]

Hi Sam, I really like your enthusiasm and the energy that you put into your reviews. I took delivery of a new facelift Puma ST back in July this year. Unfortunately there was no handling pack option available at the time I placed my order, so I just specked it with the panoramic roof. I prefer the look of the grey wheels on mine to those on the hp. I would really like to try the hp option equipped ST to see how much of a difference there is between the two. Perhaps you could do a comparison.

[@SamAustin]

Thank you for the positive feedback and many congratulations on collecting your Puma ST in July! You may have had a very early car which is great. For sure I would love to compare the two by spending time in a non handling pack facelifted Puma ST such as yours. Would you be happy to share yours on the channel as I would love to share it with the audience if this works with yourself? No worries or pressure if not and feel free to drop me a DM on my Instagram if it is something you would be happy with @samaustin657 👍

[@alisonsmith3817]

Great to hear your thoughts as not a great deal,on here about the facelift Pity the 1.5 dragon manual is gone

[@SamAustin]

Thank you and I am happy this has helped. For sure there is little to nothing around the Handling Pack or the Puma ST online 🤔

[@alisonsmith3817]

@ correct Sam ,, great that ford continue and even add to the car I own a mean green puma st 1.5 great cars for the money, biggest downer is the steering which is super fast to change direction etc but can be nervous on b rds and like you said returns to centre to eagerly

[@germulqueen3002]

What a car...!! However; I'd love to see you review a more "standard" car, like the Puma Titanium & give your opinion on the car overall, as opposed to the sporty version & how sporty it feels & handles. Just my opinion... I have to say though, that I love your enthusiasm when driving & reviewing cars! 👍🙂

[@SamAustin]

Thank you for the positive feedback and kind words 😊I have a film on my first impressions on the ST-Line X should this also be of interest: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnWpYWWOnsplrKc 👍

[@emc2819]

noticed it spring rate stiffened by 20 % but with coilers you can adjust to improve the ride comfort.

[@SamAustin]

Thank you for sharing and I am curious around this. I know the MK4.5 Focus ST Track Pack came with adjustable coil overs and a kit from Ford to adjust this. This owner did not receive anything to adjust the kit itself but do you think it could still be adjusted at a dealership / suspension specialist to change the ride quality?

[@emc2819]

with those coilers you could soften the ride as well .

[@SamAustin]

Thank you for sharing and I am curious around this. I know the MK4.5 Focus ST Track Pack came with adjustable coil overs and a kit from Ford to adjust this. This owner did not receive anything to adjust the kit itself but do you think it could still be adjusted at a dealership / suspension specialist to change the ride quality?

[@markmcclure5121]

I would prefer they kept the ST badge on the steering wheel, in addition to the new ST badge on the passenger side. Also, I prefer maintaining the right sided lever for windscreen wipers.

[@SamAustin]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I also noticed after that the ST badge on the steering wheel was no longer there. It would have been nice to have kept it for sure 👍

[@davidledgerton7914]

Great review, what is the suspension like compared to the st line x, i find the st line x 155 harsh

[@SamAustin]

Thank you for the positive feedback! I felt the suspension is firm, with this Handling Pack upgrade, although it felt it to be premium on the road. I could live with it day to day on the road from my time with the car. It is very subjective on that side though 🙂

[@KeebleFeeble]

Hi Sam, Any chance you could look at the ST without the handling pack?😉

[@SamAustin]

Hey, I would like too and will try to share another film on the channel. I have done so previously on the channel last year but this model 2024 Puma ST did not have the updated infotainment. Although I believe the suspension and running gear of the 2024 Puma ST would be the same as the 2025 model. Particularly in terms of suspension without the handling pack: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5_Ygq13Zr-ansk

[@Problimatic]

Do the paddles come on the ST as standard or is that woth the handling pack?

[@SamAustin]

The paddles do come as standard on the ST however the steering wheel is different. Both steering wheel options are shown during the early parts of the video to help 😊

[@andrewmaple9863]

I want one

[@liamcallum]

Be good to see how this is against the new Puma GEN E 2/12/24😊

[@viktordtz2080]

no more gear box or is one option?

[@SamAustin]

Automatic only for the full ST although you can currently still order a lower powered 125ps 6-Speed manual in other trim variants 👍

[@viktordtz2080]

@@SamAustin i's a pity... I have the fiesta ST 2020... the pleisure is gived by the gear box too. Or the 155 Hp. It's a pity that the fiesta is dead...

[@viktordtz2080]

@@SamAustin It's a pity. I have the fiesta ST 2020 (3 door and panoramic roof)... the manual gearbox give great pleisure so in the 155 HP. 170 HP has only automatic gear box. That's a pity : more fragile. So pity is the fiesta dead.

[@Inactiveaccount358]

Had one of these at my work and it didn’t have coil overs, just lowering springs

[@NALSH33N]

The handing pack is an expensive option that really does contribute anything on normal road and speed limits. I sell/sold the things always made me chuckle when customers had to have it. Track work yes, normal driving no. Don’t even get a valuation uplift when you p/x it anymore for having it fitted. Cost Ford around £70 to fit in production and it has cost the customer at times up to £1,000.

[@darkvador9465]

Pack st performance ?

[@joaoreis1079]

It’s surprising to me that Ford is selling the ST - since they downgraded the engine I call it the ST-Line XX (extra expensive ). When you look at previous generation 155hp ST-Line you realize that this has what they removed from current 155hp car : round steering wheel, fog lights, visible exhaust and shift paddles. So honestly this looks like the previous generation 155hp with some steroids rather than a true ST. But anyway I have a 155hp new generation Puma and I like it very much despite having some problems with the hybrid system

[@lanehogger1532]

Surely everyone knows about the 1.0 ecoboost problems and that it is not durable long term even with recent improvements. I guess on a 3 yr pcp it doesn’t matter 😊

[@lawrenceelliott1661]

This will be a very rare car!! They don’t do a handling pack on a white Puma ST anymore, you can’t even get a black roof on a white Puma ST now! Strange choice from Ford.

[@SamAustin]

Ah wow that is strange to change the colour combination! It looked great in white with the gloss black roof for sure so will be a rare one. Checking the configurator today you can only option Red, Grey, Silver and Black with the handling pack. Strange from Ford as you say 🤔

[@lawrenceelliott1661]

@ yeah it’s really odd, my wife has the same car and wanted the handling pack but couldn’t get it ☹️ but they are lovely cars! Good review 👌🏻

[@andrewmaple9863]

Ev one video for you next

[@SamAustin]

That is certainly on the list after todays reveal of the Puma Electric 👍

[@stevenfoleyuk9404]

Its not a fast ford , nice car but to say its a fast ford with a auto box is an insult to fast fords . Ford have misses a opportunity with the Puma to make it into something special . RS version would have been amazing . Oh well i will have to look at other Car brands now as in my Opinion Fast Fords are now a thing of the past 😢

[@Ric234-x8d]

I want one but don’t have the money

[@ItsMe-co4bj]

I have the money and don’t want one 😂

[@williamlove-e3f]

It’s a lot of money for a small car probably over £34K with the handling pack.

[@S9TVB]

Nah....sorry Sam, really not sold at all on the face lifts. Funnily enough my partner just got rid of her Puma Vignale for a brand new 120 M Sport, and she said she actually loves driving again. That to me speaks volumes lol. Actually don't miss my Puma ST.

[@SamAustin]

No need to say sorry it is everyone's personal preference. Hope all is well 😊

[@LeeMorton-xw1nl]

Not much more bhp than the st line 155. Do they still have a chain cam and wet oil pump belt ?

[@SamAustin]

From my experience with the ST-Line 155 the power increase is small to 170 but it did feel very responsive 0-50 mph particularly with the hybrid response. The improved suspension and bigger wheels (Continental Sport Contact 7 Tyres) really made the car better to drive in my opinion. Brakes also felt good too. For sure the power increase is small but the full ST improvements made it a great drive 👍

[@dean6125]

Could remap and all that

[@danielhearson-roberts4049]

Really good review but i think the biggest problem this car has is the 1.5 Puma ST. Its not really more economical then the 1.5 and its not really a hybrid. If it had a proper hybrid system and not just a little overboost compared to the 155 ST line then i think it would be a potentially brilliant car. It is also way over 30k for a 1.0 small car is crazy to me. You can get way better cars for the money and not lose a boat load too.

[@SamAustin]

Thank you for the positive feedback and sharing your thoughts. That 1.5 is also a great car to have and it is sad there is no option for this with the new updated facelifted model combined with the new handling pack which I very much enjoyed 😊

[@FredBloggs467]

No separate window wiper stalk. How cheap.

[@axeami1354]

It's a piece of crap, that shitty 1l engine was piss poor in cars as small as the fiesta, let alone one this big. The 1.5l was a great engine and even calling a car with that much less power than its last gen is a complete embarrassment. Ford have lost the plot and the fact the even mgs have better drive train options says everything.

[@lanehogger1532]

Harsh but very true 😂

[@keithhedley1392]

St with 1L engine 🤦no thanks it's not really a fast ford with 170 bhp

[@dean6125]

Had some proper fast ford's in past but way things are going.. 😢 I'd of preferred a 1.5 but driven 1l Focuses and they are better than I'd of thought. This is prob OK, could remap cais etc. but on normal roads nowadays ..

[@davidhayes4814]

I love these 400 PS rocket ships….

[@paramotor03]

car is crap

[@markhorton4504]

Hi Sam, I really like your enthusiasm and the energy that you put into your reviews. I took delivery of a new facelift Puma ST back in July this year. Unfortunately there was no handling pack option available at the time I placed my order, so I just specked it with the panoramic roof. I prefer the look of the grey wheels on mine to those on the hp. I would really like to try the hp option equipped ST to see how much of a difference there is between the two. Perhaps you could do a comparison.

[@SamAustin]

Thank you for the positive feedback and many congratulations on collecting your Puma ST in July! You may have had a very early car which is great. For sure I would love to compare the two by spending time in a non handling pack facelifted Puma ST such as yours. Would you be happy to share yours on the channel as I would love to share it with the audience if this works with yourself? No worries or pressure if not and feel free to drop me a DM on my Instagram if it is something you would be happy with @samaustin657 👍

[@markhorton4504]

Hi Sam, I would be happy to share on your channel. Just let me your ideas moving forward. Kind regards, Mark

[@SamAustin]

Hi Mark, That is great. My thinking would be a similar video to this on these roads. It would be a great comparison. You can also email me on [e-mail] to discuss or Instagram instagram.com/samaustin657/ - Thank you Mark 😊