TwinTest

THIS MONTH’S NEWCOMER TAKES ON THE CLASS BENCHMARK

- JEZ SPINKS

FORD PUMA ST-LINE V HYUNDAI KONA N-LINE

SMALL SUVs; GOOD SPORTS?

EQUIPMENT AND VALUE

Built-in Romania (its predecessor was made in India), the three-grade Puma range begins at $29,990 and tops out at $35,540 (plus on-roads) for the ST-Line V we have here. LED daytime running lights are standard on Kona too but only the Puma features LED headlights standard. Ford’s keyless-entry set-up is also slightly more advanced, allowing the closure of windows and sunroof with a hold of the lock button on the key fob. Ford’s 8.0-inch display may give away 20 percent in touchscreen but it doesn’t look undersized for the cabin and its interface is bright and sharply presented, and highly intuitive. Our Puma test car was also fitted with the optional ($2000) electric panoramic sunroof, and added $650 for paint, which applies to all colours except white. For an additional $500, the Puma can be had with a contrasting black roof. 22/25