Niche knacks

They are about as deep in the crossover niche as it's possible to mine, but the Ford Puma and Volkswagen's Taigo are more closely matched than you'd think...

- Gareth Dean, Ian McLaren

Nobody likes to be labelled a conformist. In life, there are so many immutables that any opportunity to tread a different path is eagerly pounced upon by those seeking a bit of individuality. It's the same story with our cars. The desire to distance ourselves from convention has spawned a plethora of genres, each with its own sub-types and nuances. The crossover is a prime example. For many, a manufacturer's decision to take the foundations of an otherwise runof-the-mill family hatchback and sprinkle it with some funky, pseudo-SUV touches is the perfect foil to automotive drudgery. However, within these seemingly deepening niches, there's always the potential for some healthy competition. In this case it's a B-segment hatch-based boutique compact crossover dust-up between Volkswagen's shapely and upmarket Taigo and Ford's eye-catching and sporty Puma. There are plenty of parallels, and some interesting divergences, so a winner will be difficult to pick. But there must be one...

STYLING AND PACKAGING

Although both cars are marketed as crossovers, it's fair to say the Puma adheres more closely to the chunky-bodied, raised ride height proviso than the Taigo. Both are spun off their manufacturers' respective B-segment platforms; the Puma's B2E platform is shared with the current Fiesta and now-discontinued EcoSport, and the Taigo's MQB AO underpins the likes of Polo, T-Cross and the Audi A1.