Remember the Ford Puma? That curvaceously cute and effective little Fiesta-based coupe the Blue Oval built back in the 1990s? Well, there’s a new car bearing the name and, some might argue disappointingly, it is nothing like the original.

Instead of a svelte three-door hatchback the moniker adorns a five-door crossover because, well, that’s where profit margins are these days. Ford have managed to give the new Puma with reasonably sporty looks – for an SUV anyway – particularly compared to its rivals.

The Puma’s rivals are the best-selling Juke, the Skoda Kamiq and VW’s T-Roc but, unlike those rivals the Ford is equipped with a mild hybrid powertrain that manages to combine sprightly performance with excellent efficiency.

There is just one engine – a three-cylinder one-litre petrol – across the range and all but one model has 48-volt mild hybrid electric vehicle (mHEV) tech. It works by switching the engine off when the car is coming to a stop while still supplying power to the steering and air conditioning. Then, as you engage a gear, the engine restarts and a tiny electric motor adds a little extra oomph as you pull away.

The Ecoboost mHEV 155 reviewed here takes, according to official figures, just 8.5 seconds to reach 62mph from a standing start, a time that leaves its rivals literally – If not quite floundering – certainly trailing in its dust.

The Puma has a firmer set-up than its rivals with both the T-Roc and Kamiq providing a much more forgiving ride but the trade-off is the Ford’s much better body control. It follows the contours of the road closely with none of the unwelcome wallowing and bouncing that SUVs can sometimes be cursed with.

ST-Line and ST-Line X models have suspension that’s firmer still and you’ll get more of a thump over sharper bumps as a result. It never becomes uncomfortable, however, and the end result is a car that, when driven, displays more than just a hint of the spirit of its namesake.

Ford’s reputation for building driver’s cars is well-deserved and the Puma certainly possesses plenty of appeal in that respect. It is nimble and, if it had feet, they would be fleet. It’s capable enough to tackle tight corners and sharp changes of direction with real enthusiasm while the steering offers up an invaluable connection between driver and fronts feels, letting you put the car precisely where you want it.

The six-speed manual gearbox is a gem with a precise, smooth action and is combined with a feelsome clutch and progressive brakes that help to further enhance the driving experience when you’re pushing hard.

They also play a crucial role when more sedate progress is the order of the day and make the Puma a car that’s easy to drive serenely. That serenity doesn’t extend as far as the noise levels in the car, though, because there’s fair degree of tyre roar when you’re approaching motorway speeds and some might find the little three-cylinder engine’s slightly sporty rasp a bit intrusive.

The front seats offer plenty of flexibility, including height, and the steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake so anyone and everyone should be able to find a comfortable driving position. Even the standard seats fitted to Titanium trim have lumbar support as well as a massaging function. ST-Line cars forego the massage function but provide much better lateral support thanks to thicker side bolsters.

The seating position is lower than most of its rivals but still much higher than you get in the Fiesta so you still feel as if you’re getting the commanding view of the road that SUV-buyers find so appealing.

Space in the rear lags behind some of its rivals. There’s room for a couple of taller adults but they might require a couple of stops to stretch their legs on longer journeys. Because the roofline is a little lower than you would usually expect from an SUV headroom in the back isn’t as generous as it is in either the Kamiq or T-Roc.

The quality of materials in the Puma is, for the most part, very good. There are some pleasantly soft and tactile surfaces across the dashboard and the tops of the doors while ST-Line X models boast some faux carbon fibre detailing and part-leather seats. There are, however, some areas where the plastics feel a little flimsy and cheap.

The centre of the dashboard is dominated by an eight-inch touchscreen with DAB radio, sat-nav and a pair of USB ports. The operating system, while not quite as intuitive as those found in some of its rivals, is still relatively easy to use thanks to its bright bold graphics. It is let down a little by a touchscreen that can be a little sluggish to respond to inputs.

Visibility out the front is hampered a little by the steeply-raked front pillars while the view out the rear isn’t great thanks to the rising window line, thick rear pillars and narrow rear windscreen. The standard rear parking sensors do go some way to making life a little easier and, if you opt for the Driver Assistance Pack, you get the benefit of a rear view camera too.

The boot will hold 456litres with the 60/40 split-folding rear seats in place and 1216 with them stowed away. It’s a fair way from class-leading but the Puma does have a bit of a party piece: Lift the boot floor and you’ll find a space beneath that’s big enough to swallow a couple of suitcases.

You can even clip the boot floor to the back of the rear seats to let you carry taller cargo upright and there’s a plug at the bottom so you hose it out and let the excess water drain away.

The boot floor is also height adjustable and when it’s set to its highest position and the rear seats folded down provides a perfectly flat load bay. Another clever feature is the parcel shelf which is mounted on the tailgate and rises out of the way when you open the boot.

The Puma’s rivals offer better rear space, better visibility and better refinement, but the differences are marginal and, in other areas the Puma’s advantage is considerable: It is great fun to drive, delivers an impressive blend of performance and fuel economy and has a large and innovative boot.

The new Puma might be significantly different to the original, but it is a worthy successor.

Ford Puma 1.0-litre MHEV ST-LINE X 5DR 155PS 6SP

Price from: £23,740

Engine: 1.0-litre 3-cylinder

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 155PS

Max torque: 190Nm @ 2,100 – 5,500rpm (220Nm with overboost)

Max speed: 127mph

0-62mph: 9secs

Fuel economy (NEDC)

Urban: 5.1l/km

Extra urban: 3.9l/km

Combined: 4.4lkm

Emissions (CO2): 99g/km

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For more information visit www.ford.co.uk