Ford Australia is making a few changes to its local lineup, dropping the petrol-powered Puma small SUV and focusing more on commercial and performance vehicles.
The Ford Puma has enjoyed only mild success in Australia, but it has been the most affordable Ford in the showroom. Going forward, the most affordable Ford will be the Ford Ranger XL HiRider, starting from $36,380 (at time of writing).
During 2023, Ford delivered 2027 examples of the Puma, according to VFACTS figures. It held a 3.8 per cent share of the market. The only rivals that were less popular were the Renault Captur (939 units) and Nissan Juke (1256). Speaking about the decision, Ford Australia’s president and CEO Andrew Birkic said:
“Our focus is on vehicles and in segments where we can really meet the unique needs of Australian customers. We see particular opportunities in commercial vehicles – from Transit to E-Transit, Transit Custom to E-Transit Custom, alongside Ranger.”
The brand is going to continue to cater for performance car fans, with the next-gen Mustang including the Dark Horse set to arrive later this year. The Ranger Raptor will continue as well, along with the Mustang Mach-E.
Ford also announced last week that it is planning to introduce a new people-mover for Australia, called the Tourneo. It’ll boast things like a flexible track-based seating setup in the back so the cabin can be customisable, with power coming from a 125kW/390Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.
Two variants have been confirmed and are scheduled to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year. The entry Active will be priced from $65,990, while the flagship Titanium X starts from $70,990 (excluding on-roads).
So, what’s left in the small SUV space? While the petrol-powered Puma is departing, Ford Australia is planning to introduce the next-gen Puma Gen-E fully electric alternative in the not-too-distant future. Timing hasn’t been confirmed, and in fact the model is yet to be unveiled (it’ll be based on the facelifted 2024 Puma pictured above).
Ford says remaining stock of the ICE Puma is enough to fulfil current orders, with the last shipment set to arrive in the country in May.