I'm a disappointed owner of a Puma Titanium 125HP and an amazed renter of a Puma ST Line X 155HP and I'd like to share the feedback with you.
Comparison:
- Titanium 125HP automatic basic equipment
- ST Line X 155HP manual full equipment
Engine/driving
If you like to drive... The 155HP manual version with 18" rims will make you smile like a child with candies. It will make you wonder why you go to work instead of taking the day off to go to cut some corners.
The 155HP have an amazing push and brilliant sound. The handling is impressive for a SUV, but it is not at par for this engine, despite the 18" rims help with that.
It's so much fun to drive in hilly terrain between 2nd and 3rd gear...
I stop here, because I can keep going on and on, on how exciting it is to drive this version.
The 125HP automatic version with 17" rims is on the contrary dull, boring and it simply gets you from A to B. The engine is powerful enough, but the automatic gearbox without levers is very disappointing for the driving pleasure. Don't misunderstand, it works very well and the double clutch is brilliant, fast and smooth, but not having levers should be a criminal act against car enthusiasts.
The 125HP engine is good, but for a few more bucks, the 155HP is a no brainer for me. The automatic gearbox without levers is a no way, but with levers could be a very good investment.
Equipment/entertainment
The basic version is disappointing to say the least for this car. It works, and again, it takes you from A to B with some modern gadgets such as electric mirrors and led lights all over, but come one! It's 2024 and it's not a Dacia. It's a Puma! I expected more, but maybe I should manage my expectations. Regardless, the extra bucks for the ST Line are a no brainer and the ST Line X with some extras is worth considering seriously.
The ST Line X full equipped is marvelous! You have everything you'd ever want. The full screen on the dash is a nice to have, the start stop button a fancy gadget, but the driving assistant 2 that adapts the cruise control speed according to the traffic is worth every single penny. I'm in fact considering to sell my 2 month old Puma to buy another one just to have this feature.
The clima, the blind spot indicator, the heated steering wheel, the wireless phone charger, the B&O sound system and other extras are very nice to have and make the full equipped version feel a premium car, as the Puma should feel in my view.
The bottom line is that the basic version is ok and good value for the money I'd say, but 155HP full equipped version is in another level, it's another car in fact. The bare 10÷ price difference is negligible for the fun and pleasure it offers to the driver, but maybe the speeding fines need to be taken into consideration as well, lol.
Cheers!
