Was the Ford Puma sold in the US?
The Ford Puma was not sold in the United States. The Puma nameplate has appeared on European-focused models, but Ford never offered either generation of the Puma in the U.S. market as of 2025.
Two generations of the Puma and their markets
Here is a quick look at the two main Puma models and where they were marketed.
- Original Ford Puma (1997–2002): A small, two-seat sport coupe based on the Fiesta platform; sold primarily in Europe and other international markets, never officially offered in the United States.
- Ford Puma (2019–present): A compact crossover/SUV introduced in 2019; marketed in Europe and other non-U.S. regions, but not released in the United States.
Both generations of the Puma have remained outside the U.S. market, with Ford choosing to position similar consumer demand in the United States around other models and names rather than importing the Puma itself.
Why the United States never received the Puma
Several market and regulatory considerations helped keep the Puma out of the U.S. showroom. Ford's US strategy has focused on different body styles and product families, while the Puma’s European-oriented design has been better suited to markets and regulatory environments outside the United States.
- Market alignment: The original Puma’s sporty two-seat format did not fit the preferences of a broad U.S. audience, which has historically favored larger and more practical crossovers and SUVs.
- Regulatory and certification costs: Importing a European model would require substantial U.S. safety and emissions approvals, which can be costly for a niche product.
- Brand and product strategy: Ford has emphasized other crossovers in the U.S. lineup (such as the EcoSport and Escape) rather than introducing a Puma-branded model.
- Competition and cost considerations: Introducing a Puma in the U.S. would involve balancing potential demand against cannibalization of existing Ford SUVs and the cost of marketing a distinct nameplate.
As of 2025, Ford has not announced plans to bring the Puma to the United States, and the model remains a Europe-focused offering in its various generations.
Summary
The Ford Puma has never been sold in the United States for either the original European sport coupe or the later compact SUV. Both generations found markets in Europe and other regions, while the U.S. market has continued to rely on other Ford crossovers and SUVs. Ford’s current stance shows no official U.S. introduction for the Puma, maintaining its status as a Europe-oriented model line.
Can you import a Ford Puma to the US?
Original Ford Puma Can Now Be Imported Into The U.S. In the U.S., a vehicle that is at least 25 years old can be lawfully imported into the U.S. without having to comply with all applicable DOT Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
Why is the Ford Puma not in the US?
NCAP found that the Puma had "marginal" performance in protecting the chest of the driver in a frontal-offset collision, the chest of a rear-seat adult passenger in a full-width rigid barrier collision, and in protecting those seated in the front from whiplash injuries in a rear-end collision, with "poor" performance ...
Why did Ford discontinue the Puma?
Ford Australia has announced that it will discontinue the current Ford Puma small SUV by mid-2024, claiming that it will “make way for growth opportunities” in the performance, commercial and EV segments.
What is Ford Puma in the US?
Safety is also a top priority. The Puma includes Ford Co-Pilot 360 a suite of driver assist features like automatic emergency braking lane keeping assist blind spot monitoring. And adaptive cruise.
