Ford Puma vs Changan UNI-S

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Ford Puma Discontinued model
Ford Puma in South Africa

Ford Puma

1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line Automatic Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 459,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
VS
Changan UNI-S in South Africa

Changan UNI-S

1.5T AT CE Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 469,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 138 kW 🔧 300 Nm ⛽ 14.49 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Ford Puma vs Changan UNI-S: the short answer

UNI-S has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Puma remains close.

Recorded price context Puma: last listed from ZAR 389,900 · UNI-S: current from ZAR 389,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Puma UNI-S
Maximum Power Puma92 kW @ 6000 rpm UNI-S138 kW
Maximum Torque Puma170 Nm UNI-S300 Nm
Engine Size Puma999 cc UNI-S1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Puma16.4 km/l UNI-S14.49 km/l
Ground Clearance Puma170 mm UNI-SNot Officially Disclosed

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Puma

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

UNI-S

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Puma

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

UNI-S

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Puma UNI-S
Model Introduced Year 2023 2026
Generation First generation Puma in South Africa First current South African UNI-S retail generation, offered in CS, CL and CE grades.
Facelift History New model introduced in South Africa No South African facelift has been announced since the UNI-S entered local retail sale in 2026.
Facelift Launched Since 2021 Not Applicable
Facelift Version Ending 2024 Not Applicable
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2021 2026
Production Status discontinued active
Segment SUV Compact SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1325 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger car
Spec Puma UNI-S
Length 4186 mm 4539 mm
Width 1805 mm 1865 mm
Height 1531 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2594 mm 2656 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 170 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm 167 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 42 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 456 l 475 l
Kerb Weight 1325 kg 1505 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1775 kg 1825 kg
Payload Capacity 450 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 1200 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m 5.66 m
Front Headroom 981 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 947 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1047 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 898 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This Puma and UNI-S comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Puma 40 vs UNI-S 59.

Efficiency index: Puma 64 vs UNI-S 55.

Safety-equipment index: Puma 98 vs UNI-S 92.

Practicality index: Puma 59 vs UNI-S 68.

Ownership-cover index: Puma 43 vs UNI-S not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

UNI-S leads by 8 points

UNI-S has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Puma remains close.

Evidence leader 69 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 67% source coverage
69
#1 Evidence leader

UNI-S

67% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 55
Performance 59
Efficiency 55
Safety 92
Practicality 68
Leads by 8 points
61
#2

Puma

91% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 64
Safety 98
Practicality 59
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance UNI-S +19 Efficiency Puma +9 Safety Puma +6 Practicality UNI-S +9

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

UNI-S

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 55/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 68/100

Puma

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 64/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 59/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Changan UNI-S leads the specification evidence index with 69 pts vs 61 pts for Puma

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, UNI-S leads. However, Puma may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Puma vs UNI-S questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.