The old razzle dazzle

It takes a certain something to stand out in the small SUV crowd, and these two shine in their own different ways. We find out which is the best used buy

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*Price today is based on a 2022 model with average mileage and full service history, correct at time of writing STANDING OUT CAN be a shortcut to success, and there’s no doubt that the Volkswagen Taigo’s coupé-like styling sets it apart from much of the small SUV crowd.

Launched in 2022, the Taigo is an eye-catching alternative to Volkswagen's T-Cross, which shares the same underpinnings – as does the slightly larger, pricier T-Roc. The Taigo’s USP - its style - was vital in helping it get noticed, because it was up against some seriously tough rivals.

And none is tougher than the Ford Puma - our Car of the Year in 2020 and Small SUV of the Year in 2021 and 2022. It remains a great car, and being one of the best small SUVs to drive is at the heart of its appeal. That’s not all it has going for it, though, and it deserves the huge sales success that it's enjoyed since going on sale five years ago.

Being so popular means there are lots of used examples to choose from, but is the Puma a better buy than the Taigo? We're pitting a Puma in our favoured ST-Line trim, with the entry-level 1.0-litre mild hybrid engine, against the Taigo in bottom-rung Life trim, with the cheapest engine it was offered with at launch. A three-year-old example of either car costs just over half the price of a brand new one, so let's find out where you should put your money.

DRIVING

The Taigo’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine produces 94bhp - an unremarkable figure for the small SUV class. The Puma’s engine is the same size and configuration, but it musters an extra 29bhp. The Puma also has a six-speed manual gearbox, whereas the Taigo has only five gears.