Ford Territory review: A new contender in the SA SUV market

The bygone era of Ford legacy vehicles in South Africa such as the Figo and Fiesta has created desirability for consumers looking for value for money from the Blue Oval. And although the Ford Puma landed on local shores last year, its pricing left some still wanting what its predecessors offered in the past. To get up to speed with affordability in the passenger market once again, Ford South Africa recently brought the new Territory to Mzansi.

To the unfamiliar, the nameplate will conjure up the older model and would be under the impression of something different when thinking of the Ford Territory.

This new model is built in China and can be seen as a replacement for the infamous Kuga. Therefore, its size puts it up against some tough competition in its segment, both from Chinese SUVs that are taking over and from other players such as the Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen Tiguan, and Toyota Rav 4.

The Territory comes in three derivatives, including Ambiente, Trend, and Titanium. On test was the Titanium model.

In the flesh, the Ford Territory is a handsome car and could easily be mistaken for a Chinese SUV from afar. It's a Ford vehicle that almost doesn't seem like a Ford from a design perspective, and we had a few strangers query what car brand is it before seeing the Blue Oval badge. Our test model was in black and it complimented the gloomy skies of Cape Town nicely.

The mesh of the front grill has a beautiful overlap design that is flanked by two fog lamps on the lower section of the front bumper and by two LED headlights on the upper section of the same area. The back of the Territory has a floating rear-pillar that creates a streamlined look.

The inside of the Territory is spacious, particularly in the rear section. It seated a family of five comfortably with plenty of leg room for rear passengers. The headroom all around was sufficient. The materials and build on the inside are of adequate build quality. Our test model featured a two-tone Peacock Blue interior with Domino full leather trim.

Drive performance

The Territory doesn't feel as well planted on the road, which is expected as power is sent to the front wheels. One can feel its lack of sturdiness in wetter conditions at faster speeds. However, it does have enough punch with it to not fall flat in the power department.

The Territory across its range is powered by a 1.8l four-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine that delivers 138kW of power matched to 318Nm of torque. This is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). In the lower gears, one can feel the DCT transmission work wonders to enable quick responsiveness to inputs from the driver's foot. The Titanium comes with selectable drive modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, and Mountain.

The steering feels almost too loose and not firm enough for very accurate handling. It is, however, light enough for a comfortable drive.

When it comes to fuel consumption, the Territory averaged between 7 and 8l per 100km with conscious driving in urban areas. In traffic, while doing school runs it slurped a bit more and only averaged lower when cruising on a freeway.

Features

The Titanium model has 19-inch alloy wheels, puddle lamps, a rearview camera, a panoramic moon roof, rain-sensing wipers, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless charging with four USB ports, Bluetooth, an electronic parking brake, dual air-conditioning, and a 12-inch LCD cluster.

When it comes to safety, it is equipped with ABS braking, electronic brake assist, electronic stability control, hill launch assist, a total of six airbags are provided, comprising dual front side, and curtain airbags. Vehicle security is taken care of with the smart key Passive Entry and Passive Start.

Price

Territory Titanium 1.8L EcoBoost 7AT - R707,000 without a service plan, and R721,000 with an optional service plan.

Included as standard is Ford Protect comprising a four-year/120 000km warranty, four-year/unlimited distance Roadside Assistance and five-year/unlimited distance corrosion warranty. The recommended service interval is 15,000 km or annually, whichever occurs first. In addition, over-the-counter parts (OTC) and service parts warranty (SPW) are covered for two-year/unlimited distances.

Customers have the option of purchasing an extended Ford Protect Service or Maintenance plan upgrade. The warranty can be extended up to seven years or 200,000 km, while the Roadside Assistance can be extended for an additional one or two years.