Ford Territory TX TDCi Review

If you have ever doubted the Australian automotive industry’s ability, you only have to check out any Ford Territory, even a 2004 example with more than 250,000 km on its odometer. Ford Australia took the upmarket BMW X5 as its starting point for the Falcon-based Territory. Drive the latest version back to back with an X5 and you’ll think hard about whether the BMW is really worth close to0 $30K more – and that’s comparing the entry level X5 with the dearest of the extensive Territory range.

Excellent as the original Territory was, Ford Australia’s marketing people and especially Ford dealers soon identified a significant issue. SUV buyers love diesel engines and the Territory did not have one. Since its May 2004 debut there have been steady upgrades but the turbodiesel too seven long years to find its way under the bonnet. It’s a new bonnet, too, the Territory having received a significant facelift in May 2011.

Exterior and Interior Design

The Territory looks very different from the front. Where the earlier models have been understated, this latest model loudly declares its presence with current Ford themes of upper and lower grille and highly styled projector headlights. This required a new bonnet. The days have long gone when buyers would update just to get the latest styling, but those who are ready for a second (third, fourth, etc) Territory will doubtless appreciate the fact that no-one will be in doubt they have bought the current version.

It’s less boxy looking from the rear as well, thanks mainly to the different tail lights.

There’s also a fresh, somewhat lighter approach to the interior design and the SZ Territory range follows themes set by the current Ford Falcon. Not that there was much wrong with the earlier cabins. Ergonomics have always been a Territory strength but numerous improvements are evident. One example is the steering wheel controls which are even simpler to operate. Less welcome is the revised cruise control which can catch the unwary: hold the + button in for a few seconds and when you release it the car will continue to accelerate to the speed you unwittingly determined; it’s the German style, ideally suited to the autobahn where drivers wish the car to take itself from about 80 to 160 km/h without requiring either a foot on the throttle or a finger on the cruise button.

Accommodation

As with all SUVs, the main question is: how many? From the start, many buyers have insisted on the third row of seating so that seven can be accommodated (although those in the rearmost perch had better be not too tall). Choose this configuration and you will sacrifice a lot of luggage space. And the extra seat, frankly, is far from comfortable and is much better suited to quite young children. It also offers difficult ingress and egress.

The five-seater, by contrast, allows abundant room for luggage. A nifty mechanism quickly transforms the Territory into a truly spacious getaway vehicle with significantly more carrying capacity than most rivals.

Ford Australia’s designers went to impressive lengths to cram the Territory with creative storage solutions. Among these are the underfloor storage area for wet gear, generous and expandable bottle holders, and under seat sliding drawers. There is no question that the Territory trumps any German or Japanese rivals in the ease with which it accepts a family and a great assortment of personal items. Ford Australia says the Territory has 30 storage spaces.

High quality cloth upholstery trims well shaped seats for the front five occupants. The rear seat, trimmed of course in the same material, is a basic bench with a very upright squab.

All models are well equipped but the mid-range TX seems to offer more than you would expect for less than $50K as an all-wheel drive, five-seater. The usual raft of electronic acronyms are present and the stability control incorporates Rollover Mitigation. You also get a reversing camera. There are front fog lights. Dual-zone climate control, a trip computer and Bluetooth® with voice control are welcome. Unlike the base model TS it has a leather-trimmed wheel and gearshift knob.

The test car represents what many buyers will want – TX specification, rear-wheel drive (saving $5K), seven-seater capacity.

TX buyers get 18-inch alloys and a real steel spare wheel.

Especially impressive are the extraordinary levels of refinement Ford Australia’s engineers have achieved. The old Territory was good but the latest model is noticeably quieter.

Performance and Economy

It has taken Ford Australia too long to introduce a turbodiesel engine and this one is now just a bit old-fashioned, having been around for a long time now. The 2.7-litre V6 was shared by several marques and was replaced by a much improved 3.0-litre unit in various Peugeots and Citroëns as long ago as 2005. The Jaguar XF used the 3.0-litre unit from launch in 2007.

Ford Australia’s version delivers just 140 kW. By comparison the XF Jaguar offers 202 kW. The Territory has an adequate 440 Nm but the Jaguar boasts 600. The point is that, welcome as it, the Territory’s turbodiesel engine does a good rather than brilliant job of hauling a vehicle that weighs more than two tonnes before the occupants climb in.

If it is a high performance Territory you want, you’ll have to settle for the 4.0-litre petrol engine and there is no longer a turbocharged version of this engine available, as on the previous model. But at least the peak torque comes into play at a modest 1900 rpm so it does pull quite well.

All Territorys now have a six-speed automatic transmission.

On test the TCDi Territory averaged barely more than eight litres per 100 km in about 80 per cent rural driving.<

Ride and Handling

The Territory has been a leader in dynamics from day one. The biggest change to the latest model is the use of electric power steering. Some would like a bit more weight at the rim but the steering is as quick and accurate as before. The ride is comfortable on all roads but, remember, the ground clearance is quite low at 175 mm so don’t venture far offroad.

The TCDi variants can tow loads of up to 2700 kg.

Rivals

Ford’s Territory has never really had a direct rival. It is bigger and much heavier than the Holden Captiva. Despite being based on a Falcon, the Territory offers more of an SUV experience than Subaru’s Liberty-based Outback. Think of it as a bargain basement BMW X5 and you have the clearest picture.