By Robin Meyers
041Online is launching our new online motoring review series, kicking things off in collaboration with Eastern Cape Motors.
First, an introduction
Let me introduce myself. I am Robin Meyers, the son of a master mechanic, a former driver in the SANDF and a massive car enthusiast.
My first experience of “driving” a car was as a young boy, sitting on my father’s lap on the way to East London. He was, obviously, actually in control of his brown Ford Escort with a blue driver’s side door.
That is when the motoring bug first got hold of me and it hasn’t let me go since.
Meet the Ford Territory
Recently, I had the opportunity to review and test drive a full-sized family SUV, the Ford Territory Titanium 1.8L EcoBoost, kindly provided to us by Eastern Cape Motors.
The Territory is powered by a 1.8-litre petrol engine producing 138kW at 5,200rpm and 318Nm of torque between 170-3000 rpm, paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
It sits on 19-inch alloy wheels and comes with passive entry and push-button start.
It also has key fob remote start. Not so new, perhaps, but new to me.
You can choose between Normal, Eco, Sport and Trail drive modes, depending on where you’re going and, I suppose, how adventurous you’re feeling.
There’s a lot of tech
The Territory comes with a rather long list of driver assistance and safety features.
These include BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Centering Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, pedestrian detection and Door Open Alert.
You also get ABS, Electronic Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Control and Hill Launch Assist.
One feature I particularly liked was the 360-degree camera, with both 3D and 2D functionality. In a full-sized SUV, being able to see exactly what is happening around you is certainly useful.
Inside the Territory
At just under 1.9m, I’m not exactly a small guy, but I found the Territory to be very roomy.
There was loads of head and leg room in the driver’s seat and, importantly for a family SUV, I found there was still plenty of room when I climbed into the back seat.
So, if I can comfortably fit back there, most passengers should be just fine.
Inside, there are eight speakers and an infotainment system with voice recognition, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth.
In front of the driver is a 12.3-inch digital cluster, while the centre of the dashboard gets a 12-inch touchscreen.
There is also multicolour ambient lighting, wireless charging and Type-C and Type-A USB ports.
The Territory has Adaptive Cruise Control and power-adjustable front seats, which are both heated and cooled. You also get heated exterior mirrors with puddle lamps and dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control.
Oh, and there is a panoramic sunroof with a slide-out curtain.
But how does it actually drive?
We found the drive comfortable and smooth.
The seats were comfortable and the infotainment system was direct and responsive, with no noticeable lag.
Considering the size of the Territory, I was expecting quite a bit of body roll, but I felt very little.
For those who don’t spend their spare time talking about cars, body roll is that leaning sensation you sometimes feel when a taller vehicle goes around a corner. It can make an SUV feel a little less planted on the road.
The Territory remained surprisingly composed.
At higher speeds, with the highway speed limit being 120km/h, of course, the vehicle felt planted and I felt in control at all times.
The controls are conveniently positioned on the centre console and steering wheel. I also liked the manual volume control on the centre console.
Sometimes a physical button is just better.
Overall, the Territory was easy to drive, particularly considering its size.
About those brakes…
The only scary thing I feel I have to mention was the braking power.
On my initial drive, I depressed the brake pedal and almost launched myself through the windscreen.
Slight exaggeration, perhaps, but the brakes are sensitive.
Once I got used to them, however, I found the braking very responsive and quickly adjusted to the amount of pressure needed.
All in all, I really enjoyed driving the Ford Territory.
Space, pricing and warranty
Being a family SUV, practicality matters.
The Territory offers 448 litres of luggage capacity and has a maximum towing capacity of 1,310kg.
At the time of our review, pricing for the Ford Territory Trend 1.8 EcoBoost started at around R580,900, while the Titanium 1.8L EcoBoost we drove was priced at around R643,900.
The vehicle comes with four-year roadside assistance, a five-year corrosion warranty and a four-year/120,000km warranty.
Eastern Cape Motors currently also offers a 10-year or one-million-kilometre warranty, exclusive to ECM.
The verdict
The Ford Territory is a full-sized family SUV, and you are certainly aware that you’re driving something substantial, but it doesn’t feel cumbersome.
It is comfortable, roomy, packed with technology and surprisingly composed on the road.
There are plenty of features to keep the tech-minded driver entertained, enough head and leg room for someone just under 1.9m to comfortably sit in the back, and, once you’ve learnt not to introduce yourself quite so enthusiastically to the brake pedal, it’s an easy vehicle to drive.
I would like to thank Dale Cuthbert and his team at Eastern Cape Motors North End for the opportunity to drive one of their flagship models.
My motoring bug started as a young boy in a brown Ford Escort with a blue driver’s door.
A few years later, this wasn’t a bad Ford to find myself in either.
Leave a Reply