The new Ford Territory has finally arrived in South Africa, marking the carmaker’s return to the family SUV segment with an impressive new entry that has a lot going for it, from its looks to its engine, features, and compelling price tag.
The Blue Oval recently held a launch event for the Territory along the country’s beautiful Garden Route, where we were given a taste of what it’s like to drive the SUV in a typical family holiday setting.
Reclaiming Territory
Ford South Africa CEO Neale Hill described the new Territory as the company’s most important launch of the year, and it’s not hard to see why.
Within the last 12 months, the carmaker has expanded the line-ups of its highly-popular Ranger and Everest series and launched the new Puma – a small, premium crossover that goes for a minimum of R570,400.
The Territory is here to fill the gap between the Puma and the seven-seater Adventure SUV Everest, becoming Ford’s answer to the increasingly-popular midsize SUV market.
By Ford’s own estimation, there are 34 different models in the segment that the Territory is competing against, but the newcomer has more than a few things working in its favour, starting with its design.
Walking out of the airport in Gqeberha, we were greeted with the sight of several new vehicles all ready to go, showcasing the majority of the colours available to customers, from Moonlight Blue to Panther Black.
Compared to other models in its price range, the Ford’s look is fairly down to earth, but it still manages to catch your eye with a large chrome grille, slim LED headlights and daytime running lights, and alloy rims ranging from 18 to 19 inches in size.
Even better is the interior, which changes depending on the trim level but broadly entails the same features and aesthetic elements.
The launch units consisted of the mid-range Trend and top-spec Titanium, and we spent the first day in the latter before switching to the former for the journey home.
The Titanium definitely gives the best first impression, as you’ll be treated to a two-tone black-and-blue interior with perforated leather seats, and wood-effect detailing on the sides of the doors and along the dashboard.
The dash itself is dominated by a dual-screen setup consisting of two 12.3-inch displays for the driver and infotainment, and other functions can be accessed using either the multifunction steering wheel or the physical controls located in the large centre console.
Space is one of the defining attributes of the Territory, as it is one of the largest vehicles in its class, a fact that is evident from the moment you sit down.
I’m admittedly not the tallest person, but I had what felt like two feet’s worth of headroom, and the driver’s seat feels spacious even with the rather large steering wheel placed right in front, while the passenger side can feel downright cavernous when you move the chair further back.
It’s a similar story in the back where three adults can comfortably sit without feeling cramped, and the boot can be expanded from 448 to 1,422 litres if you fold the rear bench down.
Storage pockets are also excellent, as the centre console houses a large bin, a lower shelf, and a wireless charging pad, while the door bins could easily take several water bottles.
Further helping the sense of roominess on the Titanium is a large sunroof that can be opened up to allow for more fresh air and natural light, or blocked out with a cover if need be.
Our journey took us west from Gqeberha along the Garden Route to Knysna, stopping at various locales along the way to simulate the experience of a summer holiday that a car like this is sure to undertake.
All three units in the Territory family utilize the same 1.8-litre, turbocharged petrol engine with 138kW and 318Nm, which is above average for the segment, especially when you consider that the base Ambiente features the same drive unit as the top-spec Titanium, whereas you’ll need to pay extra to get a more powerful motor on many of its competitors.
For a family SUV, it has plenty of grunt off the line and you have the now-expected Sport mode that makes small adjustments to the throttle response, but you’d be better served by the Puma if sportiness is what you’re after.
Eco mode makes much more sense as a day-to-day selection, and the Ecoboost engine features a Stop/Start function which was a perfect addition for the Stop & Go roadworks we encountered on our journey.
That being said, the real star of the show is the seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission which provides incredibly smooth shifts that are almost imperceptible when driving normally.
There is also a Mountain driving mode, but a Ford representative explained that this is essentially for surfaces like gravel and dirt paths, and that the Territory is not meant to be a serious off-roader since we already have the Everest.
Travelling on the N2 gave the Titanium’s adaptive cruise control a chance to shine, which is easy to set up with a single button on the steering wheel that you press to enable and then nudge up and down to set and adjust the speed.
Other aspects of the user experience are a little more mixed, as the touchscreen does have a handful of physical buttons, just not where you’d expect them.
There are shortcut buttons for the climate controls in the lower dash that allow you to adjust things like the fan speed, but pressing any of these brings up the full-screen page for the climate controls anyway which seems redundant.
The Home button for the touchscreen, which you need to exit Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and access the car’s settings, is located next to an audio dial on the centre console, which takes a bit of getting used to.
Switching driving modes is also a bit awkward, as you have to bring up the Home menu and then swipe across a small line on the side of the screen similar to a drop-down menu on a smartphone.
Final thoughts
The Ford Territory is shaping up to be the best product the Blue Oval has brought to South Africa since the next-gen Ranger first went on sale in late 2022.
The expansion of the Ranger and Everest roster is certainly welcome, and the Raptor is in a league of its own, but the more affordable end of the market has been underserved since the Fiesta and EcoSport were discontinued, and the Puma’s high starting price makes it a niche offering in the carmaker’s catalogue.
The Territory is therefore meant to recapture the passenger vehicle market as a vitally important volume-seller for the brand, and first impressions say it has what it takes to become a major player in the segment.
Its R576,000 starting price (R590,000 with the optional service plan), makes it one of the most affordable midsize SUVs in South Africa, and yet it is also one of the best-equipped models with a powerful engine, an incredibly spacious interior, and a decent spec sheet regardless of the trim level.
If you thought the Blue Oval was becoming a one-trick pony with all the Ranger-based products hitting the showrooms, the Territory is here to assure you that the brand is still fully committed to the family car market.
Ford Territory
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