Ford Territory Ghia AWD

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $57,490
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): satellite navigation ($2295)
Crash rating: four-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 12.9
CO2 emissions (g/km): 307
Also consider: Holden Captiva Maxx, Mazda CX-9 Luxury, Toyota Kluger

About our ratings

George Clooney: cynical shark who sees the light in 'Michael Clayton', narcissistic clown in 'Intolerable Cruelty'... is there anything this bloke can't do?  Apart from Batman, that is... Likewise, is there anything the Ford Territory can't do? Other than go offroad, that is...

It's suave, capable in different roles -- and can be a bit of a bad boy at times. Dare we say too that it's attractive to women?

We're not sure about George, but the Territory has been recently facelifted. Ford has timed the cosmetic upgrade to coincide with a specification upgrade as well. The third-row seat in the rear is now standard in the Territory Ghia on test, as are the Alpine DVD rear-seat entertainment system and the alloy side steps.

Kids love the entertainment system, although a previous user had left the wireless headphones powered up, draining the batteries by the time we tried to use it. Furthermore, with the screen down, the driver's field of vision to the rear is compromised. That's a bit of a shame when the Territory's all-round view is pretty good by the standards of many cars, let alone SUVs.

The inline six that powers the Territory is a throaty, muscular powerhouse of an engine that provides excellent torque from virtually idle, but continues to pull strongly right up to the redline. No V6 SUV can compare with the Territory for its exhaust note. The engine is coupled to the excellent ZF six-speed automatic transmission, which shifts rapidly and utterly without fuss. It's adaptive to different driving styles and provides engine braking at times (on descents) when lesser transmissions wouldn't.

That engine braking into a corner can translate into lift-off oversteer, but it's very measured and only occurs under higher cornering loads. For the Territory's turn-in Ford has struck a moderate level of response, with neither especially fast nor slow response (it's an SUV of course, so in that context the steering response is actually quite quick). It's progressive and settles into a consistent arc through a corner, much like the FG Falcon does.

With its wide track, relatively long wheelbase and minimal overhangs, the Territory offers the roadholding and handling of a cat on carpet.

Ride comfort at a secondary level is very good and body control likewise, but some may feel the ride is too firm over larger irregularities. All the same, a large dip in the road was swallowed up by the SUV's suspension without undue discomfort. The particular dip was potentially some sort of basis for a liability claim against a municipal body, but the Territory handled it with consummate ease.

The Bridgestone Fortera tyres can be noisy at times, but they work very well in all the usual on-road situations. Other than the tyres, the Territory is very quiet when cruising and what drivetrain noises it makes are pleasant to the ear.

So the Territory is quiet and refined. Are those qualities matched by comfort and accommodation?

The seats in the Territory are very comfortable. This writer reckons that they're better than we recall for the seats in the FG Falcon. They're more supportive and perform admirably holding the occupant in place -- plus they're shaped very well for different physiques.

The Territory Ghia comes with adjustable foot pedals, which in the lowest setting are well positioned for those with longer legs, but drivers who have shorter limbs are well catered for through this facility. And further to those, the Territory doesn't need a step ladder to gain ingress -- although the reviewer's mother-in-law found it just a bit of a climb.

We love the seat-return memory for the second-row seating; it would be just about the best in the business. And leaving the car from the third row is much easier than almost any similar vehicle in our experience. There's little head-ducking and knee-twisting required to leave the vehicle.

Deployment of the third-row seating is not as irritatingly convoluted as some peoplemovers'. Relatively intuitive to use, the procedure to raise the seats cannot, however, be carried out from the rear of the car. You have to pull the seat base forward from one of the side doors, before unlatching the backrest and pushing it back into position.

To lower the third-row seating is the reverse and is best undertaken from the luggage compartment. Flip up the rear section of the load floor, unlock the two red tabs for the seat base and draw it back. Then, unlatch the backrest and tip it forward. It's easy enough once you know how, but could be just a little more logical perhaps.

How's the seating there? Pretty good overall. Both the second and third rows offer decent, if unexceptional kneeroom, but the second row will slide fore and aft, so you can set up the 60/40 sections independently of each other to allow the right amount of legroom for most every passenger in the car.

Headroom in the third row is marginal-but-bearable for average-sized adults.

The Territory, by virtue of its underfloor drivetrain components, has a high floor and the third-row seat base is comparatively low to allow optimum headroom. Thus there remains adult-level kneeroom, as already mentioned, but no under-thigh support for long-legged occupants -- and similarly, no room to stretch out. In this respect, the Territory is no worse than any other midsized seven-seat SUV and quite a lot better than some.

When all seven seats are occupied, there's not much room left for luggage, but five-up there's an impressive amount of volume. That does bring us to the tailgate, which is a little heavy to raise, frankly -- just as well it comes with the excellent separately-opening window. For the money you're spending on the flagship Territory, a powered tailgate is something Ford might be well advised to consider.

And if we're on the subject of flies in the ointment, MP3-capable audio anyone? The Falcon has it, why not the Territory? How about electric adjustment for the steering column? Are we being too demanding of a car on the cusp of the Luxury Car Tax?

Here's a further point, which isn't intended as either criticism or praise, specifically. The remote control for the satellite navigation is something we reckon is not a bad thing, although some won't take to it as kindly. In our view, it frees up the centre fascia considerably, but remains perfectly easy to use. With all that in its favour -- and plainly a remote control device can be used from any point in the car -- why is it that you cannot set the destination while the vehicle is on the move? Sure, there's safety and all to consider, but if there's a passenger who can set the destination while the driver is operating the vehicle, shouldn't that be an option?

Other than that, the Territory sounds like it's a regular Oscar-winner, but we wonder whether George has a drinking problem? The Tezza certainly does. This tester will bet the farm that when Ford drops the 2.7-litre turbodiesel V6 into this vehicle in about 12 months -- spunky inline petrol six or not -- there'll be buyers queued around the block.

We love the Territory for its mix of whatever you need when you need it... and particularly the straightline performance. But 15.1L/100km over a mix of open and suburban roads? Hmmm...

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