By Otsile Kadiege

Last year, Ford South Africa celebrated its 100 years in Mzansi and during the event the ‘Blue Oval’ announced a couple of new vehicles to look forward to in 2024. One of them is the all-new Territory which is a five-seater SUV with commanding presence, smart technology, a turbocharged EcoBoost engine and available in three derivatives – Ambiente, Trend and Titanium.

‘Progressive energy in strength’ design language

The new Territory features Ford’s ‘Progressive Energy in Strength’ design philosophy, which is based on the rich heritage of the brand and its iconic designs. It embodies three fundamental design principles: commanding, agile, and responsive. Highlights include a large grille with slim LED daytime running lights and LED headlights on the lower portion of the front bumper.

From the side, the new Territory boasts a sculpted body with sharp creases. It’s shod with 18-inch alloy wheels as standard while higher-spec derivatives get larger 19-inch wheels. The rear sports 3D taillights and ‘TERRITORY’ lettering on the center of the tailgate.

Ford will offer seven exterior colour choices, namely Star White Tri-coat (solid), Panther Black Metallic, True Blue Metallic, Ruby Red Metallic, Lustrous Grey, Moonlight Blue Metallic, and Crystal Pearl White Metallic Tri-coat.

Interior design and tech

At the centre of the new Territory is a panoramic display that integrates a 12.3-inch high-definition digital instrument cluster on the Titanium model, or a seven-inch TFT cluster with primary analogue gauges on the Ambiente and Trend. Across all models a 12.3-inch landscape orientated infotainment touchscreen is nestled into the instrument panel which can be operated by the user’s finger or a rotary controller on the centre console.

Other highlights include soft-touch materials, a twin-panel Panoramic Moonroof for the Titanium derivative, 20 different storage spaces, wireless phone charging on the Trend and Titanium models, 448 litres of luggage capacity which can be expanded to 1 422 litres by folding the 60/40 split rear seats.

The Ambiente is equipped with dark Domino fabric trim for the supremely comfortable seats, while the Trend features high-quality Domino vinyl trim. The Titanium stands out with two-tone Peacock Blue and Domino full leather trim that reinforces sophistication and upmarket appeal.

Safety and assistance systems

On the safety front, all Territory models are equipped with Electronic Stability Control with Traction Control, Emergency Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Hill Launch Assist, Hill Descent Control and Ford’s Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). A total of six airbags are provided, comprising dual front side, and curtain airbags.

The Titanium is equipped with Ford’s comprehensive advanced driver assistance package which includes the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Warning with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Change Assist. Additionally, there is a Traffic Jam Assistant, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Performance

The all-new Territory is powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine that delivers 138kW and 318Nm. It’s paired with a 7-speed DCT gearbox and sends its power to the front wheels. There are four selectable drive modes, namely Normal, Eco, Sport, or Mountain to optimize power, torque, and fuel efficiency according to the driving conditions. This is complemented by handy driver assist technologies such as Hill Launch Assist and Hill Descent Control.

Pricing

The indicative pricing for the Territory will start from R610,000 including VAT. The new Ford Territory will launch during the second quarter of 2024.