Ford Territory TX 2004 review

Ford's all-singing, all-wheel-drive Territory could be the ultimate Australian touring machine. Due for Australian showrooms in June, the Ford Territory is a $500 million machine based on the successful BA range of Falcons, sharing the Falcon's four-litre engine, automatic transmission and rear suspension.

But the new wagon takes the Australian car that much further, offering space for seven seats, extra ground clearance and the choice of all-wheel or rear-wheel drive, all wrapped up in a clever package of comfort and convenience.

Former Ford Australia president Geoff Polites, godfather to the four-year Territory program, says the wagon will redefine the local automotive market.

Ford vehicle director Russell Christophers says the idea began by recognising local customer needs, then setting out to deliver the ultimate lifestyle package.

It was designed to "adapt endlessly to the ever-changing needs of Australian motorists".

Sedan owners love a car's performance and handling but want more lifestyle adaptability; SUV owners love command driving position but don't like truck-like handling; and people movers offer great practicality but no one wants to be the bus driver.

Christophers said Ford created a triangle with a family sedan at the apex, a people mover on one corner and a traditional SUV in the other.

"In the middle lay an area for a hybrid vehicle that could offer the best of all those vehicles, a sweet spot waiting to be hit," Christophers said. "Territory does more than hit that sweet spot. It smacks it out of the stadium."

There will be three Territory trim levels, TX, TS and Ghia, all available in all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive.

The Territory range arrives with a $38,990 starting price for the entry-level TX with rear-wheel drive. (Other prices had not been announced at the time of writing.)

Standard across TX versions is traction control, ABS, front airbags, airconditioning, CD player, electric windows, power seats and power-adjustable pedals.

Ghia equipment includes leather seat trim, cruise control, six-stack CD player, side curtain airbags and a reverse sensing system. A TS version, available later this year, slots between the TX and Ghia.

The Ford Territory's clean and handsome body sits on 17-inch rims, the base model with steel wheels, higher-grade wagons with alloys.

Designers wanted a strong-looking, SUV-style machine within more compact dimensions. The two-tonne Territory, sits on a 2842mm wheelbase with a 4.8m long, five-door body and shortish overhangs front and rear.

Design director Simon Butterworth believes the wagon, with 178mm of ground clearance, is like a runner on the starting blocks.

"There's strength and a latent, muscular feel about a runner," Butterworth says.

"We wanted to incorporate some of that latent potential into the side view."

The Territory's interior was inspired by Swiss army knives and sports shoes – the usefulness of the knife and the mix of colours and materials found in sports shoes.

So the Territory has easy access to the three rows of seats (each row a touch higher than the one in front), 30 separate storage compartments, three power outlets and space for an optional travel fridge.

In an Australian first, power adjustable pedals will be standard across the range. The tailgate features a separate glass window and passenger doors open wide.

Typical of attention to detail is the optional third row of seats. These fold away flat with ease, as does the second row (without removing head rests) for a flat cargo area. There also is the option of a sliding second row of seats.

Cabin colours, including a new line called Eucalyptus, and trims are combined with simple and uncomplicated shapes.

Up front, the Territory uses the 182kW, six-cylinder engine heavily reworked for the BA series.

It produces 380Nm of torque at 3250rpm and drives through Ford's four-speed, sequential-style, automatic transmission.

The all-wheel-drive Ford wagons boast a sophisticated stability control system; rear-drive wagons have traction control.

Ford's all-drive system – with three open differentials and a 38:62 torque split front to rear – has been tuned by Bosch for local roads and drivers.

This full-time system is backed by Dynamic Stability Control and an optional Hill Descent Control – which can set downhill speeds, from 4km/h to 25km/h, through the cruise control.

AWD Territorys use a single-speed, full-time transfer case with bias to the rear drive.

Ford's DSC, with a host of speed sand motion sensors, uses ABS brakes and traction control to maintain vehicle stability.

The DSC works on braking spinning wheels to ensure traction and countering oversteer or understeer with specific braking intervention.

Ford's product development vice-president Trevor Worthington calls it a new chapter for Ford Australia's engineering and the Territory the most researched vehicle in the company's history.

The Territory's AWD system incorporated features found only on premium, imported machines but still met with Ford's traditional robustness and durability virtues without dramatically increasing cost of ownership.

The all-new front suspension – with a pair of equal drive shafts on AWD models – is a four-link design with forward-mounted steering rack and an 11.4m turning circle.

Engineers claim the suspension delivers car-like handling attributes and agility.

Rear suspension is a rework of the independent system found on the BA Falcons.

Accessories to personalise wagon

There are 66 factory accessories for the Ford wagons; 60 of those designed and developed exclusively for the Territory.

Add-ons range from a $20 CD wallet and a $40 mobile phone platform to a $495 reverse sensing system and a 405 litre roof luggage box for $1395.

The most expensive is a REX entertainment system at $3285.

A back seat, 15-litre fridge is $175 and a sump guard is $195 – both welcome news for Queenslanders who've reportedly forced Ford to offer a high-ride option as well.

A bike rack is $325, a cargo liner $160 and a painted rear spoiler is $395.

Ford's vehicle personalisation manager Jason Miller says his team was involved from the start of the $500 million project in 1999 and he reckons the accessory range will help buyers understand the depth of engineering across the Territory.

"We've developed products that clearly demonstrate we've thought long and hard about how the customer will use Territory, and how our accessories can enhance the overall driving experience," he said.

"Territory is designed to adapt endlessly to the customer's changing lifestyle and our accessory range will give owners the ability to explore any variety of outdoor pursuits."

These Territory owners are going to be pretty busy.

Miller suggests customers will be able to set up a Territory with roof-mounted ski-racks for the snowfields, the next weekend add the gear to explore off the beaten track and then convert the wagon for a picnic, taking along the kids' mountain bicycles.

Highlights

• Four years and $500 million to develop
• Available with all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive
• Three trim levels
• Five or seven-seater
• On sale in June, from $38,990
• Four-litre, six-cylinder engine with 182kW
• Four-speed automatic transmission
• Five doors, 4.8m long
• 178cm ground clearance
• 17-inch wheels
• Adjustable pedals
• Side curtain airbags (Ghia and TS)

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