Ford Territory 2007 News

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

     

And it's nearly ready for the road, judging from these shots of a car undergoing testing in regional Victoria.  Alert Carsguide reader Dave Fairley spotted this test mule at a service station in Bright and was quick enough to snap a few frames before it could drive off. The car bra camouflage can't mask the new front and rear styling, complete with projector-style twin headlights.  "The guy driving it wasn't too upset by me taking photos, but he wouldn't confirm or deny what it was," Fairley says. The Territory had a minor makeover in February with the release of the SY Series II, but that was primarily a mechanical tweak to revise the suspension — and address owners' complaints about excessive ball-joint wear. This version promises a major overhaul, inside and out. Ford has already announced it will fit a Jaguar-sourced 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel.  The diesel engine's output should be comparable with the turbocharget petrol model, but fuel consumption should drop to around 8 litres for 100km, well down on the petrol's 11.6litres/100km. Ford's production communications manager Neil McDonald says the dealers are desperate to get the new model into showrooms.  "There's a lot of expectation about this car, especially with the diesel engine," he says. "It will keep typical Territory buyers happy and should open up a new market for us."  The Territory has been the backbone of local production for Ford after the Falcon suffered from the move away from large cars. It has recently been overtaken by the Captiva in the SUV sales race, but sales will surge when the new model goes on sale in March or April next year.

Ball joints are under the spotlight with a promise that suspect parts will be replaced, free of charge, if there is significant wear.  Ford Australia stresses that the new move is not a recall, or a pointer to a recall, but comes as it continues an engineering investigation into customer complaints about front-suspension failures.Every Territory built from early 2004 until the introduction of a revised model at the start of 2009, which has a different ball joint design, is covered. "If anyone has concerns they should take the car into a dealership for inspection and, if necessary, the ball joints will be replaced free-of-charge," says Ford spokesperson, Sinead McAlary."This is so we can manage the wear. Obviously, if a new part is fitted there will not be any wear for some time." The difference with the new deal is there is no cost.  "Previously, if the car was under warranty it was covered, and if it was out of warranty it was taken case-by-case with a contribution of 50 to 100 per cent."  Ford has been investigating ball joint troubles on the Territory for more than a year and following a major campaign by the Carsguide on behalf of worried owners.The company says there is no recall but it is continuing its work on the problem.  It has been monitoring the Territory parts for some time on cars coming to dealerships for routine service work."This is not a recall. What we’re doing is making a lot of progress on our studies," says McAlary."We are getting to the root cause and looking for the long-term solution."But Ford now admits there is a significant problem.  "Ford is aware that some customers have experienced wear-and-tear issues with the ball joints on their Territory. The majority of instances of excessive wear on the ball joint have been discovered and rectified by Ford dealers during routine servicing," McAlary says."However, as a result of significant wear on the ball joint, a small number of customers have experienced ball joint separation while undertaking low-speed, high-steering-effort manoeuvres. This will only take place if the ball joint in question has worn to a significant degree."McAlary says a long-term solution is close and Ford is committed to doing the right thing by Territory owners.  "We take the safety and ongoing peace-of-mind of our customers very seriously and are undertaking a detailed engineering investigation to determine any potential root cause to the issue that has been reported."We have an engineering team working on the issue as quickly as possible and are investigating the issue thoroughly."

Q: Who does this recall affect?A: Owners of all non-turbo Ford Territory vehicles built between February 1 2004 and December 31 2008Q Why did Ford make the recall?A: Following Carsguide reader letters to Ask Smithy guru Graham Smith complaining about brake failures in Territory and Falcons Carsguide contacted Ford. Ford began an investigation and has now decided to recall the Territory.Q: What if I own a Falcon?A: While they are not part of the recall Graham Smith and Ford have advised concerned owners of 2003-onwards Falcons to contact your dealer and have your car checked overQ: What should I do if I own a Territory?A: Contact your nearest authorised Ford dealer to make arrangements to have your vehicle rectified. The front brake hoses will be replaced free of charge by Ford. Ford Australia will be contacting customers via mail and advertising in daily newspapers in order to reach all customers.Q: What is wrong with the cars?A: Ford says it has determined that under certain conditions it is possible for the vehicle to develop a front brake fluid leak, which can result in reduced braking effectiveness from the front brakes. It says the rear braking system will still stop the car. And it says that a warning light will appear on the instrument cluster to alert the driver that the vehicle's braking system requires attention.Q: Will I lose all braking control?A: No, Ford says that under Australian Design Rules the front and rear brakes are independently controlled. So if one fails the other will stop the car.Q How many cars are affected?The recall affects 83,534 Territorys in Australia, 7739 in New Zealand, 3612 in South Africa and about 60 in Thailand and Brunei.Related stories: Ford Territory recall - carsguide.com.auFirst look: 2009 Ford TerritoryToyota Kluger Vs Ford Territory GOT A PROBLEM WITH YOUR CAR? - Carsguide Car Advice

The recall affects 83,534 Territorys in Australia, 7739 in New Zealand, 3612 in South Africa and about 60 in Thailand and Brunei.Details of the defect were uncovered by Carsguide after more than 15 customers reported brake failures to our Ask Smithy guru, Graham Smith.Ask Smithy, Daily Telegraph, March 27, 2009.Carsguide answers your questions about the Ford Territory recallThe recall affects the bulk of Territorys on the road, built between February 1 2004 and December 31, 2008.Territory Turbo, Territory Ghia Turbo and the FPV F6X are not included in the recall.Ford Australia spokeswoman, Sinead McAlary, said the problem had affected less than 2 per cent of vehicles but the company was recalling most Territorys to replace the hosesMcAlary said the issue was isolated to the Territory and did not affect Falcon models.The problem relates to the front brake hose, which can wear through, leading to leaking brake fluid that could render the brakes almost useless.Ford is fitting all Territorys with replacement hoses that are stronger and longer, McAlary said.An official Ford statement said that the the rear braking system will still bring the vehicle to a halt within Australian Design Rule requirements. If the vehicle continues to be operated in this condition, a warning light will appear on the instrument cluster to alert the driver that the vehicle's braking system requires attention, the statement said.McAlary said that a Ford investigation had shown that a combination of high mileage on the vehicles, along with frequent cornering at full steering lock, could lead to a problem with the brakes.She said any customers with concerns are advised to contact their nearest Ford Dealer to make arrangements to have their vehicle rectified.The front brake hoses will be replaced free of charge.Related stories:First look: 2009 Ford TerritoryToyota Kluger Vs Ford TerritoryGOT A PROBLEM WITH YOUR CAR? - Ask 'The Guide'

The NRMA Insurance reversing visibility index shows 12 vehicles, including the Toyota Corolla and Holden Commodore, fail to receive any stars in testing.The test, established because of the deaths of 17 children killed by reversing cars in driveways, measures how well a driver can see out of the back of the vehicle.Of the 12 vehicles with a zero rating, five fit into the small-to-medium segment.The result has prompted the NRMA to call on manufacturers to consider installing reversing camera technology in all cars, not just bigger vehicles.“Without a camera, blind space can range from 3m to 15m,” NRMA Insurance road safety manager Pam Leicester said.“That's a large range for children to be hidden from a driver's view.” With an average of one child run over in their own driveway every week, Ms Leicester said it was time to start focusing on improving visibility in all models.“There has been a focus on four-wheel-drives and reversing but as our results show, that's an issue for all types of vehicles right down to small cars,” Ms Leicester said.“This is a real concern because many of these vehicles have hazardous reversing blind areas, usually caused by high rear window lines and boots.”Vehicles that received a zero rating included the Holden Commodore (Epica and Viva), the Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi's Lancer and 380, Toyota's Corolla, Prado and RAV4, the Honda Civic and the Odyssey, as well as the Hummer H3.Overall, however, the results have improved from last year with more manufacturers adopting reversing cameras.This is especially the case in the four-wheel-drive and luxury segments. Only five vehicles offered reversing cameras either standard or as an option last year.The technology was available on 15 vehicles this year. They gained either a 4 1/2 or 5-star rating.Ms Leicester said they were particularly impressed with the new Toyota Kluger, which has a reversing camera as standard on all models.The top performers given a five-star rating were the BMW X5, Ford Territory, Honda Legend, Lexus GS430, IS250 and LS460, and the Toyota Kluger; all offering a camera as standard or as an option.“We encourage all manufacturers to start thinking about putting reverse cameras in their vehicles,” Ms Leicester said.“At the time of manufacture, it's a very small cost.”Ms Leicester said after-market reversing cameras also could improve visibility and were available for between $200 and $300. How they rated NRMA insurance reversing visibility indexBest: BMW x5, Ford Territory, Honda, Legend, Lexus GS430, Lexus IS250, Lexus LS460, Toyota KlugerWorst: Holden Commodore, Honda Civic, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Prado, Toyota Corolla 

This year has seen the market share of Commodore, Falcon and the Mitsubishi 380 fall to 19 per cent of new passenger vehicles, with only Toyota's Camry more or less immune.And while it was the biggest sales October ever, the share enjoyed by big Australian cars was reduced to 17.2 per cent. The lighter fare from Thailand achieved a best-ever 15.4 per cent. The Vfacts monthly bulletin, released this week by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, recorded that 89,289 motor vehicles were sold in October; an increase of 9359 on the same month last year.It beats the previous record for October, set in 2004, by more than 8000 sales. Year-to-date the market is up by 70,000 vehicles as it continues its charge towards breaking the one million mark for the first time.Yet against this bumper backdrop, 15,382 Australian-made units were shifted last month, mostly to fleets.Japanese-made cars continued their dominance but Thailand is where Honda's CR-V, Civic and Accord sedans are made. These and others, including Ford's Courier, which accounted for 13,825 sales in October.In sharp contrast to ever-diminishing local sales, that Thai-built percentage has increased by almost 50 per cent so far in 2007.Petrol prices are blamed for the decline of the great Australian six-cylinder. But the fact four medium-sized SUVs sold more than 1000 units each last month gives the lie to that.Yes, light cars, spearheaded by 1193 sales of the new Mazda2, experienced a sales surge, but the truth for the big Aussies is grimmer than the rising cost of the stuff that makes them go. The fact is that given wealth of choice, fewer and fewer Australians want the types of cars made in Australia.FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar says the locals have never had it tougher.“The intensely competitive situation in the motor-vehicle market is being driven to a significant degree by the ongoing strength of the Australian dollar,” he says. McKellar says 4400 Commodores (excluding utes) were moved last month, so with about 300 more sales than the Corolla, it is the nation's number-one seller.Toyota's eggs are in more than one basket with the ever-competitive Yaris, Camry, RAV4 and Prado prominent among its 20,212 October sales. Holden managed 11,415 and Ford 8206. It was the first time that Toyota had outsold the combined total of Holden and Ford in any single month.Year-to-date Toyota leads Holden by 71,360 with the launch of the new LandCruiser this month.If Toyota's lead is unassailable, surely the success story is Mazda.At number four, the leading full-imported marque sells not a single car to fleets or rental companies. They all go to private buyers.October's best-ever 7271 sales represented Mazda's 10th record month in a row. Mazda's year-to-date total of 64,929 already surpasses its 2006 full-year sales result of 63,664.  Snapshot   Country of originJapan 31,838Australia 15,382Thailand 13,825Korea 9830Germany 3901South Africa 2434Belgium 1525US 1448Spain 1422France 1206 The biggest sellers1 Holden Commodore (Australia) 44402 Toyota Corolla (Japan) 41233 Mazda3 (Japan) 31254 Ford Falcon (Australia) 24395 Toyota Camry (Australia) 19946 Hyundai Getz (Korea) 18967 Toyota Aurion (Australia) 18318 Mitsubishi Lancer (Japan) 14469 Honda Civic (Thailand) 140910 Honda CR-V (Thailand) 129111 Toyota RAV4 (Japan) 129312 Toyota Prado (Japan) 127313 Suzuki Swift (Japan) 119714 Mazda2 (Japan) 119315 Ford Territory (Australia) 119016 Toyota Kluger and Subaru Forester (both Japan) 117317 Holden Astra (Belgium) 111818 Mitsubishi 380 (Australia) 110019 Holden Captiva (Korea) 109320 Nissan Tiida (Thailand) 1087 

There has been a rash of locally developed high-performance off-roaders such as the Ford Territory FPV F6 and Toyota's HiLux TRD. Now Holden Special Vehicles is looking to get in on the act.

No one at Toyota Australia likes to be beaten. When the Ford Territory began its domination of the all-terrain wagon class, it stung the company that has dominated in the outback for a generation and become Australia's No.1 carmaker.Toyota then argued the Territory wasn't a real four-wheel-drive because it was also sold with only rear-wheel-drive to tantalise families and boost value.Its answer to the blue oval's Falcon-based wagon was the mid-sized Kluger, which was great off-road but felt floaty on the tarmac, lacked torque and looked as plain as a paper bag.The Territory outsold the original Kluger three to one, but Toyota never gives up.This time around, the new 2007 Kluger is bigger, more powerful, has more safety gear and actually has some style.Toyota also realised more than half the Territories sold in Australia are rear-drive, so it now has the Kluger with front-drive or the regular all-wheel-drive.It will be interesting to see how many people go down the all-paw path, which adds $4500 to the price across the range.The Kluger is all-new, with a stiff new body that is 95mm longer and 85mm wider and has 22mm more ground clearance. It is also 95kg to 160kg heavier. The Grande model tips the scales at a hefty 2035kg.Ground clearance for all Klugers has been jacked up from 184mm to 206mm.The braked towing capacity has been increased by 500kg to an impressive 2000kg.The official fuel economy figures go from 11 litres for 100km in ADR81/01 testing to 11.6 litres, which is about 1 litre/100km less than equivalent Territory models.All have the smooth-revving 3.5-litre dual-overhead camshaft V6 that also serves in the Aurion. This time it is tuned to pump out 201kW and 337Nm.It is linked to a five-speed automatic gearbox in both drivetrains, with the AWD model using a system that feeds 50 per cent of drive to the front.Toyota has followed its main rivals and introduced Electronic Stability Control as standard across the Kluger range. It has gone a step further with seven airbags in all models.Also standard is a small dashboard-mounted reversing camera.There are three models, the base KX-R at $39,990, the KX-S at $49,990 and the Grande at $59,990.The KX-S and the Grande come standard with seven seats, which can also be ordered for the entry-level KX-R for an extra $2500.Apart from the impressive safety gear, standard gear for the KX-R includes 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, 3.5-inch multi-function display, cruise control and single CD sound with MP3 input jack.The KX-S adds 19-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior details, fog lights and leather trim. The electrically adjustable driver and passenger seats are also heated. The dual-zone climate control has separate controls for rear passengers. It also has six-CD sound and Bluetooth phone preparation.Stepping up to the Grande brings a sunroof, more chrome, wood-grain inserts, keyless start, automatic closing hatch, DVD rear seat entertainment, satellite navigation, larger rear-view camera display (6-inch). On the roadAlmost everyone will rate it ahead of the Holden Captiva, apart from its price. The Kluger is now roomier, has better performance, looks better and has an impressive array of standard safety features.A week in a two-wheel-drive Kluger SX-S revealed there is a lot to like about the big family hauler, but also revealed suspension flaws that could see the Kluger lose out in a comparison with the Territory.But the first thing you notice is the styling. The Kluger now has a bit of attitude.Painted black, with its tinted windows and chunky 19-inch wheels, the Kluger test car is imposing. The interior looks good, too, with a high level of surface quality you expect from a Toyota.The rear-view camera, which sits between two air vents and doubles as an info screen, is tiny, but it is better than nothing.The KX-S gets leather seats, which feel nice, and the heater function is great, but the seats aren't the most supportive around.The Kluger really has only six useable seats. The middle seat of the second row is only 20cm wide, does not sit flush with the other seats and is only good for a very small or skinny child.The Kluger's engine is quite nice, though it can be a bit peaky. A lot of the grunt comes up high in the rev range and the engine could do with some more torque down the bottom end.Even so, the fuel consumption of 12.4 litres/100km is a big plus.The engine is smooth, though it is not the quietest engine around, especially under hard acceleration.If you push, you also notice the steering wheel tugging, especially if you are turning.This (torque steer) happens because there is too much power going through just the front wheels. You can live with those sort of niggles, but it is the suspension of the two-wheel-drive Kluger that is a big let-down.Despite being incapable of off-road work, the front-drive Kluger still has a hefty 206mm of ground clearance. On bumpy roads it pitches and rolls like a serious mud-plugger. A back-to-back test with the lower-riding Territory backs up the view the Kluger is too soft.The Kluger feels like an off-roader. The Territory feels like a car.But it's not the same in the all-paw Kluger, which feels firmer and much more planted. And it will definitely go as deeply into the bush as most families want to travel. So the all-wheel-drive is the driver's choice, but people on a budget will head for the new front-driver.The bottom lineThe Kluger ticks most of the family wagon boxes. An unnecessarily high ride height and soft suspension spoil the fun. 78/100Fast factKluger KX-S and Grande have three-zone climate control for all occupants. Each of the three rows of seats has a temperature display and control dials. Inside view Toyota Kluger KX-S 2WD Price: $49,990 as testedEngine: 3.5-litre V6Power: 201kW at 6200 revsTorque: 337Nm at 4700 revsTransmission: five-speed automatic, front-wheel driveBody: Five-door wagonSeats: SevenDimensions: Length 4785mm, width 1910mm, height 1760mm, wheelbase 2790mm, tracks 1630/1645mm front/rearSteering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionSuspension: Fully independent Macpherson strut front and multi-link rearFuel tank: 72 litresFuel type: Regular unleadedFuel consumption: Average on test 12.4 litres/100kmWeight: 1930kgSpare tyre: Full size steelBrakes: Anti-skid discsWheels: 19x7.5 alloyTyres: 245/55 R19Safety gear: Anti-skid brakes, traction control, electronic stability control, front and side driver and passenger airbags, three-row curtain airbags.Warranty: Three years/ 100,000km Features Airconditioning 4Cruise control 4Alloy wheels 4Climate control 4Leather seats 4Heated seats 4Parking sensors 8Automatic wipers 84 standard equipment8 nonstandard equipment How it comparesFord Territory Ghia: 80/100 ($52,090)Holden Captiva Maxx: 70/100 ($42,990)Mazda CX-7 Luxury: 73/100 ($45,560)Nissan Murano ST: 68/100 ($49,990)