Ford confirms starting price and specs for local Territory model line-up

Ford confirmed on Wednesday its five-seater Territory will soon be touching down in South Africa. Set to battle against the likes of the more established Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail, the Blue Oval is hoping this newcomer will secure a good portion of the monthly mid-size SUV segment sales when it goes on sale in the second quarter.

Pleasing to look at with its giant chrome radiator grille, slim LED daytime running lights and chiselled shoulder lines, the Territory will be available in three core model derivatives: Ambiente, Trend and the flagship Titanium, with pricing starting at R610,000 (including VAT).

Rolling on a set of stylish 18-inch alloy wheels, some of the standout features of the entry-level Ambiente model include keyless entry, a six-way manual adjustable driver's seat, four-way adjustable passenger seat, privacy glass from the second row back and a rear air vent. Customers can also look forward to a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system wired to six loudspeakers and offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Completing the generous specifications is a multifunction steering wheel (adjustable for rake and reach), four USB ports (three front and one rear), manual air conditioning, cruise control and rear parking sensors. The seats are covered in dark Domino fabric trim. 

Pony up extra for the Trend model (pricing TBC later) and you will gain a bunch of extra niceties such as an electric-powered tailgate, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and “follow me home” lighting. The cabin gains a more upmarket feel thanks to high-quality vinyl seat trim, leatherette multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone electronic climate control, an inductive charging pad for mobile devices, one-touch driver’s window, integrated reversing camera and an electrochromatic rear-view mirror.

The range-topping Titanium model (pricing also TBC at launch) further ups the features ante with 19-inch double-spoke alloy wheels, chrome door handles, power-folding and heated side mirrors, puddle lamps and front parking sensors. Luxurious leather upholstery is also standard, as is a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat, four-way power adjustable passenger seat, multicolour LED ambient lighting and a twin-panel panoramic moonroof. The sound system gains two extra speakers while a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster replaces the analogue dials found in the Trend and Ambiente models. 

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). Six airbags are provided, comprising dual front, side and curtain airbags.

The Titanium gets additional driver assistance aids including 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.

No matter which Territory model you pick, all come bolted to Ford's new 1.8l four-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine making 138kW and 318Nm of torque. This is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Four selectable drive modes are on offer — Normal, Eco, Sport and Mountain. This feature is complemented by handy driver assist technologies such as hill launch assist and hill descent control. 

Watch this space for more information on the Ford Territory when in becomes available.