The second-generation Ford Territory has been around the market for over a year now. We’ve reviewed it before and noted everything we liked, and didn’t, about it. So, why do we have another one here?
See, the Territory family just expanded. Now, we have the Territory Sport, now serving as the top-spec version of its range. That also means a bit of a price increase over the former top of the line variant, the Titanium X.
The question now is this: Is it worth the extra?
Truth be told, we’re expecting it to feel similar to the other trim levels save for additional equipment. A road test should show if there’s any real difference in the real world.
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Styling
Think of the Territory Sport more like a ‘Black Edition’ variant. The familiar shape remains, but now with gloss black highlights, well, just about everywhere. It’s the usual treatment with all the chrome bits swapped out in favor of black, from the grille, headlight surrounds, and the wheels. Even the Territory font on the tailgate gets blacked out.
But if we’re talking about the Territory’s looks in general, it’s a bit of a looker. While a touch on the conservative side, it’s not polarizing and generally pleasing to look at from any angle. No awkward proportions, just a clean, simple design that we reckon will age well down the line. Certainly makes the previous model look, well, old.
Interior
In contrast to the exterior, the interior gets brightened up. Yes, it’s the same two-tone scheme as in the Titanium X. However, the orange stitching and highlights pop out to give it a more vibrant appearance. Some may say it’s a small thing but it does a lot to spruce up the cabin.
That aside, all of the Territory’s strong points remain. This is just a different variant, after all. We like the soft touch points just about everywhere, along with the generous cubby spaces and clever packaging. Truth be told, the interior is one of this crossover’s strong points.
Space? It’s more than enough for most folks. With a relatively flat dashboard and no-nonsense layout, there’s good wiggle room at the front. But it’s at the back where the Territory shines. Thanks to its wide body and flat floor, this crossover is a genuine five seater.
While the cargo area isn’t the biggest in its class, it makes up for it by being flat and wide. Ford did a good job maximizing the area, ensuring every cubic meter is usable. It doesn’t have a false floor that can further boost space, but we honestly don’t mind because the spare tire resides under the floor. If there are any parents with infants reading this, you’ll be glad to know that it’ll easily swallow a stroller.
Engine Performance
So far, it’s all glowing praises for the Territory, but what about the powertrain department? Like the Titanium and Titanium X, the Sport uses the familiar 1.5-liter turbo that makes 158hp and 248Nm of torque. It’s then mated to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Solid, if not class-leading, numbers in its class.
However, this is the part where the shine of its styling and interior packaging wear off. While the engine is turbocharged, it’s blunted by a rather, well, relaxed throttle response. It takes its time to react to accelerator inputs, making you wonder if the power’s coming at all.
It’s not like it’s permanently on eco mode, either, and the responses are even slower when the most efficient drive mode is selected. It does improve a little bit in sport mode, but snappier throttle response would be welcome. That can make all the difference in overtaking.
Once the throttle does (eventually) wake up the engine, power delivery is smooth and seamless. Performance is adequate, and can easily get to highway speeds without much prodding. The dual-clutch transmission is smooth once on the go, but it still has the occasional hiccup in traffic. Dual-clutch transmissions, for the most part, really don’t like staying in traffic for long. You’ll need to adjust your driving style to make it smooth at any speed.
But it’s not the throttle response that bugs us the most about the Territory’s powertrain. That would be the fuel economy. You’d think that a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder turbo would be relatively thrifty. But in the week that we had it, it was more on the thirsty side.
The best result we got in heavy traffic was 6.5 km/L at an average speed of 17kph. Even at slightly better traffic conditions, the Territory barely eked out 8 km/L. At least those numbers were more acceptable on the highway, but it’s still not outstanding. We managed 13.7 km/L on the expressway.
Ride and handling
At least the Territory is comfortable as it chugs fuel like it packs a 3.0-liter V6 under the hood. The ride is well damped and resists the urge to be wallowy over road imperfections. Its chassis isn’t phased by small pockmarks and ruts, although it does occasionally get caught out by successive bumps.
Handling-wise, roadholding is good and goes through corners decently. However, we noted the brakes being a touch on the grabby side. There’s a razor thin line between a gentle stop and one that sees your passenger’s heads being flung forward.
Extra features
Where this crossover isn’t lacking is in the features department. There’s a 360-degree view camera, a barrage of proximity sensors, and advanced driver assist systems. The tire pressure monitoring system is always a neat bonus, while the stability takes a step further by including roll mitigation control.
Of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, all controlled via a 12-inch touchscreen. Like the Titanium X, there are eight speakers on board, and the Sport is the only variant that comes with a remote starter. The ventilated seats are also a welcome feature.
There are a few comments about ergonomics, though. First, the drive modes are buried within the touchscreen so you’ll have to do some fiddling with the screen for your desired setting. The same goes for temperature adjustment, and adjusting the safety systems.
You’ll also have to press a button on the steering wheel to change the display on the digital instrument cluster. That’s because Ford put both audio and setting functions on one side of the wheel…on the same set of buttons. It’s a little confusing at first, but you’ll get used to it eventually. That said, the controls are nothing like those from other Ford products.
Verdict
The Ford Territory Sport retails for P1,625,000, P26,000 more than the Titanium X. For an appearance package, the price difference isn’t all that drastic. So, for anyone who wants a blacked out Territory with a remote starter, the higher price isn’t all that bad. You’ll end up spending more if you painted the trims and wheels yourself, and remote starters aren’t exactly cheap to buy in the aftermarket.
The thing is, the Territory itself needs work on a couple of things. It's a stylish and smart package, but it's let down by its powertrain. It really has to deliver better fuel economy and the throttle response.
Once Ford sorts those out, this crossover will offer a much, much better driving experience. As you’re reading this, the company is already preparing the updated version for its debut sometime this year. By then, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it addresses this otherwise competent crossover’s areas for improvement.
Specs: 2024 Ford Territory Sport
Price: P1,625,000
Engine: 1.5-liter turbopetrol
Power: 158hp
Torque: 248Nm
Transmission: 7-speed wet dual-clutch
Layout: Front-wheel-drive
Seating: 5
Score: 7/10
