The new Territory Hybrid is ready to usher in Ford’s electrified era in PH

The Ford Territory took the market by storm when it arrived right at the height of the pandemic in 2020. Back then, the Philippines had just transitioned into a crossover-crazy market, and you could say Ford had a hand in that. The American brand sold so many Territory units that in just two years since the model’s launch, it breached the 10,000 sales mark. For a completely new nameplate treading a new segment, that’s mighty impressive.

In 2023, Ford Philippines then brought in the all-new model. There was a lot of fanfare surrounding its debut, and it had big shoes to fill. Frankly, however, it didn’t hit the ground running like its predecessor did. I was able to test that model myself, and while it did still offer good value for money, it wasn’t as captivating as the one that came before it.

Watch: 2026 Ford Territory Hybrid launched in PH

Now, the new facelifted model has officially arrived. This, however, isn’t a mere mid-cycle refresh: The 2026 Territory now comes with a hybrid powertrain. A brand-new one at that, and the Philippines gets first dibs. So not only does this updated Territory mark the global debut of Ford’s new hybrid system, it also signals the entry of Ford Philippines into the hybrid market.

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A while back, the carmaker unveiled the new Territory in China. It was the first time it made a public appearance, and also the first time it came as a plug-in hybrid. In case you’re wondering, yes, the crossover is still available there with a turbocharged gasoline engine. Surprisingly, we get neither of those powertrains here.

Ford is focusing on electrification in our market, so it’s now only offering the new Territory as a self-charging hybrid with the aforementioned brand-new powertrain. This hybrid system combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with an electric motor and a 1.83kWh battery. The maximum electric output is rated at 215hp and 315Nm of torque, which is a 57hp and 67Nm upgrade from the old turbopetrol mill.

PHOTO BY Leandre Grecia

This significant change in performance can be felt the moment you get behind the wheel—turbo lag is essentially eliminated by the instantaneous propulsion provided by the electric motor. It’s much quicker off the line now. That has also drastically improved acceleration, cutting 0-100kph times by a full two seconds.

But frankly, speed should be the least of your concerns when you’re driving the Territory. What this new model banks on is its fuel efficiency, and it’s something that owners of this generation of the Territory will be glad to learn about. Ford claims this crossover can do nearly 20km/L, and seeing how seamless this series-parallel hybrid system works and how smooth it is to operate, that’s highly believable.

Even if we eventually get something as close to that fuel-economy figure in real-world conditions, that’s already a big win. The model this replaces was simply a gas guzzler. But don’t take my word for it—read the comments online or ask the owners yourself.

Now, I said this isn’t just a regular facelift, but I’m also going to contradict myself a bit and stress that this is still ‘just’ a facelift. This still has the same body and chassis as the second-gen model did when it first debuted. That said, it has a handful of design tweaks that make it look like an all-new model.

Almost, because it’s only the front end that gets a major rework. You still see the light signature of the pre-update Territory, but now the front clip looks sharper and more aggressive. The headlights are bigger and shaped more like a boomerang or a half-C. These flank the chrome strip separating the hood and the grille, and in the higher Titanium X trim, there’s a lightbar that takes its place. Said grille is now also slightly narrower and appears to be smaller, though it still features that honeycomb pattern. Gloss-black panels help fill the gaps between the lights and the grille.

PHOTO BY Leandre Grecia

The wheel options are new here, too. The 18- and 19-inch alloys both sport new looks. But that’s as far as the major design changes go, because the rear end only gets new taillight patterns and a slightly reworked bumper. There’s a new hybrid badge on the tailgate, too.

Speaking of hybrid badge, you see the trim on the doors? They’re not standard. That and the illuminated Ford badge on the grille are available as freebies only during the introductory period, after which they’ll be sold as added options. Why Ford chose to package it this way is beyond me—if I’m going to pay to dress up my car, it’s not just to add fancy-looking ‘HYBRID’ letterings on the sides. The light-up oval, I can understand; the other one, I doubt people would want to pay for.

Questionable accessories aside, there are still more things to rave about once you go inside. For starters, Ford has made the extra effort to redesign not just the small bits and pieces but the seats themselves. They’ve got flashy new colors, and the front seats get new headrests that improve comfort. I’ve tried them out for a short period, and for now, I do agree they’re comfier.

Another significant improvement inside the cabin is the pair of displays up front. The digital instrument cluster—available as a seven-inch display on the Trend and a 12-inch screen on the Titanium X—is mounted alongside a standard 12-inch infotainment system. Ford has made the displays snappier and easier to use. I also liked how the cluster, as big as it is, doesn’t overload the driver with information and keeps things simple. Even the gauge that shows battery usage isn’t overwhelming at all. Considering the target market—a good chunk of which will be first-time car buyers—having a user-friendly system is important.

PHOTO BY Leandre Grecia

PHOTO BY Leandre Grecia

Granted, the controls are still buried in the screen in true modern Ford fashion, but at least it’s easier to navigate now. I didn’t have a hard time finding the switch for Comfort Braking, a feature we were also able to try out. Basically, it optimizes body control and reduces pitching upon sudden deceleration from high speeds, preventing passengers from lurching forward in the event that the driver would need to suddenly slam on the brakes.

This is one of the few nifty features added to the Territory’s arsenal to improve the overall driving experience. Another is lane-centering control, which works hand in hand with the advanced driver-assist systems like adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist to unlock a higher level of autonomy on the road.

That’s quite a lot for a facelift, no? Some of you might be worried Ford is going to jack up the prices, and honestly, I initially thought the same, too. But surprisingly, it’s managed to retain the Territory’s price tag even with all those additional upgrades. The base Trend starts at P1.399 million, while the top-spec Titanium X stickers for P1.599 million. That’s subcompact-crossover pricing for a compact crossover. Upon learning all these, I immediately understood the logic behind Ford’s decisions.

While a lot of car brands were quick to jump headlong into electrification, Ford Philippines had to bide its time. It wasn’t just a matter of hybrid powertrain availability, because the plug-in hybrid Territory has been around in China for a while. It was about timing it right, and I think Ford’s got it right with this one.

At this point, the landscape has already shifted so dramatically that hybrids and EVs have become common daily sightings in the metro. While charging infrastructure still leaves a lot to be desired, we’ve come a long way from even just a year prior, and right now, you can say that the market is really ready for electrified vehicles.

PHOTO BY Leandre Grecia

Had Ford not waited enough, we wouldn’t have gotten this new hybrid powertrain and would’ve been stuck with the plug-in hybrid model. While that’s all well and good, it’s not the same as the self-charging hybrids or range-extended EVs from the likes of Toyota and BYD that have penetrated the market. Chances are, that Territory PHEV probably would’ve flunked.

Not only that, but by being late to the party, Ford had all the information it needed for the launch. With all the hybrid crossovers already out in the open, it knew how much the Territory Hybrid had to be for it to be competitive, and I believe the carmaker got the pricing just right.

This is just the beginning of Ford’s push for electrification in the Philippines, and there’s a lot more to look forward to, such as the plug-in hybrid Ranger. Suffice to say, it’s off to a good start with this new Territory. If this is an indicator of what’s to come, then the brand’s electric future in our market is looking bright.