If you want to know exactly what the Ford Territory is, she’s the girl you picked up at the bar for a one-night stand, only to wake up the following morning (after the deed is done, of course) and realize: holy crap, she’s not as pretty as you thought she was. You won’t be ghosting her, but she’s not exactly deserving of that “breakfast in bed” treatment.
Okay, while I have no personal experience on this whole one-night stand thing (pinky promise), my hypothetical view comes from watching Seth Rogen movies. In this case, think of Ms. Territory as this scene-stealing hot “gurl” who appears one night at your bar/disco/night club/mixer (whatever kids call them these days). Not only is she dressed to impress with her 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, and panoramic sunroof, but you hear people whispering: she’s the daughter of Ford. You quickly see the resemblance to his brother, Explorer. You check her out, smack your lips, and say to yourself, “wit-wew, not bad. Not bad at all.”
Then, you do a bit of Googling, Facebooking, or LinkedIn-ing (?), and you see she’s just half a Ford. She may be wearing that Ford badge, but she spawned with the help of some Chinese joint-venture. Regardless, Ford’s managed to hide Ms. Territory’s less than global origin by raising and tutoring her in Australia. True enough, look through the usual places like the door jams and engine bay, and her Chinese origins have all been erased. There’s not a single bit of Mandarin nonsense stamped anywhere; heck, you can’t even switch the infotainment language to Chinese. Instead, it’s all Ford, Ford, English, Ford.
Finally, you get the courage, and buy her a drink. You talk to her; she talks back. She whispers sweet things of tech—the language of gadget-loving millennials. She’s loaded with the stuff from cooled/heated seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a fully digital instrument cluster, a large screen for infotainment, and heck, she can even park herself when you’re lazy enough not to be able to. She sounds strong, independent, confident, and pleasing on the eye—your kind of girl.
You take her out, and we fast forward to the morning after. Oh my goodness, what a hot mess she is.
Her petite Explorer is still somewhat appealing, but with her hair and make-up in disarray, there are some little design details that seem odd. One is that those muffler cutouts are completely fake. In the greater scheme of things, it’s a minor infraction, but it’s criminal when Ford points them out as a design cue. It’s like she tells you she’s all natural, but what she really meant is those are Belo natural. Second, and more unsettling on a personal level is the way the word, “Territory” is spelt out back. Surely, Ford was going for the same badge treatment seen on their Everest, Explorer, and the like—but the execution here isn’t as great. Maybe it would have been better if they integrated it into the chrome garnish.
An even bigger problem though is what you find, or rather what you don’t find inside. Ford continuously touts the Territory as having their Ford Global DNA, but you just have trouble seeing it anywhere inside. She may have that “Ford” badge on the steering wheel, but that Aussie upbringing all but disappears. She hasn’t been wrangling crocodiles and ‘roos, she’s been eating bats and pangolins! The problem here isn’t space, there’s plenty—heck, it’s even bigger than some compact SUVs, nor is it the build quality, as everything is screwed in quite well. The issue here is how all that tech comes together into one needlessly complicated cabin.
There are minor infractions for the convoluted gauges (except the Classic mode), but the Territory’s biggest issue is how all of its major car functions are solely governed by the large infotainment screen. It’s great in principle with a Tesla or Volvo vibe going on, but in practice, it’s a pain in the ass. The generous dimensions, measuring 10 inches in size, make it seem easy to use at first, but navigating through the quadrant-based menu can be a chore. Some functions that require a single tap can sometimes take two or more with this interface. It’s even more tedious when you use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. For example, when the climate control automatically switches to Fresh from Recirculate (and it does this once every trip), it’ll require you to exit Waze, exit CarPlay, tap the Climate menu, and tap Recirculate—that’s four steps in a move that should have required just one. And imagine doing all this while on the move. Yes, there’s a control knob with short cuts just behind the shifter, but the placement doesn’t make things intuitive. You may be Bruno Mars wanting that Versace on the floor, only here it takes half a song, and a hidden button to make that work. So much for sexy time, huh?
When it comes to the all-important aspect: the drive, Ms. Territory ends up being as Aussie as Xi Jinping. She’s fast in a straight line, but she doesn’t have the same level of polish and refinement you’ve come to expect from Fords.
Despite being fitted with a boosted 1.5-liter engine, she’s down on power compared to the competition. Regardless, she manages to maximize it very well. Her Achilles heel though is her transmission. Ford rarely dabbles in gearless CVTs, and it shows right here. On the move, it’s quite alright, but in stop-and-go traffic, there are noticeable delays in its responses. Furthermore, it loves to shift ratios unexpectedly (typically at the slightest hint of an up- or downhill). Again, that’s great in principle for engine braking and all, but it’s hard to get used to. Once or twice, you’d think the transmission’s gone bonkers. Fuel economy too could be better: at 7.40 km/L, she’s quite thirsty.
Sadly, Ms. Territory’s not quite good in the sack, too. Maybe it’s all those pangolins she’s been eating, but she continues to think that a softly sprung suspension would pass for what’s a comfy ride. Instead, it makes her tip and roll through corners, reducing her sense of sportiness and agility. Combine that with a body rigidity equal to a wet noodle, and you end up with a crossover that wallows all over the place. And even if you’re not an enthusiast-level driver, there’s pronounced brake dive which could make some feel unwell.
I’m pretty harsh on the Ford Territory, and for very good reason: it’s supposed to have that Global DNA. It’s supposed to give Ford vehicles a recognizable personality, a trait that makes it instantly recognizable as a Ford. Sadly, this doesn’t. And this trouble me a lot: most people will be sold on this crossover based on what they’ve seen on the brochures—the razzle-dazzle of the tech, and of course, the astonishingly affordable price. During this time of penny-pinching, value’s a strong language, and one that’s going make or break a vehicle. In all fairness, the Territory ticks all those boxes. A caveat though is that she doesn’t feel like a Ford. She has the badge and the upbringing even, but in the end, her non-Ford lineage is far too dominant not be ignored.
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2021 Ford Territory Titanium+
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| Ownership | 2021 Ford Territory Titanium+ |
| Year Introduced | 2020 |
| Vehicle Classification | Compact Crossover |
| Warranty | 3 years / 100,000 kilometers |
| The Basic | |
| Body Type | 5-door SUV |
| Seating | 5 |
| Engine / Drive | F/F |
| Under the Hood | |
| Displacement (liters) | 1.5 |
| Aspiration | Turbocharged |
| Fuel Delivery | EFI |
| Layout / # of Cylinders | I4 |
| BHP @ rpm | 143 @ 4,500-5,200 |
| Nm @ rpm | 225 @ 1,500-4,000 |
| Fuel / Min. Octane | Gasoline / 91~ |
| Transmission | CVT |
| Cruise Control | Yes, Adaptive |
| Fuel Economy @ Ave. Speed | 7.40 km/L @ 19 km/h |
| Dimensions and Weights | |
| Length (mm) | 4,580 |
| Width (mm) | 1,936 |
| Height (mm) | 1,674 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2,716 |
| Curb Weight (kg) | 1,465 |
| Suspension and Tires | |
| Front Suspension | Independent, MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Independent, Multi-Link |
| Front Brakes | Vented Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Disc |
| Tires | Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max AW 235/50 R 18 H (f & r) |
| Wheels | Alloy |
| Safety Features | |
| Airbags | 6 |
| Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) | Yes, with EBD |
| Traction / Stability Control | Yes |
| Parking Sensors | Yes, Front & Rear, 360-degree camera |
| Front Seatbelts | 3-pt ELR with pre-tensioner x 2 |
| Rear Seatbelts | 3-pt ELR x 3 |
| ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor | Yes |
| Other Safety Features | Blindspot Monitoring System Lane Departure Warning Lane Keep Assist |
| Exterior Features | |
| Headlights | LED |
| Fog Lamps | Yes, Front & Rear |
| Auto Lights | Yes |
| Rain-sensing Wipers | Yes |
| Interior Features | |
| Steering Wheel Adjust | Tilt/Telescopic |
| Steering Wheel Material | Leather |
| Seating Adjustment (driver) | Electric, 8-way |
| Seating Adjustment (front passenger) | Manual, 4-way |
| Seating Surface | Leather, Ventilated & Heated (Front) |
| Folding Rear Seat | Yes, 60/40 |
| On-Board Computer | Yes |
| Convenience Features | |
| Power Steering | Yes |
| Power Door Locks | Yes |
| Power Windows | Yes |
| Power Mirrors | Yes, with Fold |
| Proximity Key | Yes |
| Climate Control | Yes, w/ Rear Vents |
| Audio System | Stereo USB Bluetooth Apple CarPlay Android Auto |
| # of Speakers | 8 |
| Steering Controls | Yes |
Source: Car Guides PH
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