A flat white wisps steam into the ocean-fresh morning air as I cast an eye over the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium. In the background, fierce weather is making itself known on Walker Bay in Hermanus. It’s usually a postcard-perfect scene for spotting whales. Today, the only sea life on offer are white horses whipped up by the wind. Therefore, we must adapt on the fly and come up with another idea for our Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium test.
But no matter, because the Blue Oval’s newest family SUV is reason enough to be in Hermanus all on its own. First off, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so your automotive equivalent of handsome might be different to mine. But I believe the R721 000 Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium must be one of the best-looking new SUVs on sale in South Africa currently.
FORD TERRITORY 1.8T TITANIUM
It’s commanding presence comes courtesy of a wide grille, sharply detailed LED lights, muscly yet trim styling lines and 19-inch alloys which fill the wheel arches convincingly. I must admit, however, that I’m less convinced by the rear valance which, to my eye, gives the backend a generic look. But try telling that to the passers-by who’ll need a chiro appointment if they spend any more time swivelling their heads at the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium. Not only does it look like an expensive vehicle but, crucially, it feels it down to the ground, too.
So, why are we in Hermanus at sparrow’s fart exactly? The plan, before the Cape doctor turned all Rage Against the Machine, was to follow a whale trail of sorts. Trace the coastline from Hermanus around the gorgeous Walker Bay on the R317 to Struisbaai and, finally, Cape Agulhas. And if we saw some whales, all the better. Instead, we’re pivoting in-land, away from the howling gale, to seek out some up-hill, down-dale topography. No hardship, I’m sure, in the comfort of a climate-controlled, semi-autonomous Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium.
BIG AND SMART
Inside the bank-vault-quiet cabin there’s little more than a cultured murmur from the 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine. 138 kW and 318 Nm of torque means its performance is sprightly – a tested zero to 100 km/h sprint in 8.5 seconds. But the drivetrain is not the main event here. A hat must be doffed to the interior packaging of the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium. It’s spot-on in today’s family-SUV age – minimalist, tech-laden and still unerringly practical. Twin 12.3-inch high-definition digital screens mesh seamlessly with the horizontal lines to emphasise the cabin’s width and openness.
It’s no trick that the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium feels a large vehicle. Inside and out, and compared to the others in this segment, it genuinely is a big vehicle. And yet it’s innovative in its practicality, thanks to 20 different storage spaces of varying shapes and sizes, plus absolutely cavernous rear legroom. The boot offers 448 litres of storage space, expanded to a massive 1 422 litres with the 60/40 split rear seats folded flat. That’s more than enough to satisfy the active lifestylers with their bicycles, surfboards, etc …
SEEKING OUT NEW TERRITORIES
We forego the effortlessness of a straightforward drive and immediately decide to detour up a nearby tarmac/gravel route known as Rotary Way. It skirts around the edge of the Hermanus and gives unparalleled views atop it. After countless winter storms, the road is scarred and washed away in sections, with its width shrinking every few hundred metres. As we go along, little twisters of sand and gravel whip-up in our wake. Soon I spot a vantage point high atop the town that looks too perfect to ignore.
While by no means a mud-and-guts off-roader, the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium takes advantage of its ample clearances and easily sidesteps several stony outcrops exposed by the extreme weather. The steeper dirt sections en route have been chewed up by others with lesser traction. Of the four selectable drive modes on offer in the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium – Normal, Eco, Sport and Mountain – the latter tweaks the driveline to ensure our excursion is less drama-filled than anyone could’ve imagined.
FAST AND LOOSE
With photography in the bag, it’s back down Rotary Way, engaging Hill-Descent Control to re-join our favorite flawless piece of tarmac, Shaw’s Pass to Caledon. The winding bitumen and on-camber sweepers allows the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium to carry itself with drama approaching that of a low-slung saloon. That’s the multi-link rear suspension and excellent Goodyear tyres doing their bit. Well-oiled steering and a competent chassis are enough to egg the driver on. So much so that average fuel economy, settled safely in the 7.0 l/100 km range, all of sudden jumps to 9.0 l/100 km.
The turbocharged 1.8-litre EcoBoost engine is responsive enough under foot, however, a way to manually override the dual-clutch transmission is a level of driver control we’d like to see added in future. Nevertheless, beyond the sporting bit and a few detours for Canola and vineyard vistas, its back on the N2 highway to Cape Town. Semi-autonomous adaptive cruise control does a fair job of keeping pace with the cars around us. And back in the less-stressed realm of Eco mode, the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium once again settles down … as does the fuel consumption back to 8.0 l/100 km.
THE VERDICT
Not knowing what to really expect from the new Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium allowed us to approach the review in an unbiased fashion. And we came away thoroughly impressed by Ford’s newest family SUV. Most especially by the thoroughly premium execution in top-spec guise. Handsomely styled, spacious, cleverly practical and jam-packed with the latest technology, the Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium boasts a lot of ticks in the win column. It’s an important volume seller for the Blue Oval, which is destined to corner its fair share of the family SUV market.
THE FIGURES
- 2024 Ford Territory 1.8T Titanium 1.8T EcoBoost
- Engine: 1.8-litre turbo petrol
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
- Power: 138 kW
- Torque: 318 Nm
- 0-100 km/h: 8.50 seconds
- Tyres: Goodyear Efficient Grip 235/55 R19
- Fuel consumption: 8.0 l/100 km (tested) / 7.0 l/100 km (claimed/combined)
- Price: R721 000 (with the 6yr/90 000 km service plan)
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