Overview of the Ford Territory
Ford Australia created a genuine landmark vehicle with the Territory SUV in 2004. It was the first (and only) sports utility vehicle to be designed, developed and built in Australia. It was based on the platform of the 2002 Ford Falcon sedan.
It was a rare SUV to be offered in rear-wheel drive as well as all-wheel drive. Turbocharged versions were added in 2006 but while quick were even thirstier for fuel than the regular six-cylinder petrol models.
A turbo diesel engine was borrowed from Land Rover in 2011 to give Territory buyers the option of a model with better fuel economy.
Sadly, this world-class SUV that should have been exported in big numbers to other markets suffered from a lack of investment in its latter years before Ford Australia ceased production of the Falcon and Territory in October 2016.
FORD TERRITORY GENERATIONS
2004-2016
RUNNING COSTS
Fuel Consumption
4.0L 6-cylinder petrol: 10.2 to 12.9 litres per 100km
4.0L 6-cylinder turbo petrol: 14.2 to 14.9 litres per 100km
2.7L 6-cylinder turbo diesel: 8.2 to 9.0 litres per 100km
= Highly economical.
= Good economy.
= Average fuel use.
= Heavy consumption.
Servicing
Every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever is sooner. Each service currently costs between $355 and $630 (turbo diesel) or between $310 and $450 (petrol). Ford Territory parts and equipment can be found on Gumtree.
SIMILAR MODELS TO FORD TERRITORY
Holden Captiva 7
Hyundai Santa Fe
Kia Sorento
Toyota Kluger
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR: FORD TERRITORY (2011-2016)
With Falcon mechanicals, the Territory is a pretty robust customer even if the build quality means the interior and panel fit and finish wasn't great.
The turbo diesel version needs to have clean fuel to avoid injector problems and check the service history to ensure all the preventative maintenance has been completed.
The petrol engine is thirsty but durable, but the six-speed automatic transmission can fail expensively if you're not lucky.
The problem is the external transmission cooler that can leak coolant into the gearbox, killing it mechanically and electronically and requiring a whole new transmission.
The Territory has also always been hard on suspension bushes and ball-joints, so make sure the tyres are wearing evenly and there are no clunking noises over bumps.
Any clunks from the rear of the vehicle will often be caused by worn upper damper mounts.
