The Ford Territory is a mid-size SUV produced by Ford Australia from 2004 to 2016. It was the only SUV built in Australia and Ford's first large three-row crossover SUV.
It won various automotive awards and was the first SUV to win the Australian title of Wheels Car of the Year in 2004, due to its acceptable handling and child carrying capacity.
Ford Australia reportedly spent A$500 million on developing this vehicle over a four-year period. Many Australian toolmakers were lauded for their cost competitiveness in keeping this cost so low, not as cheap as the Japanese, but much lower than Detroit-based cars. Apart from being the first and only Australian-made SUV, it was also the first local vehicle to feature electronic stability control.
The Ford Territory was originally based upon the EA169 platform (codenamed E265) introduced in the AU Falcon for the SX, SY, and SY II models. Later models of the Territory were based on the E8 platform of the FG Falcon for the SZ and SZ II models (codenamed E265A).
Design Both rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations were available for the Australian market. AWD models had an optional Hill Descent Control that used the anti-lock braking system to control the car's motion downhill.
Reflecting its SUV design, seating capacity in the Territory was for either five (two rows) or seven (three rows) passengers, making it excellent for large families with children. All seating rows were arranged in a "theatre style", whereby the first row was the lowest and the last row was the highest. The middle and back rows folded flat into the floor to maximise cargo volume.
Ford introduced the Territory alongside the existing Falcon wagon, which was built on the same Broadmeadows Assembly Plant production line. Ford Australia senior executives had expected the Falcon wagon to be discontinued soon after the introduction of the Territory, surmising that Falcon wagon sales would substantially decline as fleet buyers migrated to the Territory. However, this did not happen because the Falcon wagon retained much of its fleet sales base and the Territory appealed mainly to large families. The production of the Falcon station wagon was terminated in September 2010. The Territory was never a serious replacement for it due to higher fuel consumption and increased weight.
History Between 2004 and 2016, the Territory had been manufactured adopting the same chassis and sold in a total of five series (SX, SY, SYII, SZ, and final SZ II). The launch of the FG Falcon, however, resulted in the Territory undergoing a major redesign inside and out, and unlike the donor sedan, receiving a turbodiesel powerplant, citing high fuel consumption of the six cylinder engines due to the high kerb weight.
Ford R7 concept
The Ford R7 was a concept SUV which was developed by Ford Australia under the leadership of the late Geoff Polites and was revealed at the 2002 Australian International Motor Show held in Melbourne. So great was the reception of the R7, that Ford fast tracked the development of the R7 into a full blown production model just two years later as the Ford Territory and it previewed the new front styling of the donor Ford Falcon (BA) range.
First Generation (2004–2011)
SX (2004–2005)
The first series, known as the "SX", was produced between April 2004 and September 2005.
Appearance-wise, the Territory adopted styling cues from the North American Freestyle/Taurus X, which proved to be a defining factor for the support of Ford executives at the head office in Dearborn, Michigan. Simon Butterworth, who was behind the major restyling of the Falcon that resulted in the 2002 BA series, styled the Territory. Marcus Hotblack worked on the Territory's interior, inspired by a knife. As a result, the Territory had such convenient features as flexing cup holders and a handbag holder to the side of the seat for female drivers.
The SX Territory was the first Australian-built vehicle to be fitted with an electronic stability control system. In addition, Territory was the first SUV to have won the Australian Wheels Car of the Year award, in 2004.
Its platform was available in RWD or AWD, solely powered by the , 4.0-litre DOHC straight-six Barra petrol engine from the BA Falcon albeit slightly detuned via software, paired to a four-speed automatic gearbox. All models were renowned for very high fuel consumption, averaging between .
Model range At launch, the SX range of models (and Australian retail prices) were: the TX, base package; TS, family safety package; Ghia, luxury package.
An Alpine DVD entertainment system for rear passengers, with 10.2-inch screen and infrared headphones, was offered as standard or optional depending on the model variant.
Australian and New Zealand SX series models were slightly different visually: all models sold in New Zealand had body-colour bumpers and alloy wheels, including the base model. Front light detail resembles that of women's jewellery in a black box. In New Zealand, the only RWD model was the base version and all other models had AWD; while in Australia, all models were available with both traction setups.
SY (2005–2011)
The SY, primarily a mechanical upgrade with no significant visual differentiation, was introduced in October 2005. Its key features included increased engine power , new automatic transmission for AWD models, and as a first for an Australian-built vehicle, a reverse parking camera (optional on the TS and standard on Ghia). The TS now featured standard reverse sensors. All models received a new key design, and on cars built after May 2006, the plastic rear cladding along the bottom edge of the rear tailgate changed to be pressed into the sheet metal.
Again, this Territory was solely powered by a revised 4.0-litre DOHC straight-six engine now producing and . The previous DSI four-speed automatic transmission was retained with minor updates for RWD models; AWD models now featured the six-speed ZF 6HP 26 automatic transmission that contributed to slightly improved fuel consumption.
The 2006 Territory Turbo was AWD-only and its turbocharged version of the base model produced and . Being AWD, it was only available with the then-new six-speed ZF automatic transmission.
Model range The range remained unchanged except for the introduction, in mid-2006, of a Territory Turbo available in standard trim or luxury Ghia. It was powered by a turbocharged 4.0-litre DOHC straight-six version of the Barra engine that, due to costs considerations and the Australian market preference for performance variants, took priority over the introduction of a mooted diesel variant to curtail the high 6 cylinder fuel consumption.
At launch, the original SY range of models (and Australian retail prices) were: TX, TS, Ghia
The first Territory TX-based limited editions emerged: SR – released in February 2006, and re-released in June 2008 SR2 – released in October 2008
The SY II series was a facelift revealed at the 2009 Australian International Motor Show held in Melbourne and went on sale that May. It featured a mildly restyled front end and other minor exterior changes, improved interior trim (with the previous upholstery colour schemes replaced by more contemporary ones) and improved suspension design. Powertrains remained unchanged, except for the axing of the "FPV F6X". The BA/BF Falcon centre console and Interior Command Control (ICC) was again reused for the SY II despite the newer FG Falcon having a completely redesigned console and ICC.
The SY II received a revised front suspension to address a well-documented weakness in the front lower ball joints. Specifically, the original design had the ball joints under constant tension, which resulted in some catastrophic failures of the joint (causing the wheel to detach from the suspension and steering at high speeds) and premature wear requiring lower control arm replacements after as little as . With the new design, the lower ball joints were now under compression, thus eliminating the premature wear issue.
Model range The SY II Territory range and upgrades (plus Australian retail prices at launch) were: TX: with body-coloured bumpers and alloy wheels standard TS: body-coloured bumpers, new alloy wheels, seven-seater with third-row standard Ghia: external mirrors mounted side indicators, new alloy wheels, privacy glass for the rear passenger and cargo windows
The Turbo was now available only in the latter luxury specification.
A TS Limited Edition was marketed in December 2009 and October 2010 to stimulate sales by providing Ghia-derived fittings.
Through the addition of a front passenger seatbelt warning chime implemented on cars produced from 11 January 2010, the entire Territory range qualified for a full five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Program crash test score. Models produced prior to this date only had a four-star rating.
Safety The Ford Territory had safety features such as driver or passenger airbag, ABS, and seat belt.
Second generation (2011–2016)
SZ (2011–2016)
The SZ series Territory was released in April 2011. Ford Australia released official photos of this facelifted edition on 8 February 2011. Its development cost was some . It was based on the E8 platform introduced in the FG Falcon, with the codename E265A.
In line with Ford's internationally adopted Kinetic Design, the car features a large lower air intake and thin upper grille. It has an estimated . Titanium models feature LED "position" lights, in lieu of the fog lights fitted on the mid-spec TS. At the rear, the car features horizontal tail lights, replacing the vertical lights on previous editions. On the inside, courtesy of the FG Falcon upgrades, the higher-range Territory models also inherited an eight-inch colour touch screen, which is central to the "SYNC" in-car entertainment and control system. New safety features include a driver's knee airbag and updated stability control system, now version 9.0 by Bosch incorporating an anti-roll-over function.
Mechanically, the SZ series introduced for the first time in Ford Australia's locally made vehicles, a diesel powerplant (whose cost and development in previous editions was postponed in favour of the turbo petrol variant of 2006). It also introduced an electric power-assist steering system used on the American Ford Mustang, which was also poised for introduction on the Falcon.
The engines range of the SZ series comprised the usual but further upgraded 4.0-litre DOHC straight-six petrol engine only for the RWD Territory, and a turbocharged, direct injection 2.7-litre 60-degree V6 diesel engine marketed as "Duratorq" for the RWD and AWD Territory models. Petrol-engined AWD models are no longer offered. The petrol engine, now compliant with Euro 4 emission standards, generates and . At launch, the diesel engine was a seven-year-old Ford AJD-V6/PSA DT17 engine, which debuted in Australia with the Jaguar XF and Land Rover Discovery 3. It reportedly emits up to 25% less compared to the petrol engine.
Across the range, two types of six-speed automatic transmission became default depending on model variants. For petrol-engined RWD—the ZF 6HP26 transmission; for diesel-engined RWD and AWD the ZF-based, 6R80 transmission produced by Ford in the United States is used.
Interior-wise, finally the new Territory gained the centre console and ICC of the FG Falcon. Up until this time the Territory had continued to reused the 2002–2008 BA/BF Falcon interior and ICC.
Model range The range remained the same except for the Titanium replacing the Ghia, reflecting a similar changes made to the related Ford Falcon (FG) range.
The SZ range and key features or upgrades (plus Australian retail prices at launch) were as follows: TX: 17-inch alloy wheels, iPod/USB integration, Bluetooth phone connectivity and cruise control). Available in RWD petrol, diesel, and AWD diesel