If you want a hybrid that has over 1,000 km of combined range, you’ll usually end up in the realm of Chinese Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Maximizing that means accommodating a wall charger at home or plugging-in at public EV charging stations.
Ford did things differently with the all-new Ford Territory. It promises over 1,000 km of range without needing to plug-in. It goes back to the basic hybrid formula of gas and go. They also timed it with a refresh making the overall package more remarkable.
Can it go wheel to wheel against the Chinese armada of electrified crossovers? Ford took us for a drive from Pasay to Baguio and back to see how good the all-new Territory Hybrid is.
The new look of the Territory is very apt for what it is. It’s electrified now, and this Daft Punk looking front face with soft curves on the corners really gives it a modern sci-fi look. It’s not as aggressive or outlandish as others in its price point, but that’s the allure of the new Territory. Modern while still looking appropriate for red carpet functions and gala nights.
The cabin is very familiar, but I’ll admit I had a slight learning curve. We initiated Apple CarPlay right away but when we were looking for the drive modes to try it out, we couldn’t find it. Apparently you have to go back to the Ford menu system, go Home, and then swipe from the left side of the screen. Why can’t you do this even with CarPlay on?
Apart from that, there’s also a more powerful wireless charger at 50-watts, and more output on the USB ports – at least according to Ford.
The biggest difference is the drive. The new Ford Territory has a complicated hybrid system that changes from EV, Series, Hybrid, and Energy Recovery. The good thing is you won’t have to bother learning them as the car switches on its own. You’re left with the usual Eco, Normal, and Sport modes to choose from in your throttle response. There’s a notable difference between the three and the Sport mode is good enough for the hill climb to Baguio.
Beneath the metal is a new dual-pinion steering system. This is paired to a 3-mode steering system that lets you choose from Normal, Comfort, and Sport. Normal is fairly weighted, while Comfort is the light and numb that some users would want for city driving. Sport is still fairly light during crawling speed, but get up to speed and it becomes weighted nicely. Combining the sport engine mode and sport steering mode is definitely a must for hill climbs as it made the Territory easier to manage on curvy roads.
What’s still missing here in the Ford Territory are paddle shifters. Granted, there’s a Low Gear Mode on the shifter to engage engine braking when on downhills. Only it activates when it wants to, so you still don’t have total control of the engine brake. There’s also no control for regenerative braking and so the car decides how efficient the hybrid system will be.
It won’t disappoint you though. During our stop over from Manila Bay to Rosario, La Union, we didn’t really lose range and instead, gained a few more despite the highway run. Once in Baguio, we still had a little more than half a tank and 300 km left in the range. We still had a quarter of the massive 60-liter tank left when we got back to Manila Bay without stopping over.
One thing that really makes the new Ford Territory good is the fact that it can go for 1,000km or more, without needing to plug-in. You seldom see that in basic hybrids today, even in Chinese ones. Usually they only have a combined range of over a thousand if the car has plug-in technology utilized. Here, you can gas up regularly and it will give you a lot of mileage per full tank. This is similar to the Honda CR-V e:HEV but this Ford Territory does it for a million pesos less. Definitely a banger of a hybrid.
There’s not really much to complain about in the Territory, aside from the lack of paddle shifters. It shifts smoothly, transitions from internal combustion engine to electric motor quietly, has a quiet cabin, good ride comfort, there’s a solid cover for the panoramic sunroof, and Advanced Driver Assist System is available. Also, even if you don’t buy the top of the line variant, you’re still getting the bang for the buck hybrid system.
