Living With It – Ford Territory 1.8T Trend AT [Update 2]

The Territory continues to excel, both as a daily driver and on the open road, though its average fuel consumption has taken a knock. Kyle Kock shares his thoughts from halfway in on the test cycle…

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Time spent: Three of six months
Distance covered: 11 578 km
Average fuel consumption: 9.84 L/100 km
We like: Lots of room, especially for rear occupants
We don’t like: Hauling that much weight takes its toll on fuel efficiency

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Three months into its tenure at CAR, the Ford Territory’s spacious design and composed road manners have made it a favourite on the fleet, frequently tasked with assisting on shoots and hauling gear. Initial frustrations with the aggressive throttle and brake-pedal calibration have largely been resolved by using ECO mode and adopting a more measured approach when bringing the car to a stop.

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On the daily school run and the 18 km commute to the office, the Territory has proven effortless to drive. When not fitted with kids’ booster seats, adult passengers have been quick to praise the generous rear legroom, which is among the best in its segment. A midweek getaway to Paternoster provided an opportunity to put the Territory through its paces, and it excelled, easily overtaking slower-moving traffic. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm behind the wheel has caused a slight uptick in average fuel consumption, though I’m optimistic this will settle to around the mid-eights soon.

That said, the Panther Black Metallic finish, while undeniably attractive, has proven challenging to maintain, as it tends to show dirt more readily than lighter colors.

Find the full feature in the December issue of CAR Magazine.

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