INTRODUCTION
Ford Endeavour the car that needs no introduction in the Indian market. Especially after the Ford closed its operations in India, the demand for Endeavour in used car market is very demanding and the prices are sky high.
There is news going all around that Ford is returning back to India with the Endeavour launch.So we had an opportunity to review the Ford Endeavour here in Australia before the car gets launched in India.
Here in Australia Endeavour comes with 2.0L Bi-Turbo & V6 diesel options, so we have reviewed the 2.0L Bi-Turbo variant which is the engine we are going to get in India if launched.
In India Endeavour is rivaled against the monopoly of the segment Toyota Fortuner andalsoMG Gloster.
EXTERIOR
The first thing you notice in this SUV is its size. Measuring 4914mmlong, 1,923mmwideand 1,837mm tall, the Ford Endeavour is huge. From the side, the car looks massive and long. The long footprint gives the Endeavour a stately appeal. From the rear, again, its simplicity that rules.Despite the straightforward approach to design, the Endeavour looks sophisticated and fitting to the class. It gets an automatic tailgate that can open and close at the touch of a button. In case your hands are full and the key fob is in your pocket, the tailgate opens up to ease things up for you.
INTERIOR
Getting into the Endeavour is made easier by a set of side steps as it’s a fair way up. Once I found I had to wiggle around a bit to get comfortable in the driver’s seat. All seats in the Endeavourare finished in a black leather-accented upholstery, also it has 10 ways of electric adjustment for the driver’s seat, and eight ways of electric adjustment for the front passenger’s seat. The front seats are also heated and ventilated.The driver’s seat is extremely comfortable with plenty of side bolstering holding you in place.
Endeavour receives the larger 12.0-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system, which looks very high-resolution but is an absolute fingerprint magnet. Apple CarPlay andAndroidAuto are both available via wired and wireless connections. You can change between two view sizes for the smartphone mirroring, with a larger square or smaller rectangular window. The latter of these frees up a range of shortcut buttons. Satellite navigation comes as standard on the Endeavour range and is extremely easy to use. A strange part of the Endeavour’s interior, is the climate control set-up. Parts of it are integrated into the touchscreen, whereas the other parts are physical buttons and knobs.There’s a weird double-up of the temperature controls; they’re able to be adjusted either physically or by tapping the screen. I still don’t really see the point of having both…
Around the cabin of the Endeavour there is a mixture of both softer and harder plastics. Thankfully, softer stuff is around high-traffic touch points like the armrests and the main section of the dashboard.
Moving to the second row, the second-row seats both slide and recline which allows second-row passengers to relax, or to maximize cargo capacity. In terms of second-rowamenities, there are thankfully a set of grab handles to allow for easier ingress and egress, a separate blower control with roof-mounted air vents, and a 12V socket.
In terms of boot space with the third row of seats upright, there’s 259 litres of boot capacity–and it’s actually fairly usable. This expands to a generous 898 litres with the third row folded away,and an almost van-like 1823 litres with the second and third rows of seats folded.
HOW IS IT TO DRIVE?
The Endeavour comes 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine produces healthy output of 200 HP and 500Nm, which means it will keep up with traffic with no problems whatsoever. The Endeavour comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission that keeps the revs in the torqueband,which is between 1750 and 2000rpm.
Around the city the Endeavour is extremely compliant, though at low speeds and during parking manoeuvres, the Endeavour receives a more passenger – and speed bump friendly –multi-linkcoil rear suspension setup. There’s no denying how well the Endeavour rides as it was tuned for our road conditions. At higher speeds the Endeavour really finds its groove and it’s where it feels most comfortable. Driving on the highway or freeway you definitely get a ‘King of the Road’ feeling as you sit up so high.
On the safety front, the Endeavour is pretty much fully loaded and comes with plenty of active safety equipment. Like the adaptive cruise control system is outstanding. Its response to vehicles is really natural as it accelerates progressively and it doesn’t overreact and brake heavily when vehicles pull in front of you. The lane-keep assist works really well and takes a bit for it to get confused. The same goes for the lane-centring function which is really strong and correct for the most part.
WHAT’S GOOD
➢ Looks good and premium design
➢ Drives & handles good in most of the road conditions
➢ Feature-loaded and spacious interior
➢ Punchy performing diesel engine
➢ Seats are very much comfortable & spacious
WHAT’S NOT GOOD
➢ Space at the 3rd row can be much better
➢ Engine refinement could be done well
SPECIFICATIONS
➢ Engine: 2.0 L , 4-Cyl, Diesel (Twin Turbo)
➢ Power: 207 HP
➢ Torque: 500 Nm
➢ Transmission: 10-Speed AT
➢ Fuel Type: Diesel
➢ Tyre Size: 255/65/18 (Front & Rear)
➢ Brakes: Disc (Front & Rear)
➢ Safety: 9 Airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, Hill Start Assist, Brake Assist, ADAS&More..
PRICE
Ford Endeavour price range starts from 25 lakhs and all the way upto 41 lakhs for the range-topping 3.0L V6 here in Australia. But if it’s launched in India the prices will be on the higher sidedue to taxes. Possibly it will be positioned alongside with the price figures of Toyota Fortuner and MG Gloster.
Pricing plays a major role in the sales of Ford Endeavour in India, if the price is perfect it will have a massive comeback as it is good in all possible ways compared to its overpriced rival.
