OVERVIEW
It's simple, really. Ford claims the Territory offers the appeal of a 4WD, the practicality of a people mover and the driving dynamics of a passenger car. At CarPoint.com.au we're not given to taking car company marketing types at their word just because we like 'em, so we thought we'd find out for ourselves.
In May 2004 we drove the Territory across 600km of New Zealand's picturesque south island. City streets, shopping centre parks, country roads, intercity highways, dirt tracks, grassy plains and hills -- every conceivable road surface an owner might venture onto.
The Territory impressed. Immensely.
In June 2004 we threw Territory into the Outback, to a chorus of cheers from some, and cries of foul play from others. We wanted to find its limits; to go beyond its comfort zone. We wanted to see how it compared with rivals Toyota Kluger and Holden Adventra in extreme conditions. To put these soft-roaders in perspective, we brought along two real 4WDs -- often used as suburban family movers -- the Toyota Prado and Mitsubishi Pajero.
Again we were impressed with Territory's abilities. Despite finishing last in our comparison, it acquitted itself remarkably well. So close was the result that, with more ground clearance and less of a petrol thirst, Territory might easily have finished ahead of Kluger and Adventra.
Now it's July 2004 and time to test Territory's mettle in a family-packed urban environment. How well does it cope with daily driving? With trips to the shops? With family outings? With baby seats? With Big Gulps, crayons and muddy shoes on seats?
But nothing's meant to be easy, so we've thrown its main seven-seat rivals into the mix. Honda's Odyssey has been trucking tribes for years, and was substantially revamped in 2004, so it's in. Mitsubishi's Grandis all but obliterated memories of the old Nimbus when it launched in May 2004, and is keen to show its now impressive credentials. Two down.
Holden's entrant in the family wagon market is the European Zafira, slightly smaller than the rest, but less expensive also. Toyota's Kluger, the winner of our Outback Attack, has people-moving pretensions, so it too deserved a shot at the title.
Let the battle for family values begin.
SAFETY
Ranking:
1. Mitsubishi Grandis
2. Ford Territory
3. Toyota Kluger
4. Honda Odyssey
5. Holden Zafira
There are winners and losers on the safety front with the equipment in some cases fitted standard and optional on others. All have traction control, dual front airbags and ABS brakes as standard.
The Mitsubishi Grandis, our number one pick, has driver and passenger airbags and load limiting seat belts up front. Side airbags are fitted for the front and second row seats and curtain airbags are standard. All seats have lap/sash belts and the second and third rows have child seat mounting points.
Ford's Territory has driver and passenger airbags standard. Side curtain airbags (a first for an Australian assembled vehicle) are standard on mid level TS and range topping Ghia, but they’re an $800 option on entry level TX. All seats are equipped with lap/sash belts, those in the front being load limiting. The second and third row seats have child seat mounting points. It would have equalled the Grandis were they standard, but a RWD Territory with third row seats and side airbags is still a cheaper option than the Grandis or Kluger with curtain bags.
Toyota's Kluger Grande comes with a lot more safety equipment as part of the deal. As with Zafira it has driver and passenger airbags supplemented by force limiting seat belts. The front seats have side mounted airbags as does the second row of seats. There are curtain airbags for all three rows. The second and third row seats have lap/sash belts and child seat mounting points. The Kluger just misses out on second because side airbags are not optional on CX and CVX.
The Honda Odyssey has pretty impressive safety credentials until you discover that the centre seat in the second row has only a lap belt. Independent safety research has shown that lap only belts are likely to cause significantly more internal injuries than lap/sash belts. This is unforgivable in a vehicle, and particularly one that is designed to carry families.
There are five child seat mounting points (second and third row) but those for the centre row are high up at the very rear of the cabin and will chafe the necks of third row passengers. The front cabin has driver, passenger and side airbags along with load limiting seat belts. There are curtain airbags, but only with the optional leather trim which is part of an optional luxury pack.
The Holden Zafira is the oldest of the group. It comes with passenger and driver airbags and load limiting seatbelts. All other rows get three point belts, but side airbags are not available. The front and second row seats have been bolstered to avoid 'submarining' under the seat belts in the event of a collision. There are three child seat mounting points for the second row seat, but not for the third row.
ON THE ROAD
Ranking:
1. Ford Territory
2. Toyota Kluger
3. Honda Odyssey
4. Mitsubishi Grandis
5. Holden Zafira
An easy win for Territory -- it is the closest vehicle in this category to a real driver's car. From its carefully designed driving position to a well controlled and compliant ride, Ford's two-tonne family wagon is undeniably the nicest to drive.
It's not the smoothest of this group over rougher roads, that accolade sits with the Grandis, but it is smooth. The engine is commendably quiet during regular urban use, and the cabin is well-insulated from outside noise. Driving is simplicity in practise, with well positioned controls, good all-round vision and light, accurate steering.
We've harped on about Territory's dynamic attributes in our May 2004 review, and you can read that by clicking on Territory in the grey box above. Suffice to say here that it does handle like a passenger car, showing an agility and poise that belies its bulk. Its weaknesses? None of any real consequence.
Kluger sits second in our mind because of its clinical efficiency. It's very smooth, very quiet, easy to drive and never surprises. It out accelerates the others yet doesn't drink heavily at the bowser. It demonstrates good body control in corners for a 4WD/pepole mover hybrid, but can't match the Territory's poise.
Next: Odyssey and Grandis. We question the validity of a 2.4-litre, four cylinder engine in a people mover, especially one expected to cope with up to 600kg of humans onboard. Honda and Mitsubishi should consider more powerful engines to make driving more effortless, especially given the quality of the rest of the dynamic package.
Both ride smoothly, though the Honda's dynamic edge comes at a minimal cost to comfort. Both exhibit impressively smooth and quiet drive-trains when driven easily, though need to be revved hard to exploit what small reserves of power each has. Both automatics have manual modes that come in handy on long hills or when overtaking.
The Zafira may present a strong dollar argument, but dynamically it's not up with the other vehicles in this group. It's been on sale four years in Oz, more than six in Europe, and its age is showing. On the road it rides less compliantly, makes the best of an underpowered drivetrain and can't match the others for cabin quietness or refinement. With a significantly new model due in 2005/6, the Zafira's day will come, but not today.
COST OF OWNERSHIP
Ranking:
1. Ford Territory
2. Honda Odyssey
3. Mitsubishi Grandis
4. Toyota Kluger
5. Holden Zafira
CarPoint has ranked the five vehicles based on retail price, resale value, 12 months servicing costs and comprehensive insurance estimates. Please note these figures are correct as of July 2004,and should serve as a guide for comparison only. Any person seeking to purchase one of the five vehicles should conduct their own research closer to the time of purchase.
RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE / AS TESTED
| Ford Territory TX $38,990 / $40,490 |
| Holden Zafira $32,890 / $34,890 |
| Honda Odyssey $38,790 / $45,290 |
| Mitsubishi Grandis $45,710 / $45,710 |
| Toyota Kluger CVX $48,990 / $58,990* |
* Toyota was unable to supply the requested CVX model, delivering a Grande instead. All specification comparisons use the CVX model.
Insurance
Twelve month comprehensive insurance estimate based on 35-year-old male, garaged off-street in Balwyn (Victoria). Assumes no finance on vehicle and driver has rating one and clean license.
| Ford Territory TX RWD $674.05 |
| Holden Zafira $936.28 |
| Honda Odyssey $882.32 |
| Mitsubishi Grandis $936.28 |
| Toyota Kluger Grande $681.14 |
Resale Value
Estimated resale value after three years or 60,000km expressed as a percentage of retail price.
| Ford Territory RX 68% |
| Holden Zafira 57% |
| Honda Odyssey 71% |
| Mitsubishi Grandis 59% |
| Toyota Kluger Grande 66% |
Servicing Costs
Assumes 20,000km per annum; however recommended servicing intervals vary from 10,000km, 15,000km and 20,000km. All prices include parts and labour. As labour rates vary from dealership to dealership, we have used an average indicative rate per hour.
| Ford Territory TX RWD |
| Service intervals 15,000km |
| 15,000km service $86.26 |
| |
| Holden Zafira |
| Service intervals 15,000km |
| 15,000 service $125.68 |
| |
| Honda Odyssey |
| Service intervals 10,000km |
| 10,000km service $149.10 |
| 20,000km service $165.58 |
| |
| Mitsubishi Grandis |
| Service intervals 15,000km |
| 15,000km service $137.41 |
| |
| Toyota Kluger Grande |
| Service intervals 10,000km |
| 10,000km service $121.80 |
| 20,000km service $149.19 |
Fuel Consumption
Government standard ADR81/01 used in each case. Figure represents litres used per 100km.
| Ford Territory 13.1 |
| Holden Zafira 8.3 |
| Honda Odyssey 9.4 |
| Mitsubishi Grandis 10.4 |
| Toyota Kluger 12.3 |
COMFORT
Ranking:
1. Ford Territory
2. Mitsubishi Grandis
3. Toyota Kluger
4. Honda Odyssey
5. Holden Zafira
All these vehicles offer space and comfort for five, but the story for the sixth and seventh passenger varies depending on the vehicle.
The Territory and Kluger offer commanding driving positions and forward vision is not compromised by intrusive A pillars like the Grandis, Zafira and Odyssey. All have plenty of front seat sprawling room, although the Zafira feels narrow compared to the others. All have good rear vision and adjustable head restraints are the order of the day.
The second row of seats are most likely to be used by kids, all feature good leg and head room and adults will find little to complain about. The widest door openings belong to the Territory with the others close behind. The ability to quickly and easily fit the child safety seats is important and only the Odyssey makes that overly difficult with the second row mounting point being behind the third row.
It's when you get to the third row seats that things start to deteriorate. The Territory and Zafira both suffered from a stiff and difficult to operate sliding mechanism for the second row which made access tricky. The Kluger, Odyssey and Grandis all presented little problem in folding the second row, but require a bit of dexterity for kids (or adults) to clamber in.
Once in the third row it is clear that the compromise between passenger and luggage space has been handled better by some than others. The Zafira requires the second row to be slid all the way forward to raise the third row and there is not a lot of space, small kids only. The Territory and Kluger have marginally less leg room than the Odyssey and Grandis. We rate the Odyssey as the most comfortable with the Grandis second.
If you are carrying seven people and luggage then the Territory and Kluger have the edge. The Odyssey and Grandis are next with the Zafira having virtually no luggage room when set up as a seven seater. The use of roof bars will be needed on all if you want to carry seven people and their luggage for anything more than a weekend away.
VERDICT
Ranking:
1. Ford Territory
2. Mitsubishi Grandis
3. Honda Odyssey
4. Toyota Kluger
5. Holden Zafira
Geez, what a tough decision! In such an incredibly close field only one position was obvious -- the Holden Zafira. It's not a bad vehicle, is the most affordable to own and service, and has the best fuel economy, but the other vehicles in our comparison have raised the bar beyond the Zafira's modest abilities.
Fourth goes to the Toyota Kluger. In this instance it's good but not great. Middling price/equipment levels, an uncomfortable and tight rear seat, and high servicing costs don't help the cause, despite being the only all-wheel drive, returning good fuel consumption figures and being cheap to insure.
It really is an indication of how close the top four are that a very capable vehicle like the Kluger finishes so low. It's a four star car in a four star field, but in our opinion the Odyssey, Grandis and Territory are better choices.
Odyssey gets this high only because of its low price/high equipment levels. It is only adequately powered, has a high insurance cost and the highest servicing cost which outweigh its impressive fuel economy. The safety package is incomplete and more thought needs to be given to child seat anchor points.
Mitsubishi's Grandis is a real surprise, and a worthy second in this test. The Nimbus it replaced was a quiet achiever that failed to ignite buyers with mundane looks and middling abilities. So it's easy to see why Mitsubishi went with a new name lest this extremely capable and eminently attractive package be lumped with emotional baggage.
Mitsubishi's significant price drop just days after the keenly specced Odyssey arrived in June 2004 was a smart move -- good enough to put it ahead of the Honda in this instance. It also scored better in safety and interior versatility than Honda's lowrider and, though it carries a higher price tag, Grandis has the features to justify the extra cost. But for a more enthusiastic engine and another thousand off, it might have bested our winner.
Which means the Ford Territory takes first prize. It performed strongly in all our categories, and just pipped Grandis thanks to stronger value for money, a better resale value and cheaper insurance. Fuel consumption is a negative compared to the traditional people mover, but the $300 annual insurance saving and extra engine power are certainly appreciated and, in our book, make up for the difference.
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - MPVs
Our families speak
In order to find out what car buyers think of the vehicles in our people mover comparison we asked real families what they thought. Five families with up to four children each spent a day poring over every car, driving them, and opening every nook and cranny to discover what worked and appealed to them. This is what they had to say.
Jenkins family of four currently in a Honda Odyssey
Klodinsky family of four currently in a Holden Commodore wagon
Maizels family of four currently in a Rover 75 sedan
Patullo family of six currently in a Toyota LandCruiser
Scarth family of four currently in a Holden Commodore wagon Grandis, Odyssey and Zafira:
For the only family that constantly needed a seven seater with baby Georgie, Jessica, 5 Chloe 9 and Jamie 11, there was only one choice for Brendan and Gail Patullo. And that was the Mitsubishi Grandis.
"The seat flexibility was the best and because we have got to seat four children, we can split the rear seat and it folds flat. It had the rear air conditioning, it was smooth and quiet and comfortable to drive, had plenty of space and room in the back," says Brendan.
The lack of a split third row in the two SUVs and Honda Odyssey ruled them out as it meant a vast reduction in luggage space. And although they liked a number of features in the Zafira, it was too small overall.
Brendan admits that the Honda felt the nicest to drive -- a sentiment echoed by many of the drivers -- but apart from the unsuitability for the Patullo's circumstances, the positioning of the child restraint points and the lack of a centre lap sash belt crossed it off the list.
"I think the Honda Odyssey is more of a refined car but it had those glaring faults with the seatbelt and the child restraints."
For those who didn't need the constant third row, it was the refinement of the car and its high level of equipment that made it the transport of choice for the Maizel and Klodinsky families.
"I would put the Odyssey at number one" says Andrew Maizels. "It’s a good smooth drive, its quiet. Of all the cars probably only one of them wasn't a nice quiet drive, that would be the Zafira. But for me the Honda had the real driver satisfaction, and the luxury."
Eric Klodinsky agreed. "The Odyssey would be my pick. The level of appointment, the luxury, the look of it and the price -- it is great value for money."
Although everyone enjoyed driving the new Odyssey, there were a number of comments about its poor frontal visibility with a thick A-pillar. The inability to see the length of the bonnet because of the lower driving position was seen as a potential problem when parking.
In everyone's list the Holden Zafira fared the worst. Apart from its reasonably zippy performance, it was criticized for being harsh, noisy, and uncomfortable. "A Barina on steroids," commented Andrew Maizels.
The kids tended to agree, preferring the relative luxuries of the others but the one thing that won them all over was the fact that, in the Odyssey we used, you could fold the rear seat into the floor at the press of an electric button.
Seems gimmicks sell at all ages.
Kluger and Territory:
Seven-seat options for both the Territory and the Kluger pitches them squarely into the people mover market. But the overriding opinion from our family testers was that if you do need to shift more than five people on a regular basis, the traditional people movers were still the preferred option.
Although the manufacturers would like to think that their third rows are adequate for kids, the constant feedback from our little testers who were mostly aged between 8 and 11, was that both the SUVs lacked leg and foot room.
The Territory fared a little better with most of the kids saying the seat itself was comfy enough but the small bench in the Kluger was hard and uncomfortable.
What was appreciated in both vehicles was the space, storage cubbies, ride comfort and V6 power with the Toyota garnering the highest praise for its smooth engine and transmission.
As the car of choice for the Scarth family, Peter says it was the way the Kluger drove and felt on the road that sold him although he still questioned the value of the car as a seven seater.
"As you get older you become a bit of a taxi so you truck the friends of your kids around so you would use the extra seats. But whether you would want one with the trade-off in space, I'm not sure. Our Commodore at $30,000 does everything that you want it to and if you needed that extra seat you could put one in there for about $2000 and with these you are looking at an extra $10,000," Peter says.
Like the Kluger, most of the families enjoyed the space, comfort and solid feeling of the Territory with the Jenkins, who currently own a Honda Odyssey, putting it ahead of all the rest.
Margaret says she was surprised at her choice and thought she would like the new Odyssey but with the Territory having the higher driving position and the six cylinder power it won out.
"I would go for the Territory and if I could afford it I would go for a higher model to get a few extras. In terms of handling and comfort, it’s the best and I loved the six-cylinder power," she says.
"There is a little bit of a negative with the storage space at the back [with the third row seat] and it doesn't go deep.
"I know it is the base spec but with $3000 or $4000 to add on other things it really comes in at good value."
FAMILY VERDICT
So, what did our families pick? Seems the sleek new Odyssey won two hearts despite the embarrassing and potentially dangerous safety lapse of a lap-only seat belt in the centre seat. Ford's Territory won admiring looks from most, but only one family put it top of their shopping list. Mitsubishi's clever Grandis and the bland-looking Toyota Kluger also polled one vote each, while the Zafira found no-one willing to give it a home..
But a sample size of five is hardly basis for sweeping assessments, because each of our families had quite different needs. For example, both of Odyssey's families were beyond the child seat stage, meaning the clumsy child seat anchor setup was of no consequence. The Territory and Kluger were chosen by active families with only a sporadic need to carry more than four -- suggesting that sports gear is a more likely third row occupant.
The Grandis, however, demonstrated its versatility by attracting our biggest family to its ability to swallow two baby capsules and still have useable room for their two other kids. Does that make it a winner? With the Patullos, definitely.
Jenkins family of four currently in a Honda Odyssey – FORD TERRITORY
Klodinsky family of four currently in a Holden Commodore wagon – HONDA ODYSSEY
Maizels family of four currently in a Rover 75 sedan – HONDA ODYSSEY
Patullo family of six currently in a Toyota LandCruiser – MITSUBISHI GRANDIS
Scarth family of four currently in a Holden Commodore wagon – TOYOTA KLUGER