Ford Territory v Kia Sorento v Holden Captiva 7 v Hyundai Santa Fe 2011 Comparison

Before these mid-size ‘faux’-wheel-drives arrived, many mums and dads battled the daily grind in heavy-duty 4x4s such as the Toyota Prado, Nissan Patrol or Mitsubishi Pajero. Even though they rarely ventured off the beaten track, four-wheel-drive wagons were embraced because of their elevated driving position, seven-seat capacity and ample cargo space. They also fuelled our dream of one day making the great escape.

The downsides? They were a bit rugged to drive in the urban jungle and had high running costs.

So it’s little wonder midsize softroaders have carved out such a sizeable slice of the new-car market in such a short time. They combine the tall driving position, seven seats and ample cargo space in a vehicle that drives more like a car, has lower running costs and, in most cases, is easier to park than a heavy duty 4x4.

Japan’s Toyota Kluger was the pioneer of the seven-seater ‘crossover’ segment globally. Germany’s BMW wasn’t far behind, with its X5 ‘sports activity vehicle’. Indeed, both cars were purchased and used as benchmarks by Ford Australia while it designed and engineered the original Territory in the early 2000s.

A decade on, midsize softroaders outsell large 4WD wagons by more than seven-to-one – and account for one-third of all SUV sales in Australia.

With that in mind, we’ve gathered four of the most popular examples of the breed for a back-to-back test.

The main reason we’re here is the new Ford Territory. Fully seven years after it went on sale (and recently subject to a major facelift), it is now available with a turbodiesel engine.

We’ve also included the recently facelifted Holden Captiva Series II, which among other changes is available with an all-new diesel. Likewise, fellow Korean-made softroaders, the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento (twins under the skin but with different body styles) which share Hyundai-Kia’s new-generation ‘R Series’ turbodiesel engine.

We’ve chosen to test the diesel variants because they account for at least half – or more than half – of all sales in this segment where a diesel engine is available.

The highly regarded Toyota Kluger – which is among the top sellers in the class and relatively frugal among its petrol-powered peers – is not included in this test because it is not available with a diesel option. The same goes for the Mazda CX-9.

Here’s how they compare.

The Ford Territory has been a family favourite since it went on sale in 2004. The multiple award winner was praised for its car-like road manners and clever interior, but many customers have not enjoyed the petrol engine’s high fuel bills.

Ford has attempted to ease some of the pain at the pump with a turbodiesel engine that coincides with a freshen-up inside and out.

It also coincides with a price rise. The Territory was previously available for $36,990 driveaway in rear-wheel drive form, but the starting price for a petrol model is now $39,990 plus on-road costs.

The TDCi diesel variants carry a further $3250 price premium (starting price $43,240 plus on-roads). Add all-wheel-drive and the price climbs to $48,240 plus on-roads. The mid-grade TS we’ve tested is $55,240 while a Territory Titanium with the works is luxury SUV money at $63,240.

For your extra, hard-earned lease repayments, the 2011 Territory gets a new nose and tail, but the core structure of the vehicle (the roof, frame and doors) carry over from before.

Most vehicles are replaced with all-new models after five or six years, but Ford has had to extend the life of the Territory by giving the old architecture a thorough going-over. In addition to the visual update, Ford has re-tuned the suspension, fitted an all-new electric power steering system and introduced a touchscreen display in the cabin. Accordingly all models come with wireless Bluetooth phone connection, i-Pod integration and a USB port for portable music devices.

The Territory’s largely unchanged interior layout still holds up a decade after the original was designed. Power outlets and storage cubbies abound (all 30 of them), including a side pocket by each front seat for handbags, manbags or wet umbrellas… But little things show the Territory’s age, such as the lack of an auto-up power window for the driver.

The 2011 model gains the new, more modern and more comfortable steering wheel and controls from the latest Falcon sedan. But perhaps the greatest trick up its sleeve is the new navigation system available on the dearer models. It gives customers the choice of getting to their destination more quickly or more efficiently by choosing the fastest or most economical route.

Another small but important development: the navigation system allows drivers to search their destination by street if the suburb is unknown or if the address borders two suburbs. (Most systems insist on a suburb first).

A rear-view camera is standard on the top two model grades while the base model only comes with rear sensors. This seems an odd oversight on a new model given that SUVs are over-represented in deaths and serious injuries of infants and small children in driveways.

Toyota’s Kluger and the Mazda CX-9 have had rear-view cameras as standard on all models for some time. But, as we would discover, some of these SUVs don’t get rear sensors at all on some models.

As before, the 2011 Territory comes with front, side and curtain airbags – and the curtain airbags still do not extend to the third-row seats, they only cover the first two rows. Ford has, however, fitted an airbag under the steering column to protect the driver’s knee, bringing the airbag tally to seven.

The outgoing model’s five-star safety rating by ANCAP is expected to carry over.

Some changes, however, appear to have favoured style over substance. The sleek headlights which help give the 2011 Territory its striking looks don’t project as broad or as bright a beam. It’s a shame, as it was one of the original Territory’s many attributes.

Not surprisingly, given its dimensions, the Territory is the roomiest here, particularly for the heads, shoulders, knees and toes of second-row seat occupants.

The third row has sufficient headroom, but there’s no room for knees or feet unless the second-row seat slides forward.

While Ford has done an excellent job of making the Territory interior appear more upmarket from the driver’s point of view, hard-touch plastics dominate the rest of the cabin.

Presumably all is forgiven by the driving experience. The Territory is a cut above the competition when it comes to blending comfort and confident handling.

It disguises its 2.1 tonnes well, and you can feel through the steering wheel (and the seat of your pants) exactly where each corner of the car is at any time. More so than the others cars here, it feels connected to the road and does an admirable job of ironing out the bumps. The suspension feels taut without being bone-jarring over bumps.

Interestingly, the turbodiesel engine doesn’t blight handling, because it weighs almost the same as the petrol engine (210.5kg v 210kg). (Customarily, diesel engines are heavier than petrol engines and add unwelcome weight over the nose of the car, adversely affecting steering response). However, TDCi Territorys do weigh between 50kg and 55kg more than their petrol equivalent because of the extra sound deadening, unique cross-members and AWD-capable six-speed transmission that go with it.

The changes mean that Ford has done a good job of suppressing the rat-tat-tat of the diesel engine from the cabin, but the performance and economy of the engine itself could be better.

The Territory’s 2.7-litre V6 is the same turbodiesel that has powered the Land Rover Discovery since 2004. Its peak output figures of 140kW and 440Nm are identical to the Land Rover’s, and equate to 30 per cent less power and 12 per cent more torque (the measure of an engine’s ability to overcome resistance) than the 4.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine that has been the exclusive source of power for the Territory until now.

Given the diesel’s torque advantage, we expected the Territory TDCi to be as quick as – if not quicker than – the petrol Territory. Thus it was a surprise to find that it is not only noticeably slower, it is barely on par with its rivals.

It also has the most noticeable power delay when moving from rest, and is the thirstiest of this quartet (8.8L/100km according to the fuel rating label – 18 per cent more than the most frugal vehicle here, the Kia Sorento, rated at 7.4L/100km).

The diesel Territory may be 350kg lighter than the Discovery with the same engine, but it is 235kg heavier than the Holden Captiva, 180kg heavier than the Kia Sorento and 150kg up on the Hyundai Santa Fe – all of which have engines with similar power.

On the plus side, the diesel engine has delivered a higher towing capacity for the Territory. The petrol version is still rated at 2300kg but the diesel can tow up to 2700kg, giving the Territory a clear advantage over the competition. The Captiva’s towing capacity is rated at just 1700kg, while the Kia and Hyundai manage 2000kg each.

Ford Territory TS AWD TDCi
Price: $55,240
Engine: 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel
Output: 140kW/440Nm
Transmission/Final drive: six-speed automatic/all-wheel drive
Wheels/Tyres: 18 x 7.5-inch, 235/55 R18
Fuel/CO2: 8.8L/100km; 232g/km

Holden’s Australian-designed but Korean-built softroader, the Captiva was originally launched in 2006, just as the homegrown Ford Territory was starting to hit its straps.

Captiva sales were initially weak but in the years that followed Holden gradually got the Captiva formula right. Thus in the past two years the Captiva has outsold the Territory – but so far this year the Territory has regained the lead among the seven-seater softroaders.

And so, five years after the original Captiva went on sale, we have a midlife update. As with the Ford Territory, the Captiva is getting long in the tooth. But it will need to soldier on for a couple more years in its latest, Series II guise, before an all-new model arrives.

What we have in the meantime is the old car with a new nose, three new engines, an electric park brake, extra equipment – and some tyre and suspension changes.

Wireless Bluetooth phone connectivity is standard on all Captiva models, but the SX and CX have 3.5mm sockets for portable music devices, while the LX comes with a USB socket.

Despite extra equipment, the cost of most Captiva models has been cut by $2000, although one model has been slashed by $6000. Seven of the nine variants are now priced below $40,000.

Of interest to us are the seven-seat diesels, which in SX guise start at $35,490 ($3000 more than the surprisingly impressive four-cylinder petrol variant). The mid-grade CX is $39,490 ($1000 more than the V6 petrol, the least impressive of the three engine choices). And the flagship LX diesel with the works (the model we tested) is $43,490, or $2000 less than before.

With the arrival of the Series II range, all Captivas come with hill-start assist, cruise control, leather steering wheel, a new air-conditioning system and controls, and up to 28 cabin storage compartments (including a really clever, hidden, sliding compartment in the centre console).

The mid-grade CX Captiva 7 gains 18-inch alloy wheels, six-CD player, chrome exhaust tips and front fog lamps. The top-line LX Captiva 7 gets 19-inch alloy wheels, 7-inch touch screen with navigation, leather upholstery, chrome-look door handles and illuminated vanity mirrors.

Driveway safety varies from model to model in the new Captiva range. Three of the four models have rear parking sensors as standard, although this potentially life-saving feature is optional on the one vehicle that will appeal to families on a tight budget: the most affordable seven-seater. Instead, on the SX, it's a dealer-fit accessory likely to add about $300 to the cost of the car. In our opinion it should be a standard factory-fit item.

The mid-grade CX Captiva 7 comes with rear parking sensors while the top-line LX Captiva 7 comes with rear sensors and a rear view camera.

Other safety equipment includes six airbags – but as with the Ford Territory, the side curtain airbags do not extend to the third-row seats.

Underbody changes to the Series II are unlikely to elevate the Captiva’s score of four stars in ANCAP crash testing.

Four stars may be deemed “acceptable” by ANCAP, but the game has moved on. Today, a four star rating puts the Captiva in the same company as the Chinese-made SUV from Great Wall Motors. The Captiva's main rivals all have five-star safety ratings.

The Captiva is not the biggest SUV in the medium-sized class, but it's not the smallest. It sits somewhere in between. The second-row seat has slightly less kneeroom than the Territory, but offers similar space to its Korean peers, the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, except for shoulder room.

The third-row seat has good head-room and foot-room, but knee and shoulder room are tight.

None of these medium-sized softroaders are as spacious as a purpose-built peoplemover such as a Toyota Tarago, Kia Carnival or Hyundai iMax. If you're planning on carrying growing teenagers, get them to climb in the back of an SUV and a peoplemover before you sign on the dotted line.

Despite efforts to brighten up the Captiva’s interior, it’s difficult to ignore the hard, shiny plastics and basic graphics for the displays. As with the Territory, the Captiva 7 lacks auto-up windows (oddly, the cheaper Captiva 5 comes with them as it was originally designed for Opel in Europe).

The Captiva’s 2.2-litre turbodiesel is an all-new design and doesn’t have the initial lag in power of its predecessor. Although it has the least amount of power and torque (135kW/400Nm) among this quartet, it also has the least amount of weight to shift.

Compared to the Territory, there is little to no delay in power from rest, and it feels more spritely than the Ford once it has some pace on board. But it could do with some of the Territory’s sound deadening. The Captiva has a noisy diesel engine and plenty of road roar from the tyres.

The turning circle, too, is the worst of this bunch. It needs more room than a Toyota LandCruiser Prado to make a U-turn (the Prado’s turning radius is 11.6m, the Captiva’s is 11.8m -- the other Korean 4WDs can do an about-face in 10.8 or 10.9m). So the Captiva is hard work getting into or out of tight spots.

Holden has tried to address criticism of vague steering and ordinary handling of the original model by giving the Captiva Series II a suspension overhaul, which also includes a new selection of tyres.

The Captiva Series II suspension was tuned by the team of engineers that tuned the Commodore to suit our roads. But they haven’t been able to work the same magic. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with the Captiva; it steers okay for most people's suburban needs but the Ford Territory and the Kia Sorento drive better.

Unfortunately, in an attempt to make the Captiva hug the road a little better, it’s made the suspension a lot busier. On uneven surfaces you can feel wobbly bits on your body that you never knew you had. At least it feels more secure on the road than our next contender.

Hyundai has made huge improvements over the past five years – and it could be argued that its maturing as a carmaker started with this model, released in November 2006.

The new generation Santa Fe marked a massive step forward for Korea’s largest carmaker -- Asia’s second-biggest behind Toyota and the world’s fourth-biggest behind Toyota, General Motors and the Volkswagen Group.

Not wanting to rest on its laurels, Hyundai updated the Santa Fe just three years after it was released, while Holden and Ford took five and seven years respectively to introduce new engines. As a sign of faith in the new levels of quality and dependability of its latest generation vehicles, Hyundai began offering five-year, unlimited kilometre warranties across its range just a few months after this iteration of the Santa Fe went on sale.

Now a little over 18 months old, pricing of the updated model starts at $36,990 plus on-road costs for the petrol 3.5 V6 front-wheel drive SLX variant. The 2.2 diesel is only $1000 more at $37,990 – and adds all-wheel-drive.

The mid-grade Elite model with diesel power is a $5000 jump to $43,990, while the top-line Highlander diesel (the model we tested) jumps another $5000, to $48,990.

Standard equipment on the Santa Fe SLX includes the usual mod-cons such as remote entry and air-conditioning, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear fog lights, and illuminated vanity mirrors. But conspicuous by its absence is wireless Bluetooth phone connectivity; it’s a dealer-fit accessory on all Santa Fe models, and is the only vehicle in this group that doesn’t have it as standard.

The Elite gains a push-button start with sensor key, dual-zone air-conditioning, power adjustment for the driver’s seat, leather steering wheel and gear lever, chrome door handles, and roof rails.

The top-grade Highlander gains a sunroof, leather seats, electric folding side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, power adjustment for the front passenger’s seat, a premium sound system with a six-CD player and 18-inch alloy wheels.

In size, the Santa Fe fits between the smaller Captiva and larger Territory.

Its interior is pleasing, with lots of grey and black highlighted by blue backlighting on the instruments and controls, although annoyingly the blue ‘D’ which illuminates when ‘Drive’ is selected can be mistaken for a high beam warning lamp.

Comfort and convenience equipment includes an auto-up power window for the driver and, as with all vehicles here except the Territory, convex wide-view mirrors on both sides of the car. The Santa Fe also has a wide-view interior mirror adjacent to the rear view mirror, so you can sneak a glance or a glare at any kids in the back who may need a wiping or a swiping.

The Hyundai has a foot-operated park brake (as opposed to a hand brake on the Ford and Kia or the electronic park brake of the Holden), which people either love or hate. We don’t mind, as long as it stops the car from moving when it’s parked.

The Santa Fe doesn’t have as many storage cubbies as the Holden or Ford, but a twin-lid centre console, deep door pockets front and rear, and recesses in the door pulls, make good use of available space.
Head and kneeroom in the second row is at par for the class, but getting to the third-row seat is a bit more of a scramble than it is in the other cars.

Once there, a teenager may find their head and knees touching the roof and seatback, but at least there’s room for their feet.

They’ll also have plenty of air, with vents for occupants in all three rows.

Under the boot floor is a full-size spare wheel and tyre. Hyundai (and Kia) ought to be commended for this. Incredibly, the Australian designed and engineered Holden and Ford softroaders only come with space-saver spares. Cue the sound of us tut-tutting…

As with the other vehicles in this test, driveway safety varies from model to model. The SLX and Elite come only with rear parking sensors, while the flagship Highlander comes with rear sensors and a rear camera.

The Santa Fe has been awarded five stars for crash protection by consumer guide ANCAP and comes with six airbags. Importantly for the precious cargo in the back, the curtain airbags extend all the way to the third-row seats. It is the only vehicle in this quartet to do so, but not the only one in the class – Toyota’s Kluger and the Mazda CX-9 seven-seaters also have curtain airbags that cover all three seat rows.

The Hyundai’s safety features and safety rating offer peace of mind, but at times the driving experience does not. The steering feels too direct and too responsive; at times it can unnerve the car. The track feels narrow and the steering rack can rattle if you encounter bumps while driving out of tight corners.

We ran all the cars over the same roads at the same leisurely pace, and the Santa Fe was the only one to reveal this trait.

Despite regular improvements to and localisation of Hyundai cars, the Santa Fe still feels less connected to the road than the others here.

With the 2009 facelift, the Santa Fe was blessed with a new diesel heart. The earlier diesel engine was replaced by a smooth operator of Hyundai’s own design. With an output of 145kW and 436Nm it has 27 per cent more power and 21 per cent more torque than before – and yet is more fuel efficient (almost equal-best with the Kia, 7.5L/100km versus the 7.4L/100km).

There’s only a slight hint of power delay when moving from rest and noise is kept to a dull roar.

The Santa Fe generally impressed our panel of testers, who agreed its driving dynamics were its only serious flaw. This became more apparent when we got behind the wheel of the Santa Fe’s twin under the skin, the Kia Sorento.

To understand why Kia has seemingly become an overnight sensation we need a quick history lesson – because, in fact, it has taken the company more than half a century to get where it is today.

Kia is Korea’s oldest carmaker. Indeed, established in 1944 it is older than Holden – at least its time under GM stewardship. But Kia didn’t come to international prominence until a partnership with Ford and Mazda, making two generations of the Festiva small car between 1986 and 2000.

Following bankruptcy during the Asian financial crisis in 1997, Kia was very nearly taken over by Ford. But fellow Korean maker Hyundai stepped in and took control, and the two companies have been joined at the hip ever since. Kia set up in Australia under its own brand soon after the takeover, in 1997.

Although today Hyundai and Kia share engines, technology and core underbody structures, the cars have unique designs, model cycles and the sales divisions operate as separate entities – in competition with each other.

This is important background because it helps explain where Kia fits inside the Hyundai-Kia bureaucracy – and why there is a three-to-five-month wait for a diesel Sorento. Hyundai gets first dibs on the in-demand diesel engine, while Kia gets what’s left.

When Hyundai stepped in and rescued Kia in the late 1990s, it probably didn’t expect its little brother to recover so strongly. Under Hyundai’s ownership, Kia has enjoyed the same improvements in quality and durability over the past decade. But, rather ironically, Kia is also partly responsible for pushing Hyundai to improve.

Kia has out-smarted its big brother on a number of crucial fronts. In 2006 it poached former Audi/VW Group designer Peter Schreyer (who worked on the Audi TT sports coupe, A3 hatch, and A4 and A6 sedans). And Kia has done better at getting its cars to drive well (more on that shortly).

The sharply-styled new Kia Sorento SUV, launched in October 2009, was Schreyer’s first Kia creation. All other models launched since then have adopted his design flair.

There are four models in the latest Sorento range: a 3.5 V6 petrol 2WD in base Si grade ($36,490 plus on-roads) and 2.2 diesel AWD versions available in Si ($39,990), SLi ($46,190) and Platinum ($49,190) all of which are between $1000 and $3000 dearer than the Hyundai, which is better equipped.

The Si has the basics covered (and comes with a flip-key, electric folding side mirrors, leather steering wheel and gear selector).

The substantial $6200 price jump to the SLi buys auto headlights, LED taillights, leather seats, auto up on the driver’s window, eight-way adjustment on the driver’s seat, and the third row vents gain temperature controls.

On top of those features, the Platinum gains a push-button start with proximity key, projector-style headlights, privacy glass, twin sunroofs and a premium sound system.

In our opinion, the Platinum is loaded for the money, but the mid-grade SLi we tested seems either over-priced or deserves at least some of the Platinum’s goodies given there is only $3000 between them. But maybe Kia can afford to be a bit cheeky. It can’t get enough Sorentos as it is.

The other ace up Kia’s sleeve (locally, at least) is that it has recognised the need to fine-tune steering and suspension to suit Australian conditions (something which has come late to its counterpart Hyundai). Thus Kia has had local input into its cars for at least the past three years – and is reaping the rewards.

The Kia Sorento drives infinitely better than the Santa Fe, even though they are both share basically the same underbody structure and have an almost-identical footprint. The Kia feels more secure on the road, as if it has a sumo-wrestler stance. The steering is more linear, and even the brake pedal has better feel.

Although the Sorento has the same impressive diesel engine as the Santa Fe, it seems marginally quieter (perhaps the Kia has more sound deadening) but the Sorento does emit more tyre and road noise than the Sante Fe and Territory.

Subjectively, the Sorento feels like it has more head, shoulder and knee room for second-row seat occupants than the Hyundai. The back seat is more comfortable, too, our testers reported.

Elsewhere in the cabin, the compulsory storage compartment requirements are easily met, with deep pockets in all four doors, recesses in the door pulls and a massive centre console.

All Sorento models come with wireless Bluetooth phone connectivity and USB ports for portable music devices and iPod integration.

As with the base model Captiva, the base model Sorento does not come with rear parking sensors (they are a $300 dealer-fit accessory). The mid-grade SLi has rear sensors while the top-grade Platinium has rear sensors and a camera (with a display in the rear view mirror).

The Sorento comes with six airbags and a five-star crash-safety rating from consumer guide ANCAP. But, as with the Territory and Captiva, the side curtain airbags do not extend to the third row seats – even though the Sorento is the newest model here.

This oversight, and the lack of rear sensors on the base model, blot an otherwise impressive report card and presented us with a difficult decision come verdict time.

Seven-seat diesel verdict

Alas, no-one here makes the perfect seven-seat offroader. Each has a stumbling block or two. Or three…

That said, if your heart is set on any one of these four vehicles because of specific needs or budget, we wouldn’t persuade you out of any of them -- other than to ensure you twist the dealer’s arm for rear sensors or Bluetooth if they’re not standard on the model you want.

For what it’s worth, here’s how they fared in our eyes.

The striking new-look Ford Territory is by far the quietest, the best to drive of this quartet and has the highest towing capacity. But, even in the $5000-cheaper 2WD guise, the Territory is expensive. By the time on-road costs are added, it’s close to $50,000 or beyond.

Its engine is relatively sluggish thanks to its initial delay in power, and it’s the thirstiest among its peers, which defeats the purpose when you’re trying to ease a financial burden.

The Captiva 7 wins on price – undercutting the competition by several thousand dollars – but it is let down on space, safety (four stars when the rest are five) and steering and suspension that still need further sorting.

That leaves the Kia Sorento and the Hyundai Santa Fe – and a tough call.

Both have exceptionally economical, responsive and smooth diesel engines. Their quality is better than that of the fellow Korean, the Holden Captiva – and dare we say the locally-made Territory.  Plus the Hyundai and Kia five-year, unlimited kilometre warranties offer further peace of mind (The Holden and Ford only have three-year, 100,000km coverage).

So, which to choose? The heart says the Kia Sorento because it made our testers feel more comfortable behind the wheel, but the head baulks at its price premium, the lack of rear parking sensors on the base model and curtain airbags that don’t extend to the third-row seats on any model.

Kia could easily rectify the price and equipment anomalies – complete airbag protection would have edged it over the line for us. But unfortunately the full-length airbag is unlikely to happen in this model’s lifetime.

If you don’t need third-row airbag protection and are prepared to pay the premium, you have our blessings. The Sorento is an otherwise impressive vehicle. But when you look at the cold hard facts, that leaves the Hyundai – and a surprise result.

The Hyundai Santa Fe ticks the most boxes. It’s economical, well built, competitively priced and has the most safety equipment among this quartet.

Of all the shortcomings of the vehicles here, the Hyundai’s need for better suspension and steering is the most easily fixed. We just hope Hyundai continues to develop the Santa Fe even though it is due to be replaced by an all-new model late next year.

Existing Santa Fe owners may wonder what we’re on about, but the differences are more apparent when these cars are extensively driven back-to-back.