When will Ford Territory be replaced?
New seven-seat Ford Equator revealed in China but Ford Oz still without a Toyota Kluger rivalA new seven-seat SUV rival for the Toyota Kluger has broken cover in China, the Ford Equator, but with Ford Australia already ruling the vehicle out for this market it begs the question – will the Ford Territory ever be replaced?
The all-new Ford Equator was leaked via Chinese social media site Weibo and brings a new design language to bear.
Other than the fact that it uses a 165kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine and measures 4905mm long and has a 2865mm wheelbase, there are few details available on the new Equator at this stage.
It certainly looks the goods, but Ford Australia has been quick to rule out the Equator as a spiritual successor to the unique Aussie-built Ford Territory, which left the market in 2018 as the blue oval brand pulled out of local manufacturing.
Ford Australia imports the Everest seven-seat SUV but it’s an expensive off-road machine based on the Ranger ute’s rugged ladder-frame chassis, and lives in a different suburb to the Territory and its contemporary rivals, such as the car-based Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Kluger.
The Ford Endura (aka Edge) is a large SUV but isn’t offered with seven seats and therefore not a Territory replacement. Indeed, the lack of seven seats is considered one of the reasons it’s failed to attract a significant buyer base in Australia, compared to the Kluger or Santa Fe.
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There are loads of other medium-to-large SUVs in Ford’s global portfolio, including the Ford Bronco, Bronco Sport, Explorer, Expedition and Mach-E – all of which have been denied entry to Australia.
But there is one possibility for a bona fide Ford Territory replacement: the rumoured seven-seat Ford Escape.
An all-new Ford Escape is coming to Australia later in 2020, and according to
a seven-seat version is under development.This would provide Ford with a circa-$45,000 seven-seat SUV akin to the Mazda CX-8 and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.
However, the stretched Ford Escape has not been officially confirmed – and even if it does get the green light, there’s no guarantee Ford Australia will import it.
So will Ford ever replace the much-loved Territory SUV in Australia?
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