2021 Ford Territory Trend Review

Entry-level variants are often given less attention compared to those mid and top trims, as several models miss out on other enticing features. Well, that’s not the case with the Ford Territory Trend, at such an affordable price, this trim does give you quite a lot, from those basic features to other essentials. That said, just how competitive is this entry-level variant? Is it worthy of being considered as sulit? Let’s find out.

Exterior wise, this Territory Trend maintains that elegant yet robust design from its range-topping Titanium+. Upfront, the fascia still incorporates the blacked-out grille, LED headlights, along with a pair of boomerang-shaped DRLs that encloses the fog light housings. While it does miss out on the front parking sensors and camera system below the logo, it still gets the familiar black cladding and silver garnish material on its chin.

Going over the side, you’ll start to notice more contrasting details versus its top trim. First is the lack of chrome details on its door handles and black cladding. You’ll also notice that the side mirrors do miss out on the two extra cameras, that’s because the Trend variant does not come with a 360-degree monitor, however, it is worth noting that the side repeaters were retained. As for the shoes, it gets a set of slightly smaller 17-inch alloys wrapped in 235/55 tires. Notably, both trims get those silver roof rails as standard.

The rear has become less complicated, with both variants sharing an identical look. From the spoiler to the LED Taillights, its chrome strip, black cladding with the silver garnish material, parking sensors, those faux exhaust pipes, and the Territory lettering, everything just appears to be the same.

The Territory Trend’s interior is as good as it looks on the outside, in fact, it doesn’t feel like an entry-level variant at all. Material-wise, its dashboard does have a hint of softness on top, accentuated with silver accents, leather, and piano black accents which attracts a lot of dust, despite that it does compliment the overall layout quite well.

The buttons are also good to the touch, therefore, giving a feeling of quality. It does get a number of cubby holes including the one in front of the shift knob, a glove box, and the butterfly-type center console. Lastly, a fair amount of cup holders and door pockets are also present inside the vehicle.

Its seats are wrapped in leather that feels more durable rather than premium. Space is quite impressive on the Territory, even someone as tall as 5’11 won’t have an issue fitting in the back seat. Even rear occupants are treated with other essentials including two extra air vents, a USB charging port, and a center armrest with two cup holders. Plus, it’s even got a sunroof which is a nice addition, considering its price range.

Now, as for cargo, the Territory does give you a hefty 420 liters of space with the second-row seats up. Fold them down and your loading area will then be expanded to over 1,000 liters of space. In the boot, you can expect a map light, a cargo cover, and a donut spare tire which is cleverly located underneath the loading floor.

The Ford Territory Trend is one comfortable cruiser. All thanks to the MacPherson strut and shock combo in the front and a multi-link system in the rear, this compact crossover delivers that well-behaved riding experience even when crossing through uneven roads or occasional potholes. In fact, the smaller alloys and thicker tires do slightly heighten the ride quality of the Trend over the Titanium+.

Its cabin is well-insulated as well, with road and wind noise kept minimum especially in the city. However, speeding up by 100 km/h does let in a bit of wind noise which is not much of an issue. 

You’d be surprised at how well-packaged this entry-level trim is. For starters, you get a smart-keyless entry along with a push start button, an automatic climate control, steering wheel mounted audio controls, cruise control, USB charging ports for both front and rear occupants, and a 10-inch touchscreen. 

Going over its infotainment system, the 10-inch display does come ready with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Overall experience was convenient and we do love its quad-view setup which shows you important details like your radio and climate control. The screen resolution was good, plus, you can also toggle through different settings involving the touchscreen and even the odometer. Sound is released through a 6-speaker sound system.

Instead of the fully-digital instrument cluster, the Trend is equipped with more traditional-looking gauges which are comprised of two analog dials and a digital screen in the center. What could be confusing was the lack of one-touch up/down windows, even just for the driver’s side. Also, the side mirrors are manually folded. Then again, that’s just minor, and you really can’t have it all given the price you pay. 

While the Trend did miss out on some of the advanced safety features on the Titanium+, this entry-level variant still gets a full suite of features, including 6 airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), traction control, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Hill Launch Assist.

It also comes with some clever additions such as rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, auto-dimming rearview mirror, speed-sensing door locks, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Now, that’s still quite a lot, don’t you think?

The Territory isn’t all about performance and driving dynamics, rather it’s a comfortable vehicle that is able to take you from point A to point B in the most calming and smooth manner. Its 1.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost gasoline engine does pack a punch, with it producing 141 hp and 225 Nm of torque. The throttle response is good, power band was very linear given that it comes with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) mated to a turbocharged engine. This combination does not only reward you with smooth performance, but it also returns adequate fuel economy. 

Ford has also provided this compact crossover with light electronic power steering along with precise braking which was enough given the four-disc brakes. Visibility was good, however, D-pillar might be sort of a blind spot for some drivers. 

As mentioned, the suspension was good, as it did behave well even when crossing through some uneven roads and occasional potholes. It’s not tuned to be stiff like most driver-oriented vehicles, rather it was designed for comfort and with due consideration for passengers.

After doing some real-world testing, the Ford Territory Trend played at around 8 to 9 km/L during normal city driving. When we drove the vehicle during rush hour, figures went down by 7 km/L given the intense traffic. Proceeding to the highway gave us better numbers. While maintaining a speed of 80 to 90 km/h, fuel economy figures rose to 13 km/L. Figures could’ve been better though, as the constant speed was halted by stop and go traffic on the highway.

The following figures proved that the Territory Trend can match the fuel efficiency of its competitors. We’re quite confident that higher numbers can be achieved given lighter traffic conditions.

With all that said, the Ford Territory Trend serves as an enticing offer for those who don’t mind missing some of the bells and whistles exclusive on the Titanium+ variant. We’re surprised to see just how well-equipped this entry-level trim is, it comes with the looks, performance, and a wide range of features at only P1,199,000. You already get the most of what the range-topping variant can offer at a more affordable price. We wish that it had one-touch up/down for the driver’s side window and power-folding side mirrors. Then again, if you want those fancy gizmos, you’re more than free to opt for the Titanium+ which costs a P100,000 more over this variant which includes a digital gauge cluster and a 360-degree camera among other advanced features. 

The competition might be flooded with options from other brands, but the Territory Trend will surely fight its way for the crown all thanks to its sulit factor, and the fact that it’s a smooth-driving crossover.