Ford Endeavour

The interior of the latest Ford Endeavour is a reflection of its exterior. The cabin feels sophisticated while offering a fuss-free, highly functional design. The quality of materials used are the best in the business and the ergonomics are spot on. The highlight of the dashboard is the Range Rover-inspired centre console that houses a responsive touchscreen infotainment unit. Also, the cabin is not just spacious but even offers many cubby holes. In fact, there are as many as 30 stowage spaces, while the seating layout is highly flexible to help one boost the luggage-carrying capacity of the cabin.

Source: Ford Endeavour

Yet another highlight of the interior is the Active Noise Cancellation technology, which is a feature that’s generally seen on much costlier cars. Thru this feature, the cabin of the SUV prevents the exterior noise from creeping into the cabin. It works on the same principle as noise-cancellation earphones. Thru three strategically located mics, a smart control module outputs opposing sound waves through the speakers to cancel out any unpleasant noise frequency.  

While we’re totally impressed with the premium-looking beige-grey colour theme of the regular models, the ‘Sport’ variant offers an all-black cabin that looks, well, quite sporty and is even easier to maintain. The SUV also offers many bells and whistles, including electric tailgate, multi-zone climate control, automatic projector headlamps, power-folding 3 row seats, panoramic sunroof, illuminated and lockable glovebox, 8-way power adjustable front seats, semi-autonomous park assist system and a lot more. The front and middle row offer well-bolstered seats and a good amount of space. The last row, however, doesn’t have much legroom on offer and is best suited for kids and pets. 

Under the hood, things have changed ever since the second-gen Ford Endeavour was first launched here. The 2.2-litre and 3-2-litre oil-burners are no longer on offer and instead, the SUV is now exclusively available with the company’s 2.0-litre ‘Panther’ turbo-diesel motor that is being made in India and even exported to many other markets. The motor outputs a maximum of 170 hp at 3,500 rpm and 420 Nm at 2,000-2,500 rpm. The motor benefits from a variable geometry turbo for minimal turbo lag and offset pistons that minimize side loads. Another talking point here is the world’s first 10-speed automatic transmission that uses real-time adaptive algorithms to choose the best gear ratio. What this means is that if required, the transmission would shift from, say, 7th cog to 3rd, at the drop of a hat. 

On the go, you’ll be quick to notice the great refinement levels on offer. The NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) is well controlled and the well-insulated cabin cuts down much of the diesel clatter. Step on the accelerator and the SUV charges forward with a great sense of urgency. In fact, one would be hard pressed to realize that it’s just a 2.0-litre block under the hood. High speed cruising is effortless and there's an abundance of power and torque at least until 3,500 rpm. The SUV can sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in roughly 12.5 seconds, which, while not too quick, is still respectable for an SUV of this size and weight. The in-gear acceleration is pretty strong and it’s only the top-end performance that would leave you desire a bit more.

Not like the second-gen Ford Endeavour ever disappointed us with the ride quality but the updates made to the suspension with the introduction of the 2.0-litre motor have made this SUV more comfortable than ever. The SUV will keep you comfortable over all sorts of surfaces as its big tires and the well-tuned suspension absorb most of the undulations without letting the occupants know of the kind of tarmac they’re travelling on. In fact, what’s commendable is that the high speed stability has been as good as ever in spite of the suspension setup being a bit softer than before.

Thanks to the size and the weight, the Ford Endeavour is not your typical apex-hunting tool but the respect for this SUV’s handling capabilities touch a new high the moment you compare it with its main rivals – the Toyota Fortuner and MG Gloster. Not only is the body-roll much better contained here than in the two adversaries, even the grip on offer is higher. Things don’t get unnerving even during quick lane-changing manoeuvres while the steering gains enough heft as the speeds rise. Lastly, the brakes have a strong bite and can haul down this beast from triple digit speeds without as much as breaking a sweat. 

While the India-spec Ford Endeavour is yet to be tested by G-NCAP, the Ford Everest has scored a full 5-star rating in ANCAP. Also, the Indian version comes with a host of active and passive safety features that should keep the occupants safe in a collision. There is a 45-litre driver airbag and a 70-litre passenger airbag. Plus, there are side airbags that have a volume of 18-litre.There’s also a knee airbag for the driver. Working in tandem with the airbags are the three-point load-limiting seat belts that feature pre-tensioners to boost the protection in an event of a collision. Basically, the seat belts secure the occupants tightly and prevent them from being flung around in the event of an accident. 

Of course, there’s even a plethora of other safety features like ABS with EBD, front fog lamps and remote keyless entry with anti-theft alarm. The vehicle is claimed to meet stringent crash-testing norms and features door intrusion beams and reinforced A, B and C pillars. Finally, also on offer is Ford’s Passive Anti-theft System (PATS) to prevent vehicle theft.