Quick Drive: Ford Endeavour 2.2 AT

Quick Drive: Ford Endeavour 2.2 AT

The only way you could complain about the space in the Ford Endeavour is if you drive a bus

I don’t own property. I’d be happy with a 1BHK, if it were in the right size, location and price bracket. Or I could buy the new Ford Endeavour, which has about the same space, saves me a few bucks and is located wherever I please. This sounds like a fanciful exaggeration until you fold the second and third row of seats flat. Just look at that picture!

The Ford Endeavour is refreshed for 2016, replacing the venerable model that has served the Indian market since 2003. Back in January, we marveled at the all-new, imposing design, fancy touches and wide variety of trims. Just like with real estate, there’s something for everybody in the Endeavour line-up. Unfortunately, just like with real estate, it always seems like a stretch. The model we tested is the 2.2-litre two-wheel drive automatic variant in the Titanium trim, that starts at Rs 27 lac. There are variants between Rs 25 and Rs 30 lac depending on whether you want 2WD, 4WD, manual or automatic transmissions, and 2.2 or 3.2 litre engines.

Step inside — and it is quite a step, requiring the use of the running board — and you’re greeted by an understated interior. Dual-tone for the most part, with the exception of a chocolate-brown leather cover all over the top of the dash. The rest is beige and dark grey. It lends an airy feel to the cabin — as if that were required. There’s plenty of headroom all around, but not so much shoulder room; the Endeavour is surprisingly compact width-wise. This makes seating passengers three-abreast less comfortable than in some competing vehicles. Seating is flexible, however. The second row has 60–40 folding and both segments slide forward as well as flip flat. This makes it possible to adjust seating to allow maximum comfort for all three rows. Fold the third row down as well, and you have a massive 7-foot long, nearly flat cargo area. It’s enough space for two adults to lie flat side-by-side, or about as much as a Mumbai 1BHK.

Climate control is present, and has roof vents for all three rows. There are 12V sockets for each rowas are grab handles. Even the driver has two handles — one on the A-pillar and one above the door, something we’ve rarely seen. All very utilitarian items; there isn’t a lot of high-technology on display. Even the entertainment unit has a resistive touchscreen which may seem archaic, but is actually easier to use on the go, because you’re less likely to swipe your hand over some unintended function. The lack of apparent bells and whistles is a disservice to the first impression of the Endeavour. It feels less special until you drive it a bit and appreciate the finer points. For instance, there’s active noise cancellation using multiple internal microphones. There are side and curtain airbags, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Headlamps with a jet wash, a powered tailgate, powered ORVMs and a laundry list of other significant boxes ticked.

The drive of the nearly 16-foot long SUV is the biggest surprise. The sheer size of the vehicle suggests ponderous performance & handling. Not so at all! This Endeavour is surprisingly sprightly. The throttle response is sharp, incongruous with a large diesel motor. The googlies keep coming; the 6-speed automatic transmission is a ZF-derived 6-speed torque converter, which works really well. Upshifts are smooth and quick, while downshifts can take longer. Nevertheless, the gearbox does a good job keeping the engine at it’s happiest, which is to say responsive but slightly noisy. There’s quite a bit of a monotonous drone from the engine when you step on the throttle aggressively, abating only when the gearbox decides to upshift and cruise. For the sort of performance provided, I can live with that. In regular driving, the cabin is surprisingly quiet, no doubt thanks to the active noise cancellation at work.

The Endeavour is still a traditional body-on-frame design, but clearly Ford has worked on the suspension. It’s well-damped, absorbing and dispatching bumps with ease and authority. It will feel firmer than other similar vehicles in this characteristic, but it’s still comfortable. The combination of good damping, a nice gearbox mated ideally to this engine makes for an enjoyable drive. Highway manners are good and cruise control makes the Endeavour a quiet mile-muncher at triple-digit speeds. Steering is light and makes U-turns very easy, helped by the tight turning radius.

I seem to appreciate larger, comfortable vehicles more as I grow older, and this gives me pause. But then, I think of the myriad occasions where I’d have to juggle passengers and luggage in a smaller car and I’m thankful for the luxury of space and height. I know I’d be quite comfortable wading through the inevitably flooded Mumbai streets on the Endeavour’s huge 265-section 18” tyres (Ford claims 800mm wading ability) with a full load of passengers. The biggest problem the Endeavour faces is it’s price. As tested, our variant is just north of Rs 27 lac ex-showroom. For that price, the elephant in the room is the upcoming, new Toyota Fortuner. It will be more expensive, but Toyota has more brand cachet. Which is a shame, because the Endeavour is a great SUV.

Originally published at ThrillOfDriving.com on August 1, 2016.