Updated Ford Territory prices cut

FORD has followed up its FG X Falcon pricing announcement by confirming it has dropped the entry price of its facelifted Territory sibling by $3000 and added extra value across the range.

The SZ MkII Territory will kick off from $36,990 plus on-road costs for the base two-wheel drive TX when it rolls into local Ford dealerships from December this year. This is a $3000 saving on the list price of the superseded model.

Ford's keen new pricing means the Territory is cheaper than some family-sized imported SUV rivals such as Hyundai’s Santa Fe that starts at $38,490, the Kia Sorento from $38,490, Nissan's Pathfinder that is $39,990 in base guise and Toyota's Kluger that is available from $40,990, plus on-road costs.

Opting for Ford's 2.7-litre TDCi V6 diesel instead of the 4.0-litre six-cylinder petrol unit adds $3250 to the price of the TX, but at $40,240, it is still $3000 cheaper than before.

The only all-wheel drive TX is the diesel that is also down by $3000, to $45,240.

Ford's mid-spec Territory TS starts in two-wheel drive guise from $41,790, while the diesel-powered version is now down to $44,990, and the diesel all-wheel drive drops to $49,990, representing a saving of $6000 apiece.

The generously specified Titanium 2WD petrol has been cut by $6500, to $48,490, while the diesel gets a $6320 reduction to $51,740. The flagship Titanuim AWD diesel tops the range at $56,740 – $3250 less than the outgoing version.

Ford says the updated Territory gains a number of new features for its final iteration, including a reversing camera, an eight-inch hi-res colour touchscreen, Ford's Sync2 connectivity system with voice control, Emergency Assistance feature, DAB+ digital radio and front parking sensors.

Options include “prestige” paint for $385, a tow pack for $550 and a third seating row on TX variants for $2500.

Ford Australia's general marketing manager David Katic said the price reductions across the Territory range should ensure Territory remains at the top of SUV buyer shopping lists.

“More than 155,000 Territory SUVs have found homes across Australia, and our loyal fans now have an added incentive to include the Territory Mk II on their shopping lists,” he said.

“Ford offers excellent value for money, and we believe the combination of additional features in the Territory SUV range and lower prices will be a winner. As a family vehicle, the Territory continues to deliver on its strengths – driveability, performance, spaciousness, seating flexibility and safety.”As previously reported, the final Territory to be built at Ford's local assembly line before it closes its doors in 2016 features only minor styling tweaks over its predecessor, including a refreshed grille and headlight design.

The new Territory is based on the original that itself was built off the BA Falcon. Launched in 2004, it was Australia's first locally built SUV.

It has continued to sell strongly, although numbers have slowed in the past two years as it faces increased competition from newer rivals.

So far this year, Ford has sold 6762 Territorys, which is a 27.4 per cent drop over the same period last year when it shifted 9309 units.

Year to date it trails rivals such as the top-selling Jeep Grand Cherokee – 11,496 to the end of August – Toyota Prado (10,958), Holden's Captiva 7 (7461) and the Toyota Kluger (6854).

Ford Territory pricing*

TX RWD petrol	$36,990
TX RWD diesel	$40,240
TX AWD diesel	$45,240
TS RWD petrol	$41,740
TS RWD diesel	$44,990
TS AWD diesel	$49,990
Titanium RWD petrol	$48,490
Titanium RWD diesel	$51,740
Titanium AWD diesel	$56,740

*Excludes on-road costs.