The Ford Endeavour has always been an enjoyable, practical and capable full-size SUV, but just how capable? We headed to Jaisalmer and the Sam Dunes to find out just that.
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
Who doesn’t like to be in command?
Sitting high atop the ordinary. Gazing far forward. It’s almost as if it brings the distant future closer; giving you a sort of vantage point. When it comes to ruling the road, though, few cars come close to the presence that the Ford Endeavour possesses. It’s big – we’ve established that – but it’s also very capable and more engaging than its rivals by a country-mile and then some. I haven’t had the chance to write about the big American Ford “truck”, but I shall surely endeavour to do it justice.
Heading from Jaisalmer airport to the Sam dunes was going to be done in the new car from the outset. The new Ford Endeavour is being offered in three drivetrain choices, two of which are powered by the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel, making 160 PS and 385 Nm, with a choice of manual or automatic transmissions and will be rear-wheel drive only; in well-loaded Titanium and Titanium+ trim levels. The third is the 3.2-litre, straight-five, turbo-diesel with a hefty 200 PS and 470 Nm, in Titanium+ trim; the very variant that we had to drive to the dunes. Off we go.
What’s new?
The new Ford Endeavour is basically a facelift job that has incorporated a bunch of new features as a result of customer feedback. The most evident are the new front grille mesh design and the new alloy-wheel design. They’re still 18-inchers wrapped in 265/60 MRF Wanderers but they do the job well. As the American’s say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The butch lines cleanly outline the unabashed SUV shape and there are absolutely no quips about the design whatsoever. Another feature is the motion-activated, power lift-gate, which can be opened and closed by moving your foot below the rear bumper. The huge boot, expandable to 2,010 litres, stays and is just as vast as ever.
Inside, the cabin feels big, well put-together, and just as roomy as before. The beige upholstery and black-ish trim work well together and lend the cabin detail some contrast. An 8.0-inch touch screen sits front and centre. The steering wheel has a set of scroll and “OK” buttons on either side that help go through the various displays flanking the speedometer. The right side in particular features switchable displays for a tachometer and fuel gauge, a roll-pitch-yaw display, as well as a tyre-pressure monitor with individual tyre pressure details for all four wheels. All the controls, in fact, are in easy-to-use places and the door lock/unlock buttons are available on all four doors.
Among the new features in the new Ford Endeavour is keyless go, with the addition of a start/stop button. The button illuminates when the brake pedal is pressed and makes it easy to locate and is a nice touch overall. The 3.2-litre engine fires to life and settles into a rumbling idle. There’s something about a big SUV with a slowly rumbling diesel engine that brings an unmistakeable truck-like character that I adore – one of the reasons I wish to see the Ford Ranger here too. On the move, the six-speed torque-converter automatic feels smooth and goes through ratios perfectly while matching the action from my right foot on the accelerator pedal. Go easy and it lumbers, put your foot down hard and it really gets going. The five-in-line motor is supremely torquey and dishes out twist in a linear manner, apt for road, off-road and sand – appropriate, then, for what was in store.
