Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Review | Titanium+ AT TESTED

Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Review | By Syed Shiraz | Pictures by Perfect Frames

Truth be told (and it will always be, on this blog), for over almost a decade now, I’ve had this sense of disgust at a subconcious level for vehicles like the Endeavour and Fortuner, that too for none of their fault really. I mean, here are two of the best seven-seat 4x4s you can buy in India, and I despised them because of the kind of buyers they attract, which is unfair.

And what kind of people buy them, you ask? Politicians, wannabe politicians, nouveau riche (read: “land compensation money“), and other similar cases of low self-esteem.

Of course, there are a few educated people as well who buy such vehicles for their actual intended use (which, by the way, doesn’t include bullying) but the percentage of people who say, “I need a comfortable seven-seat 4×4 for my family” is hilariously miniscule as compared to those who say, “this looks more imposing; I’ll buy it“.

Since you’re reading this review, I know you’re not in the latter category. Because reading is something that people in the former category haven’t discovered yet.

Therefore, this Ford Endeavour 2.0 review will discuss its utility as a seven-seat SUV; its off-road prowess, onroad performance, comfort, etc., rather than how well it justifies the aspirational value attached to it as a status symbol, or as a bullying device, or both.

Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Review: Design

Now despite talking all this while of how I detest such vehicles’ imposing dimensions forming the primary reason behind their purchase, there is no denying the fact that you do feel a lot less vulnerable on our roads if you’re in such a vehicle. Especially if you live in the NCR.

And that feeling of being almost invincible starts even before you get in the Endeavour. I mean, just look at it! Doesn’t it look like it silently says, “I have your back, come what may“?

It has the same vibe that you get from a friend who’s well-built but has a calm demeanour. For example, unlike the Fortuner, which looks perennially angry, the Endeavour doesn’t intend to scare anyone.

It’s another matter altogether that no one would want to mess with this guy anyway. It can be said that while Fortuner’s strategy is always bordering on the offensive, the Endy’s is more on the defensive side of things. And that’s the best approach in my books.

In case you’re still wondering where it ranks in the overall design stakes, let me conclude this section by telling you that it’s the most handsome vehicle in its segment.

Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Review: Interiors

The interiors don’t disappoint either. They’re classy, understated, and would be appreciated by old money. However, the nouveau riche might scoff at the lack of a dead Persian cat on the floor, a chandelier, and a 50-inch LED TV masquerading as an infotainment touchscreen. In other words, the cabin is neither cluttered nor gaudy, which, the aforementioned land compensation money folks might not appreciate.

Everyone else will like the perfect size of the touchscreen, the texture and feel of all materials used, and the Godsent ergonomics. I am not exaggerating one bit: the Endeavour’s ergonomics are the best in the segment. All controls are exactly where they should be; nothing is hidden, and everything is not only just in plain sight, but is also easy to reach.

For example, the two press-button switches for door lock/unlock are at a convenient reach (much before the A-pillar) on the door itself, and not on the door armrest, or on the dashboard, or on your navel.

And that holds true for every control switch, dial, stalk, etc., of this vehicle. That said, a big miss by Ford India is the lack of reach adjustment for the steering (it’s only adjustable for rake). Come on guys, even the Hyundai i20 comes with it!

However, finding the perfect driving position would not be a problem for anyone as the seat (electrically-adjustable) has ample fore and aft travel range. Unless, you’re built like a T. Rex (read: “small arms on a huge body“). I should also add that both front seats are electrically adjustable. They are immensely comfortable as well, and the same can be said about the second row.

The third row is a shade better than the Fortuner’s but not as good as the Gloster’s. Also, only the most athletic in your family would be able to get into the third row as the second row seats do not tumble. The backrest folds down, of course, but the whole seat doesn’t tumble like it does in the Fortuner.

However, the Endeavour strikes back with a feature that’s not present in either the Fortuner or the Gloster: electrically folding third row of seats.

Also, once you fold them, and the second row as well, you get a big flat bed for two people. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. If you must know, the AC chills the entire cabin quickly; the roof mounted vents (two each for the second and third rows) certainly help.

Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Review: Performance, Ride Quality, Handling, and Fuel Efficiency

Every other auto journalist, without an exception, bemoaned the eviction of the 3.2 L engine. Which is fine because the Endeavour 3.2 was a good vehicle. What’s not fine, and absolutely incorrect, is everyone of them calling this, the Endeavour 2.0, things like “underpowered”, “slow”, etc. Why is it incorrect, you ask? Because the new Ford Endeavour 2.0 is neither underpowered, nor slow; in fact, allow me to break your bubble now, it’s quicker than the 3.2! Yes. If you don’t believe me, watch the video below:

Honestly, even I didn’t expect this. But the stopwatch doesn’t lie. And it’s not just outright acceleration we’re talking about. Ford India, on their official Facebook page, had shared a video of a YouTuber, who conducted a tug of war between the 3.2 and 2.0. The 2.0 claimed victory everytime. Yes, they repeated the contest on different surfaces; they switched drivers, but the result continued to be the same. The 2.0 just dragged the 3.2 so humiliatingly that I wondered how much hatred would have come the YouTuber’s way from the 3.2 owners.

Anyway, the crux is: both these videos reiterate that you should never go by the spec sheet blindly as there could be a world of difference between the “figures” and “real world performance”.

But how could a 170 PS (at 3500 rpm) 420 Nm (at 2000-2500 rpm) engine pull a 200 PS (at 3000 rpm) 470 Nm (at 1750-2500 rpm) engine? Because it’s not arm wrestling. It’s not a bench test. It’s not merely just an engine vs engine contest. It’s more like MMA where outright muscle power isn’t enough. How you channelise that power makes all the difference. That’s why the Endeavour 2.0 wins because it channelises its power better. First of all, the new Panther engine’s throttle response is decidedly quicker than the old Puma’s. Secondly, the new 10-speed gearbox ensures that you’re always in the best gear. In other words, it ensures you have more usable torque for more time as compared to the old Endy.

This trait also makes overtaking effortless, which in turn means that driving this Endeavour is a stress-free affair. Adding to the serene experience is the unbelievably relaxed engine speed while cruising. The crank’s spinning at just 1,500 rpm at 100 km/h in 10th gear!

That helps fuel efficiency as well. Ford India claims an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency figure of 13.9 km/l. In this test, the Endeavour returned 9.5 km/l, which includes some rigorous offroad testing as well as you shall see below. You would not be disappointed if you expect around 9-10 km/l in city driving, whereas 12-13 km/l on empty highways is a possibility provided you keep it under 100-120 km/h.

You will find it hard to do that because straight-line stability is second to none in this segment, and it also stays quite composed under sudden directional changes at high speeds. Braking is magnificent as you would have already seen in the review video above (9:25 to 9:55).

So now let’s talk about the handling, which is again the absolute best in the segment! Ladies and gentlemen, the Endeavour has to be your default choice if you, and not your chauffeur, will be behind the wheel most of the time. The steering-rack speed is just perfect for this class of vehicle and the same can be said about its weight too, which doesn’t feel artificial at all. What all that means for you is that at all times you know EXACTLY how the vehicle would behave to your steering inputs, and that you will be more in your control during emergency evasive maneuvers as well. Full marks to Ford for getting the steering on point.

The ride quality is great too: the Endeavour just soaks up most of the road irregularities, and it’s only those triplet-speedbreakers (no, not the rumble strips, but three or more speedhumps stacked together) that cause a lot of side-to-side movement if you don’t align the wheels absolutely straight. But it’s a myth that only the ladder-frame vehicles exhibit such behaviour; even the monocoques (be it a hatchback or an SUV) display the same rocking behaviour if you are not cautious. The NVH levels are much improved when compared to the 3.2’s, however, the Gloster reigns supreme here.

Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Review: Offroad Ability

There are four drive modes in the Ford Endeavour:

1) Normal mode: This is the mode you will use in you day-to-day driving on road. The Endy is a full-time 4WD SUV; however, in this mode, if you pay attention, it functions almost completely as an RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) with the power going to the front wheels only when required.

2) Mud/Snow/Grass mode: Consider this the equivalent of 4WD High where power is sent to all four wheels all the time. Plus, the throttle response is altered to minimize wheelspin and maximize traction in this mode, and it can be engaged on the fly.

3) Sand mode: It’s the same as Mud/Snow/Grass mode, and the only difference is that the throttle response is now more conducive to dune bashing. This too can also be engaged on the fly.

4) Rock Mode: This is where hardcore offroaders start taking the big Ford seriously. To engage this mode, you have to first shift into Neutral, engage 4Low by pressing the 4×4 Low button above the terrain-select dial, and then rotate the dial to engage Rock Mode. Interstingly, you can engage 4Low in the Normal mode as well, but it neither would alter the throttle response to aid crawling, nor hold the transmission in first gear to give you the maximum torque on offer.

Rock Mode does all of that, which allows the Endeavour to climb some of the steepest inclines with ease. Plus, you have the option of locking the rear differential if you feel the surface you’ll be tackling will provide less traction, and you don’t want to hammer the vehicle at speed to make it through. Noobs do that. You wouldn’t. You have 4Low and diff lock at your disposal.

Ford claims an astounding 800 mm water wading ability for the Endeavour, which I could not test, but I don’t doubt it either considering a near-flawless performance in all other sections of my offroad test. What that essentially means is that if you live in Mumbai, and are contemplating a seven-seat SUV, the Endeavour is indeed your best bet.

Ford also proudly lists the vehicle’s approach, departure, and ramp-over angles on its website, which are 30, 25, and 21 degrees, respectively. Those are nice numbers for a long wheelbase 4×4, and what they mean to you is that unless you try to attempt RFC in a stock Endeavour, you neither would be able to break the front and rear bumpers, nor graze its belly, on any of your offroad excursions. You may want to see the video below and learn “how to offroad without breaking your vehicle“.

Also, please do remember that this is the only review in the world, along with my Gloster review, that gives you the Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Automatic’s crawl ratio. It’s 41.6:1. I must also add here that though Ford India doesn’t mention the Endeavour’s ground clearance anywhere officially (neither does Toyota), my source told me that the ground clearance figure of an unladen Endeavour is 225 mm.

Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Review: Other tidbits

I didn’t tell you about the Endeavour’s semi-auto parallel-park assist feature, panoramic sunroof, one-touch electrically opening-and-closing tailgate, seven airbags, and a few other features because, with the vehicle being around for sometime now, I take it that you already know about these features. I had to tell you stuff that’s generally overlooked by the majority of reviewers. As a bonus, I have even provided three videos below that will tell you how, and if, the vehicle’s semi-auto parallel-park assist feature works; what you can expect from its LED headlights, and how the Ford Endeavour 2.0’s music system sounds.

Ford Endeavour 2.0 4×4 Review: Price & Verdict

At Rs. 34.80 lakh, this particular variant (Titanium+ 4×4 AT) costs just 12 thousand rupees more than the comparable variant (Sharp 7-seater) of the MG Gloster, but a whopping Rs 3.11 lakh less than the new Toyota Fortuner 4WD AT. That makes it a lot easier for me to tell you that if you have your heart set on the Ford, I see no reason why you shouldn’t listen to it!