Story & photos by Patrick P. Tulfo
RECENTLY, Ford, which has a total of five offerings in the segment, held its very first regional drive in the country, dubbed as the “Ford SUV Experience”. Ford Group flew in motoring journalists from China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, India, Australia and New Zealand to Clark Freeport in Pampanga, together with their local counterparts, where we were all billeted in the posh Midori Hotel inside the former US airbase.
During an interview with Martin Gunsberg, Ford Asia-Pacific product communications manager, he said “the Philippines was chosen over other countries to stage the event because it met their requirements, like a nice warm climate and a diverse range environment, to showcase their whole range of sport-utility vehicles.”
As it was a regional drive, the event ran for more than a week (November 10 to 18), where the participants were divided into three groups. My team was bunched together with the participants from South Korea and Vietnam for the first set of motoring journalists to test some of Ford’s SUV offerings.
We started the day with a little bit of a backgrounder on the vehicles.
The briefing was provided by different Ford Asia-Pacific officials. For the duration of the event, I was partnered with Speed Magazine publisher Marcos Sosmeña.
Our group first took the Everest 3.2-liter on the lahar-filled bed of the Sacobia River located just outside the walls of Clark Freeport.
The Everest’s 3.2-liter Duratorq five-cylinder TDCi diesel engine that produces 197 hp of power and 470 N-m of torque engine is mated to a six-speed tranny. It boasts of improved fuel efficiency and delivers excellent performance just like having an expert off-road driver available on demand, the Everest’s smart technology fine-tunes the vehicle’s throttle response, transmission, traction control and intelligent four-wheel-drive system. In normal setting, we were able to test the Everest’s handing, agility and dynamics, as well as steering performance, which was quite impressive. In off-road conditions, which included driving on mud and gravel, as well as braving water crossings, the Everest was very much in its element. With Ford’s advanced and purposeful technologies, including a best-in-class water-wading capability of 800 mm and 225 mm of ground clearance, we felt safe, stayed confident and in control.
The next vehicle we tested was the EcoSport, the company’s entry in the highly competitive sub-compact SUV segment. The 2016 EcoSport is sportier and bolder, as it is stylized with trims and accessories all coated with a black finish.
Its wheels, lower grille surround, roof-mounted bars, rear spoiler and many others carry the color of the night. The meandering traffic-choked streets of Angeles City were perfect for this compact size. No wonder you see a lot of the EcoSport vehicles being driven mostly in the cities. It didn’t have any problem accelerating, as the EcoSport with EcoBoost technology was more than a match to its light body and powered by a 1.5-liter Ti-VCT four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The following day, it was our turn to drive the 2016 Escape. We took the backroads of Apalit, mostly surrounded by sugarcane fields on both sides on our way to the Lakeshore subdivision, whose main attraction is the man-made lake. Inside the Escape, soft materials were used on the dashboard, as well as the doors—giving the small SUV an elegant feel. The Ford Sync system paired easily with our smartphones making it easy to operate hands free whether taking a call or simply choosing our songs. Some of its notable features include the large sunroof; active park assist that takes the guesswork out of parking; and a segment first hands-free liftgate, which allows the owner to open the rear door by simply using one’s leg to activate the sensor.
The Escape is designed with one of the most powerful engines with EcoBoost. The handling and suspension of the Escape are dependable and efficient as ever—one of the SUVs that you won’t ever have to worry about failing when you need it most. The new generation of Ford Escape was designed alongside the Ford Kuga, which is being marketed in Europe. The latest iteration boasts of the award-winning EcoBoost engines that use turbochargers to increase horsepower and torque ratings, eliminating the need of additional cylinders. It is available in either 1.6 or 2.0 four-cylinder variants.
The Titanium variant is powered by the 2.0-liter engine that pumps out 245 hp and 275 N-m of maximum torque. The powerful engine provided the vehicle with brisk acceleration on our way back to the hotel via North Luzon Express way. It is said to be more fuel efficient when compared to the old engine that powered the previous Escape.
On the other hand, the Ford Explorer was simply out of this world. The 3.5-liter V6 engine, which is equipped with EcoBoost, gave this writer a silly grin every time I pressed the accelerator pedal. It produces 365 hp and 350 N-m of maximum torque. Inside the Explorer was an all-leather affair for all seats. It is also equipped with the Ford Sync system that pairs with your smartphones, giving you access to all of your phones. The knob-style four-wheel program makes it easy for drivers to change and set which terrain to use.
Suffice to say, the Explorer justified the use of the term “SPORT” in an SUV. It exhibited another wonderful trait for us as we went off-roading inside the Green Canyon resorts in Tarlac. The body felt solid all throughout the drive.