Dinner and a Drive with the Ford Territory

Based on its own sales report, Ford’s bestselling vehicles in the country are the Ranger and the Everest. The American automotive giant sold a total of 14,460 of the two models in the first half of the year—6,872 units for the Ranger (representing a 29-percent increase versus the same period last year) and 4,536 units for the Everest (up 20 percent). 

Not far behind at third place is the Ford Territory at 2,771 units.

The Ford Territory is one of Ford's bestselling vehicles in the Philippines

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While the Ranger and the Everest have their fans, the Territory has proven to be a popular model in the Philippines since it was launched here in 2020. Positioned just above the EcoSport and below the Explorer and the Everest in terms of price and features, Ford’s compact crossover SUV seemed to resonate deeply with Filipino motorists, capturing a sizable market and delivering steady sales, especially after launching the next-generation version last year. 

I’ve had the pleasure of getting behind the wheel of the Territory on a number of occasions. First during one afternoon when it was first rolled out to the public in 2020, and then for a whole weekend when I took it out for a real drive in and out of the city a year later. On both times, it was the first-generation Territory that I drove.

Recently, the good folks at Ford proposed I drive the Territory again, only this time, the all-new version. I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Given how satisfied I was the last time I drove it, I felt the experience with the improved iteration would only be a step up.

Dinner and a drive

Full disclosure: my regular car is also a Ford (2012 Escape), so I’m quite familiar with the brand and all its features and quirks. It’s not completely disorienting sliding into the driver’s seat of the latest Territory, although, to be honest, there are a lot more nifty features in this new crossover SUV. There’s Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go Feature, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Active Park Assist, and 360-Degree Camera, all of which just makes driving that much simpler and easier.

On the afternoon it was delivered, I didn’t have much time before I rushed off to a work appointment in Pasig. Just like the previous times I’ve driven it, the Territory felt easy and comfortable. The knob-shift selector is ridiculously easy to use, with a parking brake button just below it that’s also a cinch to engage. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it only took me a few seconds to get used to the feeling of driving a new car, which isn’t usually the case when I’m getting behind the wheel of test units. 

Pan-seared Scottish Salmon at Le Petit Chef

After my professional appointment, I drove to my friend’s place nearby to pick her up for dinner. The first thing she said as she climbed inside the unit was, “It’s so spacious!” I didn’t even need to adjust the seat (although it could be manually adjusted), but my friend could practically stretch her legs out all the way in front. 

Dinner was at Le Petit Chef in Grand Hyatt Hotel in BGC. I’ve been seeing ads about it on social media, and I was more than a little happy and excited that I was finally able to get to try it. Projectors set up on top of each table beamed images of a tiny chef onto the table, telling amusing stories before each course. The “show” visibly delighted the kids in the dining room, but it was also entertaining for the adults, especially the segment on le petit chef’s inspirations among the world’s most renowned visual artists. 

Le Petit Chef Grand Dessert (Strawberry shortcake, strawberry shortcake, Italian meringue, red fruit coulis, chocolate pearls, fresh strawberries)

The food itself was surprisingly satisfying. The five-course standard menu included such tough-to-screw-up favorites such as Italian Burrata with a parmesan crumble; a pan seared salmon with beetroot and pepper emulsion; and a surf-and-turf course featuring a Australian tenderloin in black peppercorn brandy sauce and a grilled king prawn in garlic butter. Dessert was a strawberry shortcake with Italian meringue and fresh strawberries that we could “personalize” ourselves, adding yet another interactive component to the unique meal.

Afterwards I took my friend home, all the while listening to a selection of some of my favorite driving songs while going through light traffic. On the way I didn’t have to wonder anymore why the Territory has been flying out of Ford’s showrooms since it arrived in the Philippines.

Overall, the unit felt light, capable, and pleasant to drive, and just right for a guy with a lifestyle like mine. And with units starting at P1.33 million for the Titanium model (going all the way up to P1.625 million for the Sport variant), it’s a smart, reasonable option for a wide range of end users. For me, in particular, I can see it’s as daily driver, a capable city car for a wide range of functions, and even a workhorse for the weekend. (I took it for a weekender in the surfing capital of the north, La Union, but that’s another story).