Weekend Drive: With a New Hybrid Version, Ford Takes the Territory from Good to Great

My friend Tina has been driving a first-generation Ford Territory for about four and half years now. She says she loves it for features like its car seat cooler, its infotainment system, and what she describes as the “feminine shape” of the exterior.

Indeed, she’s not alone in her fondness for the American car brand’s compact SUV. Since launching in the Philippines in August 2020, the Territory has sold well over 30,000 units as of the end of 2024. Clearly it’s not a stretch to say that it’s one of Ford’s most popular models in the country, along with the Ranger and the Everest.

In August 2025, the company launched a brand-new version of the Territory, and, in keeping with global trends towards sustainability and electrification, it’s the first to possess a hybrid drivetrain. It features a 1.5-liter in-line-four engine and a two-speed dedicated hybrid transmission and a 1.83kW lithium-ion battery. The new Ford Territory Hybrid’s engine can deliver 148 horsepower and 230 Nm of torque while the electric motor can whip out up to 2i5 hp and 315 Nm.

As expected, consumers warmly welcomed the new Territory Hybrid, snapping up well over 1,000 units as of December 2025.

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But how well does it drive? To find out, I took the Territory Hybrid for a leisurely jaunt over the holidays to San Juan, La Union. While I had limited engagement with the previous versions of the nameplate, this time, I had plenty of time to get to know the unit.

From the first moment I slid into the driver’s seat, it was clear the Territory Hybrid is Ford’s smartest evolution yet of a model that’s clearly a favorite in the Philippines. The exterior updates give it a refreshed presence—a reshaped front grille, new hood lines, and LED lighting that feels both bold and refined.

The real story, though, is under the hood and behind the fingertips. The “hybrid” in the name matters. What it means is that, unlike plug-in hybrids, the Territory’s system charges itself through regenerative braking and intelligent power distribution. There was no need to hunt for a charging station throughout the journey from Manila to San Juan, especially since it took almost nine hours, no thanks to a crawling traffic jam on the approach to Bauang. By the time I got to my Airbnb, the fuel indicator was just below the half-mark line (I started at the 3/4 line). I was genuinely surprised to see how little fuel I’d used for such a long highway drive.

Throughout my stay in Elyu, I kept an eye on the mileage counter to see just how much fuel I was expending. Even with the aircon blasting and cruise control engaged, the fuel consumption hovered between 16 to 17 kilometers per liter, which is not bad especially in this segment without going fully electric. For anyone driving between cities on weekends or looking to travel daily without watching the fuel bill climb, this balance of power and economy is a real draw.

Inside, the Territory Hybrid definitely felt more upscale than its price tag suggests. The Titanium X unit came with a generous suite of features: a 12-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a matching 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (that was handy for navigation and playlists), and multiple USB ports to charge my gadgets.  A nice touch was the ambient lighting and the panoramic moonroof that helped make the cabin feel airy and comfortable.

I do have to mention the adaptive cruise control with the stop-and-go function, which came in handy especially during those long stretches of NLEX, SCTEX and TPLEX. I just set the pace and the vehicle took care of the rest, smoothly adjusting to traffic, and slowing to a stop when there was a car up ahead, and resuming when the flow picked up again. It’s not exactly complete autonomous driving just yet, but it was certainly helpful in breaking the exhaustion and monotony of long highway runs.

Other key safety features according to Ford in the Territory Hybrid are Lane Keeping Aid, Blind Spot Information System, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Autonomous Emergency Braking. Most of these systems are standard on the Titanium X, and they all serve up an extra layer of assurance without feeling intrusive.

By the time I set the navigation for home, I had gotten so used to the unit that it felt like I had owned it and been driving it for years. It wasn’t hard to picture myself with the Territory Hybrid as a first-time car buyer, a family guy looking for a dependable carrier for my brood, or even just as myself looking for a dependable vehicle for weekend getaways. For all those profiles, Ford’s compact SUV ticks so many of the boxes. It’s concrete proof that practical cars need not be boring, and that what’s efficient can also feel effortless.