[.anshuman]

The Ford Endeavour is on sale in India at a price of between Rs. 29.55 - 33.25 lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you'll like:

• A big all-rounded SUV with no real deal breaker. Fair pricing too
• Macho styling packs appeal. Solid build quality matches the butch presence
• Cabin is a nice place to be in. Likeable design, comfy seats & lots of storage
• The 2.0L diesel engine has “adequate” power and improved refinement levels
• New 10-speed AT is fantastic! And very smooth too
• Good balance between ride & handling for a body-on-frame SUV. Sweet steering as well
• Offroad ready - Terrain Management System, rear diff lock, 225 mm GC & 800 mm of water wading
• 5 star safety: ESP & TC, 7 airbags, roll stability control, hill launch assist etc.
• Loaded to the gill with features! Panoramic sunroof, 10 speaker ICE, powered tailgate & more
• Owners of the current-gen Endeavour have reported good reliability with their steeds

What you won't:

• 2.0L diesel simply doesn’t have the muscle, punch & soundtrack of the old 3.2L motor
• India doesn’t get the twin-turbo 210 BHP / 500 Nm version. Period
• Fortuner's cabin is roomier, offering more headroom & overall space
• Annoying feature deletions (e.g. headlamp washers) over the years
• Missing essentials (steering reach adjustment, tumbling 2nd row seat, paddle shifters)
• Ingress is difficult for the elderly / short folk. 3rd row access is terrible!
• Urban fuel economy is ordinary due to the fat 2410 kg kerb weight & AT
• No manual gearbox anymore. The Fortuner 2.8L 4x4 is available with an MT
• Weirdly, it’s now gotten heavier (despite a smaller engine) & has just 3 colour options!
• A bit uncertain of how the long-term after-sales will be, with the Mahindra-Ford JV

[.anshuman]

Since the Ford Endeavour has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on changes made to the 2020 car.

To read the full Official Review, click here.

To check out the 2019 facelift, click here.

[.anshuman]

Ford India has launched the BS6 version of the Endeavour, equipped with a new 2-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine. It replaces both - the old 3.2L 5-cylinder (an enthusiast’s favourite) and the 2.2L 4-cylinder units. To have us experience the new car, Ford invited Team-BHP to Jaisalmer, and it included fun in the sand dunes! I got a call from GTO to check whether I wanted to go for this drive - I can never say no for a drive in the dunes and it’s even more exciting when one of my favourite SUVs gets a new engine + gearbox combo.

I am a regular to Jaisalmer and yet, it was the first time I took a flight to the place (driving down is the norm for me). Jaisalmer has a small airport with limited connectivity. Fortunately, there is a direct SpiceJet flight from Delhi. The drive to the dunes, which are around 40 km from the city, started from our hotel past lunchtime.

Before I get to the drive, allow me to post a quick summary of the changes to the BS6 version of the Ford Endeavour. It is important to note that there is no real price advantage over the 3.2L. Check this post by BHPian RemingtonSteele and you'll see that Ford raised the prices in December & has now dropped them, so ignore anyone who says that its cheaper. Equally, one could also say there is no price increase in going from BS4 -> BS6, engine size notwithstanding.

So, what's new on the outside & inside?

The BS6 Endeavour looks exactly the same as the old car. The updated 3-slot grille was part of the 2019 facelift. Only the new LED headlamps with square projector housings are new:


No changes to the rear either. Even the badges are identical:


Imposing side profile remains the same:


Even the rim design & MRF tyres continue unchanged from the 2019 facelift:


Just Endeavour badging; engine size is no longer mentioned on this fender decal. Earlier, all variants had the engine size & number of gears mentioned here. IMHO, showing off the 10-speed AT would have looked cool here, but Ford probably didn’t want to display the relatively small size of the 2.0! After all, it is much smaller than the 2.8L under the hood of chief competitor, the Fortuner:


LED headlamps are standard now. Unlike the Fortuner which has a Bi-LED setup from the projector, the Endeavour has separate low and high beams (both LED):


Ordinary headlamps have been a point of concern for owners of the older Endeavour, and I have experienced it first-hand. The older setup had projector-based HID-type bulbs in low beam and halogen bulbs in the high beam (regular reflectors). In this new BS6 Endeavour, the low and high beams are both LED type. While returning from the sand dunes after sunset, the headlamps had to be used & I found the actual light output to be impressive. The low beam has a good spread & defined cut-off line, while the high beam is focused in the middle…the actual output is superior to the current Fortuner which has Bi-LED projector lights:


Foglamps are still regular halogens. I honestly prefer them this way as LED bulbs in conventional reflectors scatter a lot of light, defeating the whole purpose of foglamps:


The interiors continue unchanged, except for a different gear lever:


The gear lever is brand new. Tiptronic controls have been moved to the top:


Terrain modes are the same as in the old model:


The 4x4 hardware and controls – including the rear differential lock - are identical as well:


With the same soft ride as last year's facelift, this car can double up as a safe & comfortable family tourer:

[.anshuman]

Driving the 2.0L Diesel

The new 2.0 diesel has one less cylinder compared to the old flagship 3.2L 5-cylinder engine. Not much space has freed up in the engine bay for accessories like a winch controller or onboard air compressor, which we offroaders like to install later on:


One line summary = The 2.0 engine is “adequate” and that’s it. As the Americans themselves say, “there is no replacement for displacement” (we already miss the old 3.2L). That being said, the 10-speed AT is simply fantastic! In fact, the gearbox makes the engine look better than it actually is.

This 2.0L, 168 BHP, 420 Nm diesel is going to be the sole engine powering all variants of the Ford Endeavour. That sweet 3.2L 5-cylinder powerhouse & the smaller 2.2L 4-cylinder engine are gone. Internationally, both the engines had become quite old and it was time for newer ones to arrive, but we never expected the replacement engine to be a small 2.0-litre! I expect demand for the 3.2L to pick up in the used car market from enthusiasts. In other countries, the 2.0 diesel is offered in two states of tune; we get the lower tune – this single-turbo 168 BHP version. The more exciting twin-turbo with 210 horses & 500 Nm hasn’t yet arrived in India. The Ford team says that the twin-turbo version isn’t ready for the BS6 emission norms yet. When prodded, neither did they confirm nor deny the possibility of the 210 BHP engine coming later. Fingers crossed, I hope they bring it here soon as the 168 BHP 2.0L simply doesn’t have the muscle of the older 3.2L (note = it is however a fitting replacement for the outgoing 2.2L).

Another major change is the new 10-speed Automatic gearbox that replaces the older 6-speed AT. This gearbox is FAR SUPERIOR to the 6-speed AT. Bad news for MT lovers though as there is no manual in the line-up anymore. Just as well as a majority of 35-lakh rupee customers prefer automatics.

MID shows you the currently-engaged gear. 10-speed AT is beautiful:

On-road driving impressions

Fire her up & you’ll immediately notice that the 2.0L diesel is quieter than the old engine. At idle, there is just a slight hint of clatter in the cabin, while vibrations are well controlled. At higher revs too, the engine makes less noise, but I really missed the engine note of the old 5-cylinder 3.2 which was simply music to the ears.

The selection mechanism of the gear-shifter has the familiar PRNDS pattern. The only change is to the tiptronic controls with new + & - buttons on the side of the gear lever. When you use the + & - button in “D” mode, it changes the highest gear that the transmission will select (just like Toyota 4x4 SUVs). Meaning, you can limit the topmost gear selection as per your requirement; this helps a lot when driving offroad, especially in the dunes and while crawling / towing. However, when you engage the + & - buttons in “S” mode, they work like proper tiptronic controls and the car holds onto a gear (won’t upshift) as well. This ability to hold onto a gear is useful when you’re driving fast, as well as during offroading. You can also use this for engine braking!

The new 10-speed AT gearbox feels so much more modern! Its shifts are extremely smooth & the car does not hold onto gears unnecessarily. The gearshift logic is good and most of the times, the AT is in the right gear. It responds well to throttle changes. What’s more, the 10-speeder can drop multiple gears in a go and do the same while upshifting. While the 10 gears may feel excessive on paper, while driving, the TCU makes the right selection from the big list of available ratios.

I have to say, the choice of ratios is spot on. This 10-speed torque converter AT does a great job of masking turbo lag at the start, and then does an equally competent job of keeping the revs above the turbo lag zone. Result = actual driveability is nice, and so is the in-gear acceleration. This is despite peak torque being made at 2000 – 2500 rpm, which is quite late for a large SUV (the Fortuner makes 450 Nm @ 1600 rpm). Its only when you try to drive the car in manual mode that you realise turbo lag is actually quite bad. Worse still, the 2.0L diesel has a narrow power band and is best enjoyed between 2,000 – 3,500 rpm. Truth is, the gearbox makes the engine look more impressive than it actually is. With light to moderate throttle inputs, the gearbox & its wide selection of ratios keeps you in the peppy part of the power band. We’ll say that the overall package is actually better in the city & at low revs than the 3.2L. The gearshifts are very smooth too.

Ask for more & you start missing the XL-sized 3.2L diesel + wishing for Ford to bring in the twin-turbo version with 210 BHP & 500 Nm. The Endeavour is a heavy car; despite the smaller engine, the kerb weight has actually increased! The 2.0 is 16 kilos heavier than the 3.2 & ~70 kilos more than the 2.2. The SUV is considerably heftier (2410 kg for the 4x4 variant) than the bigger-engined & more powerful Fortuner (2140 kg for the 4x4). 168 HP & 420 Nm sound like healthy figures on paper, but the car does run of steam when pushed. At higher speeds, it simply doesn’t have that muscle of the 3.2L, and a Fortuner 2.8 will leave you for dead on the highway. There is no push into the seat…the speedometer sure doesn’t climb like it did in the 3.2. Diesel SUV engines anyway hate to be pushed to the redline & typically, there isn’t much increase in power at higher revs. Even if you drive in a pedal to the metal manner, the gearbox upshifts around 3,700 – 3,800 rpm. Hold a gear in “S” mode and she’ll see approximately 4,800 rpm, but there’s really no point going that high. Do note that your 100+ kmph overtaking maneuvers will require planning (wasn’t the case with the 3.2L).

The 3.2’s shove & muscle are missing when you floor the accelerator. Instead, what you get is smooth & linear acceleration. It can get disappointing as one expects something “special” after spending 4-million bucks. Don’t get me wrong – power is more than adequate and the Endeavour 2.0 will get you wherever you want to go. It’s just that the 3.2’s “fun / punch” is missing. This engine & gearbox combination performs best when driven with light to moderate accelerator inputs – it’s for sedate drivers. The 10-gear ratios mean that the engine stays relaxed at highway speeds. 100 km/h in 10th gear is seen at a super relaxed 1400-odd rpm. You can even cruise at 90 kmph in 10th. That’s not just great for easy cruising, but it’s also going to improve fuel economy at speed. Otherwise too, FE will be improved. A smaller, more modern engine mated to a 10-speed gearbox which doesn’t unnecessarily hold gears and has tall ratios for highway cruising will definitely be more efficient.

In terms of NVH, the 2.0’s sound & vibrations are very well-controlled. Of course, engine noise is there and it is clearly audible, yet the overall experience is refined. On the flip side, that awesome muscle-car engine note of the 3.2L @ high revs will be missed by diehard BHPians. In fact, it’s the opposite with the 2.0 = it sounds nowhere as good. From a sweet-sounding diesel, the Endeavour has gone to an ordinary-sounding one.

Enthusiast wishlist = Not just the bi-turbo, but also paddle-shifters. In manual mode, you will miss paddles without a doubt. Not for sportiness, but for convenience. The fiddly controls on the gearlever aren’t anywhere close to the user-friendly nature of steering-mounted paddle shifters.

To comply with BS6 emission norms, the Endeavour now comes with a urea injection system (AdBlue) + diesel particulate filter (DPF). There is an 18-litre Adblue tank next to the fuel tank. The tank should require top-ups anywhere between the 6,000 – 10,000 km range, depending on the driving conditions. AdBlue fluid costs merely 50 bucks a litre, so its cost is a non-issue. Because the engine won’t start if it runs out of AdBlue fluid, we recommend keeping a spare bottle in the trunk.

AdBlue filler is right next to the one for diesel:


Big thanks to BHPian A.G. for these 2 pictures! A peek at the AdBlue tank:


And at how close it got to the sand when the Endeavour was beached. We are concerned about it getting damaged in an extreme scenario:

[.anshuman]

Dune-bashing with the Endeavour

Before I start with the dunes driving post, just a little background on my previous experience with sand dunes and what I think about the older Endeavour 3.2L.

Jaisalmer Dune Bashing has been an annual pilgrimage for me and our offroad group - Northern Overlanders, which I started with my local Team-BHP buddies. This dune bashing experience - which in recent years has become a bi-annual affair - includes a 1000+ km round trip from Delhi NCR to Jaisalmer. Sometimes, the dune bashing goes on back-to-back for 10 days in a row! The Ford Endeavour has been a part of our drives ever since we started, along with many other 4x4 SUVs. Some of it gets documented on my YouTube channel as well.

A few years ago, the first time that we took the Endeavour to the virgin dunes, we could not initially figure out the car in the sections with boggy sand (where it is very easy to sink your ride). The Endeavour had a high probability of getting stuck - even with careful driving, the Fords were getting stuck more frequently than the others. With some experimenting, we figured out that in boggy sand, the Endeavour drives best in low range + normal mode, and the rear differential lock has to be off in the dunes always. The tiptronic mode gave us far more control. Just like we do with all other 4x4s, both MT and AT, start the car in 2nd gear low range, partial throttle, shift to 3rd as soon as you start moving, floor the accelerator gradually (as soon as you gain momentum) and keep it floored post that. Shift to 4th if the revs climb too much. The structure of Indian dunes and the power-to-weight ratio of our diesel SUVs doesn't allow any more speed.



The Sand mode high range is for beginners. The terrain mode takes care of excessive sharp throttle inputs which can get you stuck & smoothens out the power, yet it keeps the power flowing with no interference of the traction control system. For advanced drivers however, it also kills your ability to modulate the throttle and dulls response time when you want it. In boggy sand and in high range, the torque converter works overtime, thus sending the transmission oil temperatures boiling. Hence, I personally don’t recommend you doing this for extended periods of time. For drivers who are experienced, I recommend normal mode + low range (mostly) + traction control switched off + rear diff lock off + the gearbox in tiptronic mode. Now, in this mode, the Endeavour is supremely fun to drive, has excellent body control, a composed ride if you hit any bumps, excellent balance and above all a super light, precise steering which makes throwing around this large SUV an easy affair. The 3.2 had great power reserves, and was almost up there with the Prado 120 V6 4.0 Petrol! The Endeavour 3.2 was a super entertainer, I suggest its owners to hold onto the car for a long time.



Now, back to the Endeavour 2.0L:

Ford had planned two dune sections for us - first up were the easier dunes with slightly firm sand, and the later stage included a virgin section, longer climbs and a bit more boggy sand.

Sand isn’t too boggy this time of the year. From January onwards, there is some rain 5-6 inches below the surface and the sand is packed + wet. The best part is, most 4x4 SUVs can climb even the tallest of dunes, but if you get stuck, the wet sand doesn’t allow for crawling self-recoveries.

Before entering the sand dunes, the tyres were deflated to 20 PSI all round, which in my honest opinion is just too high. But we were to follow packed tyre tracks and not loose sand, so it wasn't too bad.

While going down steep drops, automatic transmissions provide zero engine braking and you either have to tap the brakes lightly (without jamming the brakes) or use the hill descent control function. In my experience, the Endeavour’s hill descent control is well-configured and works well. I kept it turned on whenever I was driving on straight climbs and drops.



The new 10-speed automatic gearbox has a nice tiptronic system. As mentioned earlier, manual mode in "D" limits the highest gear that the car will go in. That's a welcome change for dune driving. In S mode, the tiptronic buttons work like a manual shifter, the system is quite responsive & it holds onto the chosen gear.

As it’s a brand new engine + gearbox combination, there is a bit of a learning curve, so I stuck to whatever the Ford team recommended for the initial part of the drive - sand mode, high range. Over normal mode, the terrain management system takes care of the throttle response; if you go easy with the pedal, it will sharpen your throttle response and if you are too aggressive, it dulls the pedal down. With the low power-to-weight ratio of ~70 BHP / ton, in high range, the car will mostly stay in 1st gear. Viewed in isolation, the engine and gearbox combo behaved well on defined tracks. Off the defined tracks, there was excessive wheel spin due to improper tyre pressures being used. It was great to see that in sand mode, even first-timer journalists were able to drive well. Of course, there were cars getting stuck, but it had more to do with driving skills than the car itself.

Compared to the older 3.2 engine, the single-turbo 168 BHP version lacks the grunt to tear down dunes, but thanks to the sweet 10-speed AT, it manages to hold on quite well. The mid-range still has adequate grunt - keep the momentum going, pre-plan any upcoming climbs and the car does not disappoint. In fact, when all other cars were getting stuck here or there (due to driving errors), I had already done the whole track TWICE .



Low range, normal mode with the traction control entirely switched off was my favourite setting with the 3.2 variant. I was curious to see how the 2.0 drives in this configuration. For a 5 - 6 speed gearbox, in low range, the best gears are usually the 3rd and 4th (low), but I had arrived with my homework done in advance. I knew the closely-stacked ratios would mean just too many gears to play with in tiptronic mode. 5th and 6th low is where I found the sweet spot. Go by the engine sound, maintain the revs in the target band, keep the momentum flowing and the car dances to your command! In this configuration, the car felt much more peppy and gave me far more control to play with the throttle. I also had the choice to go easy on the throttle wherever I felt there was too much wheel spin & the car started to dig in.

I am sure that the twin-turbo 210 BHP / 500 Nm version with the more responsive gearbox can easily match or outperform the older 3.2 motor. Viewed in isolation, there is nothing wrong with the 2.0 single-turbo version, but having driven the 3.2L a lot, I knew what I was missing. The 10-speed gearbox fared well in sand mode & high range. If there were a choice, I would love to have this 10-speed gearbox with the 3.2 engine . Now, that would be the best of both worlds, but then the emission norms and global trend of engine downsizing are for real & here to stay.

At sunset, it was time to say goodbye to the dunes!

[.anshuman]

Links to some of my older Dune bashing videos where the Endeavour 3.2 was featured. You might find them interesting!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VTzp3p8k2w&t=413s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E26JybPqjHE&t=235s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-BcC0Gwbow&t=424s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaf3KgTNQAc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixVlBvIhP4c&t=192s

[.anshuman]

FordPass Technology

Ford has also introduced its connected car tech called FordPass on its Indian fleet of cars, including this BS6 Endeavour. It facilitates real-time information exchange between the car & your smartphone app. FordPass works on a 4G data connection, which is free for the initial 3 years. The app allows owners to remotely start / stop (AT only) their car, lock or unlock a vehicle and check its live location. Other available data includes the fuel level, distance to empty, oil level, tyre pressure and odometer reading. Vehicle health alerts & over the air (OTA) updates for the car are also provided. Emergency / Breakdown Assistance is offered on some models. In case of an accident where the airbags are deployed or the fuel pump is shut down, Emergency Assistance automatically uses your paired phone to call the emergency services operator. Want to check spare part availability & cost? FordPass has you covered.



• Attaching the product brochure for ready reference - Brochure.pdf.

• Disclaimer: Ford invited Team-BHP for the Endeavour test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Official Reviews. Thanks for sharing, Anshuman! Rating your review 5 stars .

I've always considered the Endeavour 3.2L to be the segment-best SUV, and one that punched above its weight (related thread). Haven't driven the 2.0L car yet, but based on your review, it sure doesn't seem like a replacement for the 3.2L. Engines are very important to me, and I'm not one to ever buy a City 1.3 (1.5L Vtec for me), E250 (E350 for me) or 520d (530d for me). If I was in the market for a big SUV, I would happily go for a pre-owned Endeavour 3.2L. The feeling would be the same as when I bought a pre-owned 1st-gen 106 BHP City Vtec, even though the 2nd-gen 77 BHP City was already launched.

IMHO, it's a good replacement for the older 2.2L engine though. I'll still recommend the Endeavour to regular Joes, but for enthusiasts, I sure hope Ford brings the twin-turbo 210 BHP version here soon. There is no reason for them not to. The Fortuner & Alturas have more power & are lighter too.

[CarBot]

Rated 5 stars, awesome review. Endeavour looks sweet than Fortuner with apple carplay / android auto and panoramic sunroof. We only have to wait and see how the 2.0l engine delivers the punch. Twin turbo would have sent the prices up north, so I guess we have to live with it.
With LED lights standard, fogs should have been given as standard. Otherwise a complete package.

[Ace F355]

Wonderful report Anshuman from what I assume was a very short drive. I am not surprised to hear about the strengths and weaknesses of the new 2.0 Ford and for a change, I am glad that there isn't a MT option with this engine, turbo lag would have been awful with peak torque coming at such high RPMs and that narrow power band wouldn't have been of any help either. But at least the new car surely solves one of the biggest issues with old 3.2, that is FE. Majority of buyer junta would love that, although for 4x4 enthusiasts, Fortuner be it MT or AT is now a clearly superior choice.

How I wish I had an option to plonk in a 3.2 in my remapped 2.2 4wd MT Endeavour. I simply thinking how much of a hoot it would have been with a remap. Oh well

[Reinhard]

Fantastic review @.anshuman. Few better people around to review an Endy 4x4. Good to see these getting added on the Northern Overlanders channel. I'm a frequent follower there .

Great timing to release the review - a fresh breath of air during the lock-down! Rated the thread well deserved 5 stars. The car only gets 3 stars from me though. Shocking omissions. An Endy without reach adjustable steering? Really! If not giving us a powerful large OR twin turbo engine, at least add good list of over the top features like paddle shifters etc.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by GTO

... but for enthusiasts, I sure hope Ford brings the twin-turbo 210 BHP version here soon. There is no reason for them not to.

Wouldn't a twin turbo perhaps be more prone to issues, specially in our conditions?

[prateekvidya]

Great report Anshuman !

I guess Ford continued with the good features of the car (primarily the steering, suspension and interior comfort) and made changes to make the car more suitable for highway/city use (and features like improved headlights). The increased mileage and new gearbox will definitely make it a lot more attractive to the regular user making the car (at its current price-point) a better proposition than any competitor.

For 4x4 and manual gearbox enthusiasts though, I guess Ford will either lose that market share or eventually introduce a twin-turbo option. This situation can actually be comparable to the 2.2L and 3.2L offering except that 2.2 was significantly low on power for the body weight of this car but 170 bhp on single-turbo is actually quite adequate.

Great pics and comparison ! I am sure a lot of prospective buyers are going to be making decisions based on this review.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

FordPass Technology

Ford has also introduced its connected car tech called FordPass on its Indian fleet of cars, including this BS6 Endeavour. It facilitates real-time information exchange between the car & your smartphone app. FordPass works on a 4G data connection, which is free for the initial 3 years. The app allows owners to remotely start / stop (AT only) their car, lock or unlock a vehicle and check its live location. Other available data includes the fuel level, distance to empty, oil level, tyre pressure and odometer reading. Vehicle health alerts & over the air (OTA) updates for the car are also provided. Emergency / Breakdown Assistance is offered on some models. In case of an accident where the airbags are deployed or the fuel pump is shut down, Emergency Assistance automatically uses your paired phone to call the emergency services operator. Want to check spare part availability & cost? FordPass has you covered.

I sincerely hope it is possible to completely remove (not disable, but completely remove) this option. Cars that come with SIM cards will keep spying on you and sending all kinds of data from your car to anybody who has bouught said data from Ford. This is a privacy nightmare.


Nice review BTW


Cheers

[2himanshu]

Exceptional review!! Congrats Anshuman, your off roading skills and superb narration has answered most of the questions an off roading enthusiast might have.

Some features and surely the 210bhp twin-turbo engine is sorely missed in this new version, We could hope that Ford brings them.

Rated the thread 5 stars