[PrideRed]

The Vento we had was in its 4th year, which means warranty was going to expire. The Trusty Innova is yet to show any signs of ageing (wondering if it would age at all). While Vento was a car that had excellent performance, good ride and handling, decent fuel efficiency and all these bundled into a timeless design, size and appearance was a bit of concern from day one. Polo like appearance from front even though looks clean, made it look very much like a Polo. That said it was a brilliant piece of engineering, barring the engine noise. It is loud enough to make a tractor noise levels look decent. Some of the things I would cherish for lifetime, like giving a BMW 520D a run for its money in NH 4 or milking 22KM/L on a 4 lane highway, Vento could do it both. However the itch for a replacement had already started. So it was time to decide which among the 3 to replace?

Ecosport?? No way just 2 years Old, a trip to Ladakh had reassured us of its capabilities and top notch Ford service moved it out of contention without any second thoughts.

Innova?? Well it’s our workhorse. Close to 8 years and even after 1.25lacs KM on the ODO, it has hardly shown any signs of ageing. Mind you the resale value was almost close to what we paid 6-7 years back and was tempting. However there was nothing in the market that would replace the Innova (other than another Innova). Since Innova was being used for local commutes, the plan was to stick to it for couple of more years.

So it had to be Vento!

In the meantime, a Kwid was booked. The main reason was it's cheap to maintain and easy to drive in the city. We were contemplating on cancelling the Kwid booking and retaining the Vento. But it was clear that Vento would not serve the purpose which Kwid was supposed to. Of course Vento is far safer, luxurious and offers a lot more features. But it was already 4 years old, maintenance would be on higher side and managing that super heavy clutch was not going to be easy in the city.

Requirements:
Must have:
1. Had to be a diesel and an Automatic.
2. Should be big and have amazing road presence, additional brownie points if it can carry 7.
3. Had to be reliable and should not burn a hole in my pocket every time I visit the service centre.
4. Should be able to tackle bad roads (did not want one that would scrape the underbelly every now and then)
5. Decent Fuel Efficiency
6. Minimum of 6 airbags, ABS,TCS,ESP

Good to have:
1. Good set of features like good quality leather seats, dual zone climate control, Xenon etc.
2. Decent boot space.
3. Should be good/fun to drive and have a nice ride quality. Should be good for daily drives as well
4. Easy access to service stations.
5. Exclusivity, did not want a car that would be a common sight. At the same time do not want a market dud.
6. Decent resale value.

Cars Considered:

BMW GT:
Though not everyone likes how the GT looks, it was liked by everyone in the family. Blue shade, frameless doors, good road presence were in its favour. More than anything it’s a BMW. It had all the niceties, top notch quality and the service centre was available nearby as well. However it failed miserably when it came to points 3 and 4 of the must have requirements. Moreover when we were selling the Vento, came across a 2015 530D and the price quoted was 44 lacs! 30 lac+ depreciation in 1 year! Resale was always going to be a big concern with the Germans since we plan to keep for at least 5 years. Add to that, GT is not as successful as say a 5 series or even the 3. We did not need further reasons and GT was dropped.

Mercedes GLA:
It’s the smallest SUV from the Mercedes stable. Has all the characteristics of Mercedes. Looked good as well. What worked against it was the VFM proposition. Close to 40 lacs for car that is as big as Duster? The performance was quite average as well. The space inside was very poor. In reality its a 4 seater and boot space is nothing great as well. Add to these the worries associated with Big Germans- reliability, cost of ownership and resale. That said the GLA was put on hold only for the brand it is and for ticking majority of the must have requirements.

Audi Q3:
The dealer was willing to offer Q3 TDI S with a huge discount but the story was the same as GLA. Add to that lack of features in the S variant, It was far less convincing. I would rather buy a Passat/Superb than the Q3 as I prefer a good car over brand. The dealer though kept on pushing the Q3.

Toyota Fortuner:
This highly successful model from Toyota is a great vehicle. Problem is, it has been here for a while now. The new version is due for launch as well. The ride quality was pretty bad and interiors look more or less like our 8 year old Innova. The middle row comfort was bad, pretty bad. It is also a common sight wherever you go. Buying a 7+ year old model which is in its last leg of life cycle did not help.

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport:
The case is worse than Fortuner. Poor After sales service, availability of parts, is a big concern. Add to that uncertainty of Mitsubishi itself. While the car as such felt better than the Fortuner, it had a lot of negatives against it. Again new Pajero sport was also launched in Thailand and buying an old one like the Fortuner did not make much sense.

All New Innova:
While all new Innova was not yet launched, we could have waited. But 2 Innova’s? Did not sound like a good combination. Moreover the problem with Innova is, it is not going to be exclusive. The moment it is launched, it is going to be a common sight. Be it in the taxi market, the politician, the film star, or the common man, all want one. And going by the feature set, the top spec was not going to be cheap. My prediction was about 26 lacs for the top spec and so it was. While 26 lacs seem OK for what it offers, it’s still going to be called an MUV.

Ford Endeavour:
So that brings us back to Ford. On paper, Endeavour checks all the 5 must have requirements, so we are good there. It’s new in the market and shall last for another 5-6 years easily. Going by Ford’s recent pricing, it was clear they would undercut the current gen Fortuner and they did so. First sighting of the car at Elite Ford was breathtaking. Massive was the word that came into my mind. A test drive convinced us that Endeavour meets all our requirements.

So now came the dilemma of choosing which model?

The 2.2L manual was rejected as Auto transmission was something that was good to have. So we were left with 4 models to chose from- 2.2 Titanium/Trend and 3.2 Trend/Titanium.

Well the car is nowhere going to be used for serious off-roading where it is a mandate to have 4x4. The car is primarily going to be used on tarmac for majority of the miles it will munch and on Mud roads which demand good GC and not necessarily a 4x4. So it was clear, 4x4 was not needed. Many believe that if its an SUV it has to be 4x4. Well, that may be the case with many, but not with me, as I would hardly use the feature. Now if it is there and won’t hamper performance or fuel efficiency, I would not be bothered. But that’s not the case with Full time 4WD offered with the Endeavour. Fuel Efficiency is going to drop by a KM or 2 for a feature that I would hardly use.

Next came the Engine, well 3.2 is lot more powerful, but Endeavour is a proper old school SUV. I don’t intend to scorch the highway at 160-170 KM/H. I would never feel comfortable at that speed on a vehicle with high centre of gravity. 2.2 felt a bit more refined and had enough power to do 110-120 all day long on a highway, which was my requirement. It would be nice to have a panoramic sunroof and Parallel park Assist in the 2.2 Titanium, however Ford decided to skip them. Again these were just nice to have and not mandatory.

So 2.2 it was. Now which version? Trend or the Titanium. Titanium gets Gunmetal alloys, and aluminium side steps, Xenon lamps for low beam, DRLs, front parking sensors, 6 airbags, leather on top of dash and beige/black combination. All these comes at a cost and Ford charges about a lac more which translates to about 1.25 lacs more on road. Now 6 airbags was one of the must have requirements and Titanium looked a lot more premium. So 2.2 Titanium it was. The dilemma is not over yet. What colour? Red looks smashing but how would it look 2 years down the lane? Deep Red on a burly SUV? Well, it definitely looks good new, not sure what would be the fate 2 years later. Decided to go for Red, but somewhere in my mind, a bit of dilemma was always there.

Why another SUV?

With Kwid already acquired, We have a Micro SUV, the Mini SUV (Ecosport) the full size MUV (Innova) and with Endeavour, possibility of XL sized SUV. A car would be be nice to have, but knowing India and the Government, we are sure of not having good roads. When you have a car, you start thinking a lot of things the moment you plan any trip. Whether the roads are good? Will the car handle the road without hitting the underbelly? Which is the safer route? How many people and luggage can it carry? Ultimately we would end up taking the Innova. Clearly this is not what was wanted. The need was something that we can take without much worry.

Booking Process:
If it’s Ford it has to be Cauvery Ford (Mangalore). This happens to be our 4th Ford and all come from Cauvery Ford. So booking amount was paid in January! The delivery was to happen sometime in February, which got postponed to March. In the meantime, lot of things happened, Vento was sold, Kwid came home and Jaitley presents the Union Budget! Prices of Endeavour got shot up by around 1.5 lacs. I can get a Classic 350/RE Himalayan at that price. Since there was no other option, we just accepted the hike and decided to wait for our Red Titanium 2.2. Sometime by end of February, I was in Mangalore for a casual visit and on the way back decided to visit Cauvery Ford which happens to be on the way. There were a couple of 3.2 and 2.2 Trends available for display. On Enquiring we got to know there is a 2.2 Titanium in the Kottara showroom, but in white. And guess what this is available at the pre-budget price. Hence begins the confusion! Decided to check the vehicle in person, and the white elephant looked quite good. Now had to decide between White and Red (which would cost 1.5 lacs more). Spending 1.5lacs for Red colour did not make much sense. Decided to take the plunge and take delivery of a Diamond white Endeavour.

Coming to the dealer, Cauvery Ford is our preferred dealer if its Ford and even after 16 years, things remain the same. The Fords new tagline feels so much apt here- "Feels like Family" after 16 years of relationship.

And thus came home our white elephant


Now that the car is acquired, let’s talk about the car leaving aside the competitors, why/how parts etc.

Data sheet:
3.Colour: Diamond White
5.Tires: MRF Wanderers 265/60 R18(Alloys)
6.Overall Length: 4892mm
7.Overall Width: 1860mm
8.Overall Height: 1837mm
9.Wheelbase: 2850mm
10.Ground Clearance: 225mm
11.Fuel tank capacity: 80L
12.Engine Displacement: 2198cc
13.Engine output: 160PS @ 3200rpm
14.Max Torque: 385 Nm

Likes
1. Butch styling.
2. Rich feature list.
3. Competent engine with decent FE.
4. Ride and handling.
5. Good After sales and service.

Dislikes
1. Access to third row.
2. Missing kit in comparison to 3.2 Titanium.
3. Colour options.
4. Accessory options and price.
5. Lack of push button and true keyless entry.

By the time I write this review the car has run close to 6000 KM and has finished the first free service. The service is more of a general checkup and no part replacement was done. The car is now predominantly used as a highway mile muncher and for inter city travel.

Appearance,build quality

I love clean designs and it's one of the main reasons to pickup the Endeavour. Add to that the behemoth size and road presence is something that was loved in the family. The front reminds me of butch American styling with dollops of chrome and a high bonnet. While the rear has been toned down, it tends to grow on you over time. I particularly like the slanting rear glass (similar to that of Cayenne) and adds a premium touch. The Endeavour looks the best to me from the side. Massive length, clean lines, Gunmetal finish stylish alloys, premium side ladder add to that lovely design.

Come inside, the design is pretty neat and elegant. The leather on top of the dash looks classy with that white stitching. The aluminium materials on door handles, knobs look premium as well. What lets things down is the centre console, despite housing premium buttons, the matte black plastic looks quite bland in comparison to the rest of the materials. While an all black interior would have looked nice on this massive SUV, the beige/black combination lightens up the interior. Beige interiors with large windows make for an airy cabin.

Ford is known for a sturdy build. Endeavour is a true blue oval, the older tag of Built Tough suits its nature. The interiors feel solid and the underpinnings feel robust! Everything is Jumbo sized, be it the switches, dials etc. While some of the materials do not feel so premium, they are still far ahead of the competition. In fact, few of the materials are on par with the Germans. I particularly like the aluminium door handles, the leather dashboard which feels premium enough as mentioned earlier. The leather used in the seat is quite nice and seems to be of pretty good quality. Coming to the exteriors, the thick sheet metal makes its presence felt the moment you open the door. However I find the doors of Ecosport heavier. Wondering what were Ford engineers thinking when making the Ecosport. I always thought Ford wanted to build a tank but unfortunately they ended up making Ecosport! That’s a different story, and the Endeavour feels pretty tough! When someone says built like a tank people usually relate it with Skoda/VW or the other Germans. I must say these people haven’t touched the Ford!

Panel gaps are tight and consistent. The paint quality is decent; however at this price point, I expect a better finish. Also expect more shades than their existing line up. Except Sunset red, rest all other shades are carried over from their existing line up.

The Endeavour comes with Auto folding massive wing mirrors which give a clear view from the rear. And with titanium version, these come with chrome and side indicators.

Engine and brakes
The engine is a 2.2 unit developing close to 160 HP. This is not the same that is being used in JLR which is PSA DW developed. The one in Endeavour is a ZSD Puma series engine and is completely developed by Ford.
A snippet from wiki about the Engine “In 2005, Ford introduced the Duratorq ZSD-422, a 2.2 L (2184 cc) turbodiesel for top-of-the-range versions of the Mondeo and Jaguar X-Type which produced 155 PS (153 hp/114 kW). This is unrelated to the PSADW12 2.2 unit used in Peugeot and Citroën applications.
Applications:
• Ford Transit
• 2005–2007 Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCi 155, 155 PS (153 hp/114 kW) and 262 lb·ft (355N·m)
• 2005–2009 Jaguar X-Type
• 2011- 2016 Land Rover Defender
• 2011- Ford Ranger T6 & Mazda BT-50 2.2 TDCi 110 kW & 375Nm
• 2015-Ford Everest 2.2 TDCi

The 2.2 develops 385 NM torque which is more than adequate to propel the monster truck. Going by the competition, 2.2 is a silent unit. The noisy 3.0/2.5 L D4-D of the Fortuner cannot be compared and are far behind. I also found 2.2 to be a little more silent than the 3.2. Once inside, paired with active noise cancellation, the car is a silent one. While it is not the best out there, it's definitely miles ahead of the competition. While the engine is silent, note is not to my liking. Would have preferred a typical American rumble. I would not mind it making a little more noise from the outside. Despite being a 2.2, the engine bay looks quite full. Service centre guys shall not find much of empty space to play around with and add to that the high bonnet. The mechanics would need a stool/ladder to work on.

Remove your right foot from the brake pedal and the car moves forward. Just like any other Ford the Endeavour can move on its own without accelerator input. The Engine has almost zero lag and has enough usable power at the low end. This makes it city friendly. The mid-range is quite strong as well, the car hits 3 digits without much effort. While the top end performance is decent, it is nothing outstanding. Also the progress after *unmentionable speeds* is not very rapid. But I don’t recommend anyone to use the Endeavour at such high speeds given its street credibility. If you want a fast car, look somewhere else, may be a sedan from the German stable. To summarise, 2.2 is a frugal engine with excellent driveability and enough power on tap. It is easy to drive in the city and has enough grunt to be a highway mile muncher. BTW on a recent highway trip of 320 KMs the Endeavour delivered exactly 13.0 KM/L with an average speed of 90-100 KM/Hr. This is quite good given the size and weight of the Endeavour.

The Engine is highly tractable and has enough power to satisfy a majority out there. Yes 3.2 is more powerful in comparison, but 2.2 will not disappoint you. Where the 2.2 outshines is in the FE department which is quite natural given the lower displacement and has only 4 cylinders instead of 5. However, if you intend to do a lot of off-roading, live in hilly areas such as Ladakh, the extra of power of the 3.2 shall come in handy.

The NVH levels inside are stupendous going by segment standards. While the Engine is not a super silent unit, the insulation provided by Ford is outstanding. Thick doors, double beading and active noise cancellation help in keeping the cabin silent. Even at speed, the wind noise does not seep much inside the cabin. I was expecting the MRFs to make a lot of noise, but surprisingly they don't.

The brakes in the Endeavour are pretty effective and stops the mammoth to halt without much fuss. All-round discs help here. While the brakes are on the spongy side, I found them to be effective. In comparison to its chief competitor (Fortuner), the brakes in Endeavour belong to a different league. Our Vento however with those razor sharp brakes was more confidence inspiring.

Transmission

The 2.2 comes with 2 transmission options in India - a 6 Speed Manual or 6 Speed Auto and my car being Titanium version comes with the latter. 6 Speed unit goes by the name 6R80 and is based on the ZF 6HP26 transmission . This was launched in the year 2005/2006. The transmission can provide more ratios with lesser components and hence is lighter than the previous 5-Speed transmission. This transmission had earlier made it to BMWs, Jaguars and Rolls Royce, though most of them have moved to the newer 8 speed ZF transmission. The transmission is rated for a maximum input torque of 600 NM.

While many have complained about the lazy nature of this auto tranny, my experience is quite different. While it is not a fast shifting unit like the DSG or Ford’s own DCT, it’s a smooth operator. During the initial period, I did notice some hesitation in downshifting or holding onto a gear for longer than desired, things have changed over time. On the highway, hit the A pedal and the transmission drops a gear or two without much hesitation. The upshifts are also quicker. On the highway these days, I hardly use the S mode or the tiptronic, D mode suffices in a majority of the cases. While in the city the downshifts are quick enough, I do see some delay in upshifting, though nothing annoying. Again I find the D mode more than adequate.

In the S mode, each gear is held for a longer duration. Helps in spirited driving, but my driving style has changed with only SUVs in the garage. The tiptronic is used even lesser. To give a breakup, 80% of the times, I use D mode, S mode-15% and tiptronic the remaining time. While manual transmission is still my choice of transmission, the convenience that AT offers in unmatched.

Ride and Handling
Just top notch. I was surprised to see myself by the way in which I could push this behemoth through the corners. There was hardly any body roll. During the initial runs I had to come outside and see the car to prove myself yes it is an Endeavour and not a sedan. Even my Ecosport does not feel so confident through the corners. Put the Endeavour to track and I would not be surprised if it takes corner faster than some C segment sedans. What helps is the precise steering. In city speeds it’s even lighter than Ecosport and in Highway it weighs quite well. For an SUV this is just perfect, I could not have asked Ford Engineers for more.

Now I am yet to come out of the surprise that Endeavour has thrown in to me in the handling department, the ride comes as a second surprise.The car comes with 265/60 R18 MRF wanderer A/T tires. These are pretty silent and offer good grip as well. They performed competently in wet weather conditions as well. The truck based SUV was always known to be bumpy. The Fortuner is, the old Endeavour was. While the Pajero is better but nothing great. The Endeavour dislodges those potholes mercilessly, without unsettling the passengers. Given its height there is a bit of wallowy feeling but otherwise it’s like a magic carpet. Ford had always provided cars that handle the best and with Endeavour they offered great handling with stunning ride quality.

The EPS steering needs a special mention here. Its just perfect, its super light to use in the city and at the same time weighs up very well on the highway. Feels rock steady while driving at high speeds. Since I spend most of my time driving an EPS (read Endeavour,Ecosport,Kwid), the hydraulic in our Innova feels super heavy particularly in the city. I think a well calibrated EPS is the future and no wonder that I have switched sides.

The Ground clearance is ample at 225 mm and I have so far not scrapped anywhere. While the overhangs in the front and rear are on the longer side, the high GC has ensured they don't scrape. Since I don't intend to take this for hardcore off roading I don't think GC would be an issue any time.

Features
The Endeavour comes with long list of features. While the major feature list is available everywhere, I would like to highlight some of the smaller features:
1. Indicator when the Bonnet is open.
2. Low Tire pressure warning (It does not indicate the actual pressure though)
3. Headlamp washer.
4. Leather on top of dash.
5. Gun metal finished alloy and side steps.
6. Black roof lining.
7. Rear View camera with Zoom function.
8. You can use the remote to open as well as close the boot.
9. Active noise cancellation


While these are nothing outstanding ,the smaller things help in making the already potent Endeavour a winner. The current crop of cars come feature loaded and Endeavour is no different. It would have been nice If Ford had provided Sun roof, Parallel park assist in 2.2 Titanium as well, but then wishes are endless as always. I am quite content with the feature list provided by Ford.

I would like to mention about the Navigation which isn’t available. I do not seriously miss this feature, reason is I prefer Google maps any day. I have navigation in my Kwid and in past 6 months, I haven’t used it once. Every time I needed something it would be accomplished by G Maps. I am sure I won’t use the default maps offered by manufacturers unless it is Google maps or at least offers ease of use as Google maps.

Audio Quality is pretty good and would rate it at a healthy 8/10. The controls are easy to use, sync recognises the voice pretty well and connecting phones is a breeze. The touch screen does not offer an instantaneous response and there is this smooth little lag every time you touch. It appears as if it is programmed to work in slow-motion. This is not that bothering, may be you need to get used to.

A special mention to the Xenon lamps here. Endeavour comes with xenon only in low beams. The high beams are regular halogens. While the Xenons are great, overall throw is just above average. Was expecting a much better performance from the headlamps. However the headlamps coupled with Fog lamps offer good visibility. I don't see a need for upgrade.

Fuel Efficiency
How can we not discuss the Fuel Efficiency being in India? From 800 to Aventador, common thing that interests everyone is efficiency. Now people say when you buy a full size SUV you don’t see it’s Fuel Efficiency. But hey my money is hard earned and not what I got from say corruption or a scam. And also given that the car in intended to run at least 15K a year, decent fuel efficiency is important to me.

In city runs (read bumper to bumper traffic in Bangalore) I got 8-9Km/l. On a highway with speedometer needle hovering at 100-120KM/Hr. the Endeavour returned a healthy 13.0KM/l. I am pretty sure it can hit up to 14 if driven conservatively. Same holds true for city as well. If you drive mostly on roads with sparse traffic, I would not be surprised if Endeavour returns 10+KM/l. I am happy to see Endeavour delivering FE as per ARAI tests.

Endeavour on City and Highway

By any standards you have to admit the Endeavour is a massive vehicle. Even though it comes with front sensors, massive wing mirrors, ultra-light steering, creep function, managing in a city is a nightmare. For every meter travelled, my eyes would have seen all things in 4 directions. Also given the height, lengthy bonnet, the low lying cars and some two wheelers go unnoticed. One needs to take care of these as well. Keeping the size aside, Endeavour offers effortless driving in city. The ultra-light steering and creep functionality of the gearbox is such a big boon!

Broken countryside roads, 4 –lane highways is where it feels at home.

Cruising at 120 KM/Hr with some retro music in background is what this beast is made for. Even past these speeds there is enough juice to blast through. However the sheer size lets you down and the higher centre of gravity makes one feel uncomfortable.

What the Endeavour totally hates is narrow roads. If at all you manage to squeeze through a narrow road, keep praying to god that you won’t encounter oncoming traffic. Mind you the front headlamps cost 50K or more and I am pretty sure the ORVM’s would also cost a bomb! I believe these are good enough reasons to avoid those shortcuts.

Space and Ergonomics
While for many in India lack of space is not a big issue(What else justifies 15K sales of Swift?), for me it is important. The front passenger gets a large seat which is supremely comfortable. I did not find any issues w.r.to headroom (Possibly because mine does not come with sunroof). The middle row is quite spacious as well, 3 people can sit in comfort. However the Ford Engineers could have reduced the thickness of door pads and increased the width of rear bench. The legroom is more than adequate and headroom is not an issue here as well. Third row has more legroom than our Innova and comparable (or slightly more) headroom. However the last row seats do not tilt like the Innova. Also 3rd row is good only for 2 medium sized adults (best suited for kids) and hence it is a 7-seater and not 8 like Innova (How well it can accommodate 8 is another story). Boot space is pretty good even with the 3rd row seats up! It can easily gobble up a suitcase and couple of bags with ease. With 3rd row folded the boot space available is humongous!

Coming to drivers seat, to me if its a Ford then drivers seat is where you want to be. Endeavour is no different. Being used to Ecosport , finding a comfortable position did not take much time in the Endeavour. The seat is on the firmer side and is ideal for long drives. The electric seat adjustment is very convenient and easy to operate. Memory function would have been nice at this price point.

Interiors also come with decent storage space. All doors can hold water bottles, there is a centre armrest in the rear with cup holder. Front seats come with back pockets which can hold your magazines. There is storage space beneath the armrest in the front as well. The Glove box is also of good size.

Touch Screen,MID and Audio

The Endeavour comes with 3 screens. The main touch screen is quite large and is divided into quadrants which are colour coded. Connecting my One plus one was a breeze and call quality was excellent. Audio quality with bluetooth streaming is wonderful as well. Using Sync 3 which comes in Endeavour did let me set AC temperature as well. It supports applications as well but i found just 2 namely- Glympse and a mapmyindia app. Was not able to get it working though. When slotted to reverse gear, the touch screen doubles up as video display screen. The picture clarity is quite good. The screen comes with zoom function too. The instrument cluster houses the remaining 2 displays. While the left one displays media info(or phone), the right one can be used to display various things such as FE,Trip,tachometer etc. The centre of instrument cluster houses a large speedometer. As mentioned in the official review, the tachometer is of a smaller size.

All the variants of Endeavour come with 10 speaker ICE which sounds great. The sub-woofer at the rear satisfies your bass needs and the person sitting in third row better like the bass. The speakers also seem to be well bolstered and I don't hear jarring sound even when playing at higher volume. Going by history I believe Ford have used JBL speakers, but I am not quite sure.

Air conditioner

Ford cars usually come with powerful AC and cool the cabin within no time. Endeavour carries the tradition. The Endeavour comes with triple zone AC. Driver and passenger can set their own temperatures and in addition the rear passengers can set a different temperature to their liking. AC vents are provided for 3rd row passengers as well. Coming from Vento, the AC vents feels solid. The AC temperature can be set using voice command as well. The Sync 3 recognises the voice pretty well and is very intuitive to use. The fan isn't very noisy even when blowing at max speed.

Safety

Safety was one of the important criterias and is the reason why we dropped Trend and settled for Titanium. The 2.2 Titanium comes with a good set of safety features. 6 Airbags,ESP,TCS , Hill launch assist, Volumetric burglar alarm,Engine Immobiliser,Ford MyKey,Emergency Assistance, seat belt with pretensioner. In addition, thick sheet metal inspires a lot of confidence. What it misses is hill descent control and knee airbag in comparison to 3.2 titanium. Ford MyKey allows the user to set speed limits but I haven't used so far. I am also yet to figure out how the Volumetric burglar system works. I am told the Endeavour comes with motion detectors but not quite sure how it exactly functions. The TCS can be switched off when the car is not in motion.
The front and rear parking sensors coupled with rear view camera is quite helpful and accurate as well. The front parking sensors can be deactivated as well. It would have been good if Ford had offered 6 airbags across all the variants.

Negatives

No car in this world is perfect and so is Endeavour. You cannot build a car that can meet each and every requirement of the buyer. First and foremost I don’t like chrome put upfront, while the design is quite good I am not a big fan of chrome. A Black/aluminium finish would have looked perfect and premium.

The third seat is something to talk about here. Does Ford have a team who check for the ergonomics? If yes, I want to know what stopped them from providing a tumbling middle row? While youngsters will be able to make it to the 3rd row, old people can just dream of being here, practically impossible.

Second thing I don’t understand with Ford is what is stopping from utilising the available space? They did it with Ecosport and now with Endeavour. Even though there is space in the rear, the seats are not wide enough. Ford engineers could easily extend the middle row by a few inches and make it more accommodating.

Ford's supply constraints is another negative to me. My Ford dealer was able to pull out a rabbit from the hat and deliver my car before the budget hike (Kudos to them) but what about the rest? While updating a potential buyer with possible waiting period is OK, wonder what is stopping them from ramping up the production (the 7+ year old Fortuner still sells 900 units). Ford top brass need to re-look into their strategy. Up here in Team-BHP whenever there is a poll and you see a Ford car topping or at least featuring in the top three, but the sales tell a different story.

Adding to the list is the key fob. Definitely a 35 lac vehicle deserves a much better quality key fob (true keyless entry would have been nice).

Well these negatives are definitely not a deal breaker (should not be for anyone for that matter), the positives that the car comes with makes it an irresistible package.

A look at the Extra Large Chrome Grill


Front headlamp with Xenon low beams


A look from the front


A rear shot


Side view, the best angle to look at. Gives you an idea of the size


Large LED tail lamp


Tail lamp in action


Rear reflectors/fog lamps in bumper


The lovely integrated rear spoiler


DRL in action


Gunmetal finish alloy wheels


A closer look at the concentric circles


A look at high quality wiper blades


Functional and elegant dashboard


A look at black roof of Titanium version


Large comfortable front seats


Fat Ford door


FE after a highway drive


Front door pads


Clear image on rear view camera


Comes with zoom


The rear cup holder design


Legroom in middle row


Smaller storage area in the boot


Alongside the Innova



With the younger brother



Another view from the front

[PrideRed]

Scooped front seats to liberate more legroom


Good boot space even without folding 3rd row seats


Another shot with our trust old innova


A look at fuel filler area. The empty space is for Ad Blue available elsewhere


A comparison with competition and conclusion

Currently the Endeavour competes against the below:
1.Toyota Fortuner
2.Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
3.Hyundai Santa Fe
4.Isuzu MU-7
5.Chevrolet Trailblazer

While Pajero and Fortuner are good and reliable products, they are almost over a decade old. While Fortuner comes with decent kit, the ride quality, refinement level clearly shows its age. Mitsubishi is heavily plagued by After sales and service. That said, car to car I felt the Pajero is a better product. However when you compare these two with Endeavour(a back to back drive), you clearly see the difference. Be it the expansive feature list, ride and handling or the refinement, the Endeavour is clearly ages ahead. If you don't like the Endeavour, it would be worth to wait for the next generation Fortuner which is competent enough. New Pajero's future lies with Mitsubishi, which itself is in a very uncertain position. The new Fortuner is definitely going to be blockbuster even at a price point significantly higher than Endeavour. But think again, don't you need some exclusivity when you pay 40+lacs? Well to me it would boil down to individual preference and both are going to be competitive with All new Fortuner leading the sales chart.

Sante Fe is the odd man here being monocoque. The interiors are plush, offers good feature set and comes with potent engine. Somehow the market has not accepted this one from Hyundai and product to me doesnot justify the premium pricing. MU-7(soon to be replaced with MU-X) is already dead and nowhere near the competition. The Trailblazer is capable product to me, but let down by poor marketing/strategy by Chevy management.
Given the price range you also have the option of cross shopping and go with the German SUV's. These are predominantly monocoque and 5 seater. These belong to a totally different category and have their own set of negatives and positives.
Bottom line to me is, If you are in need of SUV from this segment right now, chose Endeavour.If you are willing to wait, you can consider between Endeavour and the all new Fortuner, buy one that suits you most as both are equally good.

[Rehaan]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Ace F355]

Congratulations on your new 'white elephant' ( pun intended)! Your decision making process is pretty similar to most new gen Endeavour owners I know. The vehicle is really class apart from current crop of SUVs in this segment. Very good decision, although I still feel you should have gone for 3.2L engine spec. The difference in literally night and day for driving feel factor of 2.2 and 3.2. Either way, you picked up my current favorite entry-level SUV on sale in India right now.

Thanks for sharing your buying and initial ownership experience and I look forward to regular updates on this thread. Enjoy the elephant ride, Cheers!

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by Ace F355

Congratulations on your new 'white elephant' ( pun intended)! Your decision making process is pretty similar to most new gen Endeavour owners I know. The vehicle is really class apart from current crop of SUVs in this segment. Very good decision, although I still feel you should have gone for 3.2L engine spec. The difference in literally night and day for driving feel factor of 2.2 and 3.2. Either way, you picked up my current favorite entry-level SUV on sale in India right now.

Thanks for sharing your buying and initial ownership experience and I look forward to regular updates on this thread. Enjoy the elephant ride, Cheers!

No doubt that 3.2 is more powerful and also comes with extra set of features. I picked 2.2L mainly because it met all my requirements and the power felt more than adequate to satisfy my needs. Add to that 2.2L is more fuel efficient and a refined unit.
On a standalone basis 2.2 is powerful enough with 160 PS and 385Nm of torque ,which actually is comparable to Fortuner 3.0 which has about 170PS and 343Nm of torque.

[sunishsamuel]

congrats on your new car. The white looks elegant and wishing you an enjoyable drive. I wish Ford had launched a 2.2 AT 4x4 Titanium variant (which will obviously cannibalize the 3.2 AT )

[behaln]

Heartiest congratulations on your new purchase. Looks awesome in shade of white. I have seen few in flesh and actually size is intimidating. I actually felt puny in my A4 when I was waiting alongside the endeavor at a red light.
I am also in the market for an SUV around 30 lakh budget. What do you suggest? Should I go for Endeavor 2.2 or wait for new fortuner to be launched. I can actually wait for 3 to 4 months as my A4's loan is ending in October this year.
Many thanks.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by behaln

Heartiest congratulations on your new purchase. Looks awesome in shade of white. I have seen few in flesh and actually size is intimidating. I actually felt puny in my A4 when I was waiting alongside the endeavor at a red light.
I am also in the market for an SUV around 30 lakh budget. What do you suggest? Should I go for Endeavor 2.2 or wait for new fortuner to be launched. I can actually wait for 3 to 4 months as my A4's loan is ending in October this year.
Many thanks.

The new Fortuner is most likely to sell more than the Endeavour and hence is going to be more common sight in our roads. Both have their positives and negatives . If you want an SUV that is quite fun to drive and has some exclusivity, go for Endeavour. If you want a SUV that is a best seller in the market, then you can wait for the Fortuner.
But if you are going for Endeavour, better to book now as I foresee a price hike in near future.

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

So 2.2 Titanium it was.

And thus came home our white elephant

Congrats PrideRed on your latest Massive acquisition.

Ford seem to be a bit too late to this segment but have they arrived in style. Mondeo came in way too early for the Indian automative market and the price it commanded was not even acceptable to most of the customers back then.

But Ford have timed the Endeavour more accurately and with the kind of features/engines this behemoth has on offer, the premium German SUVs seem too pricey today.

Features

I would like to highlight some of the smaller features:

Recently I saw one during my office commute and man does this have some road presence, especially with those classic DRLs. I also noticed that when you switch on the Turn Indicator, the DRL from that side dims/goes off, just like the ones on the premium German cars.

I am a very big fan of this feature though.

Wish you a very happy motoring and drive safe.

With the younger brother

Holy smoke, I actually could not fathom how big this SUV was until I saw this pic buddy.

That Ecosport almost looks like a scaled down model in that picture next to the Endy!!

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Congrats PrideRed on your latest Massive acquisition.

Holy smoke, I actually could not fathom how big this SUV was until I saw this pic buddy.

That Ecosport almost looks like a scaled down model in that picture next to the Endy!!

Agree with you, parked side by side Ecosport looks like scaled down version of Endeavour. But what got me scary was the comparsion with Kwid . Kwid's bonnet and lower lip of Endeavours front bumper are almost at same height .

[PrideRed]

While I feel happy to see price hike of Endeavour(which of course will reduce depreciation), I feel Ford seems to be losing plot with frequent price hike and reduction. The buyers are losing trust with Ford. A potential buyer would definitely give a second thought before buying a Ford as there might be a price hike/reduction.

[prasanna_indaje]

Hello PrideRed, Congratulations !

Photos of your home ring some bells and I think I have spotted your car many times. Typically it is parked in the portico of your house and visible from Puttur road .

Small world indeed.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by prasanna_indaje

Hello PrideRed, Congratulations !

Photos of your home ring some bells and I think I have spotted your car many times. Typically it is parked in the portico of your house and visible from Puttur road .

Small world indeed.

Yes you are right. I am based out of Puttur and car spends most of its time in Puttur(Thanks to sheer size and mad Bangalore traffic). Glad to know of more BHPians from my small little hometown

[PrideRed]

10000 KM Update:

Completed 10K service which costed a mere 4.5K. I am super happy with this.
While this is a free service, I don't expect the paid service to cost a bomb like the Germans.

Issues reported:
The auto leveling xenon's are not functioning. The service center has acknowledged the same and have promised to replace the parts under warranty. The auto leveling motor is the culprit.

Fuel Efficiency Update:
Getting average of 13+ plus consistently on highway and 10.5+ in city.

[naveendagar]

Dear PrideRed,

I also do share same story as yours, current fortuner is 4.5 years old and the itch to changeover has already crossed the threshold levels. I read your complete review and happy to know the minute details of your ownership till so far. It will really help me in taking a right decision. Personal congratulations for your new beast, hope you happily enjoy the companionship.

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Attachment 1531867

Negatives

No car in this world is perfect and so is Endeavour. You cannot build a car that can meet each and every requirement of the buyer. First and foremost I don’t like chrome put upfront, while the design is quite good I am not a big fan of chrome. A Black/aluminium finish would have looked perfect and premium.

I also share the same opinion about the chromed upfront, was going through one of the facebook advertisement and came upon this picture of a car accessory shop in Ludhiana, Punjab. Matches your taste i think.