2015 Ford Endeavour: First Drive Review

Over the years India has gradually become one of the biggest and fastest growing automotive markets in the world. And seeing the demand for rugged intimidating SUVs, manufacturers are constantly working on a recipe to a successful car in this class. Ford had got the ingredients just right when they first launched the Endeavour in India over a decade ago. But somewhere down the line, they lost the plot, especially since they failed to give it timely and worthwhile upgrades which directly impacted its sales numbers. But with the 2015 Endeavour, Ford intends to change that and duplicate the success the SUV has initially achieved.

Launch Update : All New Ford Endeavour Launched at Rs 24.75 Lakh

Most of us have seen various images of the 2015 Ford Endeavour, thanks to its official unveil at the Bangkok Motor Show and, some even spied test mules in India. Now that’s we’ve come to see the new Endeavour in flesh, we can confirm that it looks pretty modern and intimidating. We really liked the fact that this 2015 iteration is an all new design, looks nothing like its predecessors and yet it all brawn and muscle as an SUV should be.

The massive chrome front grille, the silver scuff plates on the front and rear bumper, the wraparound tail lights and the chrome above the registration plate, all give it a pure masculine character... while the six-spoke alloy wheels to add to it rugged character. For the kind of silhouette it has, you would believe that the 2015 Endeavour doesn't have the most aerodynamic design. But you couldn't be more wrong. At the front end the aero kickers as well as the spoiler has been thoughtfully designed to reduce aerodynamic drag. Aerie the score for the artist at Ford behind this well thought of yet menacing design.

Ingress on the 2015 Ford Endeavour can be a task, but once in you are welcomed by a sea of changes. The dashboard looks neat with the black, matte silver and beige combination. There is ample of space for the front two rows and thanks to the adjustable middle row, room at the back isn't too bad either. What's noteworthy is the boot space. With the third row backrest dropped down, the Endeavour makes a massive 2,010 litres of boot space! To keep things quiet in the cabin, Ford has equipped the Endeavour with sound deadening materials and Active Noise Cancellation Technology.

A limited list of features was one of the biggest fallbacks of the outgoing Endeavour, but for the 2015 model Ford had covered that drawback. From Active Park Assist, Sync 2 Voice Command System, Hill Descent, Electronic Hill Descent, Electronic Stability Control and more.

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Under the hood, the Endeavour will be offered with a 2.2-litre 4-cylinder engine that makes 160PS of max power and 385Nm of torque. Although this engine takes a little while to gain speeds but once there, the surge is maintained pretty comfortably. However, overtaking in this state of tune could be a bit of work.

The case isn't the same with the other 3.2-litre engine on offer. At 200PS and 470Nm there is ample of power on tab to get the needle going in no time. The only chink in the armour is probably the 6-speed auto transmission, which despite being less lethargic than the one on the outgoing model doesn't do justice to the engine.

The Endeavour with the larger 3.2-litre mill comes with the 4x4 (all wheel drive) option. And to make the off-roading task easy Ford has equipped with all kinds of gizmos. There is the electronic locking differential and the Terrain Management System that helps it go through pretty much every type of terrain without much hassle. Ride quality is great, and you don't quite feel the undulations of the road in the cabin. However, the handling isn't something you would call out of this world, but is reasonably decent for a car of this size. You sure can push it a bit around corners, but a little more feedback on the steering wheel would have worked wonders.

Expected to be launched towards the end of the year, the 2015 Ford Endeavour checks all the right boxes for someone looking for a premium SUV. It has the design that is sure to turn a lot of heads, has enough space, comes loaded with features and has decent engine options as well. For those planning to buy a car in this class, we sure think it’ll be worth t he wait.