Ford Endeavour 3.0L 4x2 AT - Performance Review

The Endeavour is huge and weighs over two tons. You need some serious poke under the hood to lug it around and Ford seems to have gotten the perfect mill to do this. The new Endeavour gets a common rail direct injection diesel engine, displacing 2953cc. The engine churns out 156PS of power at 3200rpm and 380Nm of torque at 2500rpm. The engine is only available with a five-speed automatic gearbox and a choice of 4x4 or 4x2 drivetrain. We got our hands on the 4x4, which comes with a Borg & Warner shift-on-the-fly transfer case.

The surge of power from the engine is instantaneous and the gearbox is quick to respond with its smooth gear changes. With a variable geometry turbine bolted on to the engine, the turbo lag has been well taken care of and the Endeavour never feels sluggish. Keep a firm foot on the accelerator and it builds speed very rapidly. 100kmph comes on the speedo before you can imagine and it feels in its zone while effortlessly munching miles at 160kmph. Overtaking performance is pretty impressive too. The engine has a broad torque spread, which the gearbox manages beautifully.

The Endeavour’s ride quality is a mixed bag. The car comes equipped with independent double wishbones up front and leaf springs at the rear. The set up is very soft and makes the car feel very comfortable at low speeds. It absorbs everything pretty nicely and you don’t feel a thing inside. But as the speed rises, it turns very bouncy, especially at the back. Couple this with the body roll, the high speed ride will surely trigger motion sickness among many.

This also affects its handling. The Endeavour doesn’t feel very confident at high speeds. The steering lacks feel and lane changes need concentration at high speeds as there is significant roll that can unsettle the car. Although the Endeavour is pretty good off the road, the biggest issue arises out of its weight and size.  Engage the four-wheel high or low and it keeps going over ruts, rocks and dunes effortlessly. Come slush, and the car starts to sink owing to its weight. The road-biased tyres make it worse and I guess, off-road tyres would make a world of difference to its capabilities.

The motor is slightly on the thirsty side, delivering an overall 11.8kmpl on a mixed highway and city cycle. The 71 litre fuel tank is a bonus on long trips though.

Verdict:
The Endeavour 4x4 AT is priced at Rs 19.50 lakh, ex-Delhi while the 4x2 variant will save you another lakh and a half. The Endeavour comes reasonably loaded but feels a bit crude when compared to its competitors. It is based on the Ford Everest pick-up truck and hence feels more truck-like than a luxury SUV. Its nearest competitor, the Toyota Fortuner offers better dynamics and a little more sophistication, both inside out, and has a much more powerful engine. The Endeavour is thus left with two positives – its automatic gearbox and a cheaper 2WD variant that makes more sense for urban usage. Oh yes, if the Toyota dealer is quoting you insane waiting period for the Fortuner, heading to the Ford dealership won’t be a bad idea.