We already we quite aware of Ford’s new premium-ish midsize SUV being planned for a debut next year - filling the gap left by the Territory - and a pretty good idea that it would be basically a rebadge of the second-generation Ford Edge sold in North America and parts of Europe.
There was some ambiguity about the name, though. “Edge” somehow wasn’t edgy enough for the Australian market, their local arm must’ve thought, and so the search began for a more appropriate name to capture new buyers. And, naturally, it would need to start with the letter E to be in sync with an SUV line-up that includes the EcoSport, Escape, and Everest.
Ford Australia have now confirmed that the new model will indeed be called the Endura, as was previously rumoured, per CEO and President Graeme Whickman: “The Endura reflects the dynamic motoring landscape in Australia, where buyers are now looking for more specific features and attributes in their SUVs as opposed to a one-size-fits-all solution. The appetite for SUVs in this country is impressive, so we’re excited to bring a premium new offering from our global portfolio to local audiences.”
The Endura, like the Edge, will not be significantly larger than the Escape but should be a good deal better equipped and more luxurious (Vignale?). It’s not clear yet how late into 2018 we'll have to wait before the SUV’s arrival, but it is fixed that the engine options will be served by an all-diesel range.
This could lead to a couple of different outcomes. Ford isn’t known for its vast variety of oil-burners, especially with regard to their passenger cars. Currently, the Edge is sold in certain European markets with a 2.0-litre Duratorq four-cylinder turbodiesel that produces up to 160kW and 450Nm. However, it’s only available with a 6-speed PowerShift dual-clutch transmission, which has been largely phased out.
Ford could just reuse this European configuration for the Endura, however we see some issues under the surface should that course of action be taken. Another likely scenario is a forthcoming mid-cycle update for the Edge that sees an updated turbodiesel from Ford’s newer EcoBlue range, paired to a torque-converter automatic - perhaps even the same 10-speed unit fitted to the 2018 Mustang, but likely the proven 6F35 used in the Mondeo and Focus.
Apart from still smallish capacity motor, we struggle to think of other diesel engines that would be a likely candidate for the Endura. In North America, the most popular configurations are sold with a twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 petrol, displacing either 2.7- or 3.5-litres. We also wonder why these were ruled out for the Australian market.
Nonetheless, 2018 will be a significant year for Ford and SUVs in Australia generally. After all, Holden will be aggressively pushing the similarly sized Equinox, a model that replaces the ageing Captiva, right from its launch in December. Meanwhile, refreshes to the EcoSport, Escape, and Everest models are planned to arrive throughout the coming year.
For more on Ford vehicles, check out our Showroom.
