Ford India launched the new Endeavour in the first-quarter of this year. With the all-new models of the Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport not here yet, the early 2016 launch has given the new Endeavour quite a headstart and effectively, a free run of sorts. The Endeavour has been quick in garnering a fan-following of sorts, much of which is thanks to its butch styling, comfortable cabin and a powerful 3.2-litre engine. However, there’s even more to the new Endy; yes, I’m talking of the genuine off-road credentials. We tested the on-road behaviour of the new Endeavour earlier this year. And now, we have finally driven this beast even off the road to try and know all there is about this SUV. Our New Ford Endeavour Off Road Review here gives you an account of our recent experience.
ALSO SEE- New Ford Endeavour Test Drive Review
We took the 3.2-litre model, complete with the 4×4 hardware, to an off-road track. The said track was designed by Terrain Tigers, a popular off-road group up here in North. Unlike the crossovers and pseudo-SUVs that dot our roads, the new Endeavour has all the ingredients of a genuine off-roader. Four-wheel drive, differential lock on rear axle, 225 mm of ground clearance, 30-degree approach angle, 25-degree departure angle and 800mm water-wading capacity lead to some real mud-plugging action!
Another highlight here is the excellent Terrain Management System. While we tackled most of the sections in the ‘auto’ mode, wherein the beast was in-charge of adjusting various parameters, the ‘Sand’, ‘Snow’ and ‘Rock’ modes did come in handy on the slightly more challenging sections.
We started off by driving through a handful of craters that were deep enough to swallow a Tata Nano (or two)! At a speed of around 10 KMPH, with me gripping the leather-wrapped steering wheel hard, the Endy simply sailed through all the craters. With the first section dealt with, I heard myself mumbling a “not bad”. Up next was a steep incline which, quite frankly, looked intimidating. Siddharth, my co-driver from Terrain Tigers and a regular at such off-road excursions, asked me to lock the rear differential. With the differential lock engaged, the new Endeavour got the better of the incline in moments. We also encountered few rather treacherous slopes, which the Endeavour dealt with quite an aplomb.
By then, I was reassured of the Endeavour’s off-road capabilities. Come to think of it, the Endeavour ‘flew past’ most of the hurdles like nobody’s business. The Endeavour also dealt with a water puddle and some slush, okay, a lot of it, but thanks to a water-wading capacity of 800mm, among other things, the Endeavour almost had an aura of invincibility in such challenging conditions.
We clocked a couple of more laps of the off-road track and every time, the Endeavour seemed to mock at me, a noob at off-roading, for the slight doubt I had in this premium SUV’s off-road capabilities. The new Ford Endeavour is very good on the road, but guess what, it feels entirely at home even off the beaten tarmac!
So, what do you say about our new Ford Endeavour Off Road Review? Do let us know by commenting below.
