Deciding what equipment you’re going to take on the trip can be a tedious task. What I’ve found useful is a checklist that I made up some time ago. I can refer to this list to prepare all the gear that we’ll need to take for most journeys. One really nice item I’d love to tick off every time on my checklist would be any of the new Diesel versions of the Ford Territory SUV ­ a must, surely. Excellent fuel economy, great space and loads of comfort make it the ideal tourer.

Having the addition of AWD traction, makes the Ford Territory Diesel a very useful SUV for tackling some of the wild and woollier roads that you’ll find inland. You’ll also find that the classy Territory styling is equally apt for travelling the central city streets for business or pleasure. Clean rounded lines and a dominant presence make the new Ford Territory Diesels some of the nicer looking SUV designs on the road. With large five-stroke, 17 and 18 – inch alloy wheels and big tyres you have a huge paw print. Excellent projector headlights and roof carry bar rails give added long journeying ability.

Speaking of being well equipped for the long haul; you’ll find that the Ford Territory Turbo Diesel versions offer a powerhouse for the sporty SUV drive. Effortless cruising at high speed gives the RWD and AWD models a relaxed driving appeal. But Ford has worked hard at matching the 140 kW, 440 Nm engine with top efficiency. Yes, there is plenty of smooth acceleration; the 2.7-litre V6 Turbo Diesel makes short work of the 0-100 km/h dash. The new Ford Territory Diesel also offers outstanding fuel economy. You can expect a combined fuel economy figure of around 8.0 litres/100 km for RWD models and 9.0 litres/100 km for AWD models. Considering that this is a big vehicle, carrying plenty of weight, these figures are very good. Power is put through a neat six-speed automatic transmission.

All Territory models boast five-star safety. A commanding driving position, stable handling and premium safety items ensure that you are riding on-board a solid set of wheels. You can have the peace of mind that all occupants in the luxurious Territory cabin have superior safety features at the ready, should a significant accident occur. Dynamic Stability Control with Rollover Mitigation and Traction Control, an Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Emergency Brake Assist, a driver’s knee airbag, dual stage driver and front passenger airbags, side curtain airbags and a Reverse Sensing System are standard safety features on all new Ford Territory Diesel models.

Seating inside the Territory Diesel is roomy, with plenty of legroom for tall adults. The Territory interior is Smart, sophisticated and modern. Cool features like iPod and Bluetooth mobile phone integration, and a USB port will keep the techie-teenagers quiet and entertained. A high-tech, 5.8-inch colour touch screen in the centre of the dash is standard for the TX model. A big 8-inch screen is available on the Titanium models. Added to this is advanced Satellite Navigation with a Traffic Message Channel and an Alpine rear DVD player on Titanium models. These Smart technologies provide an enjoyable drive that can keep you connected with music and the outside world when you’re way out in the Outback on an adventure. Now this would really make the techie-teenager’s day, wouldn’t it!

There’s no need to sweat; you’ll be cool and relaxed inside the Ford Territory Diesel with single-zone automatic climate control on TX Territory Diesel models or Dual-zone on Titanium variants. The four-way power adjustable driver’s seat (TX Diesel) means that, if you’re driving, you’ll find the perfect position. Powerful speakers create awesome sounds, and power windows and side mirrors, cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls, Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) and no less than thirty interior storage compartments come as standard items on all models. If you need to carry more than five, you can equip your new Ford Territory Diesel with a seven seat configuration (3rd row seat). Ford Territory TS and Titanium models come with the same grunty diesel engine found in the TX, however they do offer a little more luxury, comfort and technology. Leather seats, for instance, are found in Titanium models.

Most of inland Australia is accessible with two-wheel-drive vehicles. However, every-now-and-then a curly piece of road will require the assurance of AWD traction. Ford Territory can offer you this.

The current Ford Territory Diesel models include the:

• Territory TX RWD
• Territory TX AWD
• Territory TS RWD
• Territory TS AWD
• Territory Titanium RWD
• Territory Titanium AWD

For any more information on the Ford Territory Diesel or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Ford dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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