Endeavour 3.2 v Fortuner 3.0

Words: Sirish Chandran

Photography: Gaurav S Thombre

Shots in the bag, we apologize to irate miners for the alarming rise in particulate matter in the quarries and make haste before things get ugly. And that’s when it strikes me – the new Endeavour rides very well. Not just in relation to the old Endeavour (which, let’s face it, wasn’t much of a benchmark) but, compared to the Fortuner, you can drive it faster and yet be more in control of what’s going on. It’s not just the primary ride that is more compliant but the big difference is that the Endeavour does not bounce and pogo on its springs after launching itself off a mound. You land hard, wait for the second bounce and the kick from the rear (something we’ve become accustomed to in the Fortuner), but the Endy settles on its springs and the nose stays flat. It really does have very well-judged rebound damping.


There’s this extra pliancy in the dampers that takes the edge off the harshest ruts, like a cushion shielding you from the sting of a punch, and you don’t feel those thuds and thunks when the suspension runs out of travel. There are also no nasty kickbacks through the steering like you get in the Fortuner, nor does the body shudder when you drop it into a deep ditch. The Endeavour uses electric steering that is as devoid of feel as in any other SUV, but on the upside it is much lighter, it doesn’t squirm in your palms when hammering down a bad road, and crucially endows the Ford with fantastic manoeuvrability. For something of the size and weight of an oil tanker the Endeavour
is amazingly easy to drive – not just on rutted mining tracks but also in the cut and thrust of the city.


The 3.2-litre motor also makes more power, more torque and the 6-speed gearbox (while lethargic in isolation) shifts with more verve than the Toyota’s box, so there is a quicker turn of speed. Which means you end up driving
faster and because the Endy is more settled, you feel more in control of the SUV, and thus safer.

The safety factor is enhanced by seven airbags on the Titanium version apart from ABS and ESP. Equipment levels are rather lavish: you get full-time all-wheel-drive like the Fortuner with low-ratio but additionally the Ford gets a terrain response system similar to that on Land Rovers. This adjusts the throttle, brake and stability control maps for gravel, sand, and rock climbing, plus there’s hill descent control and a locking rear differential. As for the handling, the ESP also has a cornering function that brakes individual wheels when things get lairy and it also has gyroscopic sensors to prevent a roll over. All this equipment means the Endeavour can off-road as well if not better than the Fortuner, but that’s a test Ouseph has saved for the next issue of OFF ROAD.


It’s not like game over for the Fortuner though. For one there is more headroom, particularly in the middle row, and the large glass area means the cabin feels even more spacious. Middle row passengers will also appreciate the better under thigh support. And there are more than enough owners who will swear by the fantastic reliability of the Toyota.

Ford’s trump card though is pricing, undercutting the Endeavour on a spec-to-spec comparison, and that means we have a new favourite. Interior quality is much better with the leather dash-top lending a particularly premium feel. And even for somebody as used to gizmos as I, eyebrows involuntarily went up when a tacho jumped up on the digital speedo when I stuck it in Sport mode (there are also paddles behind the steering wheel). You can also switch to off-road-oriented displays or call up the fuel efficiency graphs and marvel at the thirst of the motor (6.7kmpl during our test). And in-cabin refinement is fantastic thanks in part to noise-cancellation where opposing frequency sounds are played from the speakers to negate the engine hum. These aren’t things you’d expect to find in a pickup-derived SUV but the new Endeavour isn’t a body and seven seats thrown over a pickup chassis. Aft of the A-pillar, the Endeavour is so heavily re-worked over the Ranger pickup that it kicks open the goal posts and sets a new benchmark in this segment. The all-new Fortuner (due shortly!) is not going to have it easy.

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