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Ford
Territory
SX / SY / SY II / SZ·
2004-2016
suv-4wd
Value
Price (AUD)
$4k–$22k (Ghia Turbo and SZ diesel hold value best)
Body styles
5-door wagon (5 or 7 seat)
Drivetrain
RWD, AWD
Origin
Australia
Built in
Broadmeadows, Victoria
Overview
The Territory was Australia's first locally-developed SUV, built on the BA Falcon platform. SX/SY used Barra inline-6 petrols. SY II added the Barra 245T turbo (Ghia Turbo — a 270kW family wagon). SZ (2011-2016) introduced the 2.7L V6 diesel and was the final, most refined version. Massive family SUV in its era, now a serious bargain for tow vehicle duty. The diesel SZ in particular is undervalued — Ford-PSA shared V6 diesel with strong torque.
Engines & variants
4.0L Barra 182/190/195 NA I6
Engine
DOHC VCT inline-6 NA (same as Falcon)
Config
I6 NA
Displacement
3984cc
Power
182kW (SX) → 195kW (SZ)
Torque
380-391Nm
Drivetrain
RWD / AWD
0–100
~9.0s
Economy
11.5 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
2300kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT, 6MT, 4AT (BTR), 6AT (ZF 6HP26)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven, inspect from 200,000km+
Pros
- Same bulletproof Barra I6 as Falcon
- AWD optional — genuinely useful for muddy paddocks
- Real 7-seater available (SX onward)
- Big interior, comfortable family hauler
- Cheap on the used market
- ZF 6-speed in SY II+ is excellent
Cons
- Thirsty for an SUV — 13-15L/100km real world
- Early SX 4-speed BTR auto known weak point
- AWD system not for serious off-road
- Body roll noticeable
- Same coil pack issues as Falcon
Known problems
high
Coil pack failure
Same coil pack pattern as Falcon Barra.
Fix: Quality coil replacement (Bosch, Delphi). Replace as set if multiple failing.
high
BTR 4-speed auto (SX/early SY)
Early BTR auto fails under SUV weight + AWD load. Slipping, harsh shifts, total failure.
Fix: Avoid pre-SY II if possible. ZF 6-speed conversion or rebuild.
medium
AWD transfer case wear
AWD-equipped Territories develop transfer case noise and wear, especially if used hard.
Fix: Transfer case rebuild. Check 4WD operation on test drive — listen for whine.
medium
Front control arm ball joints
Front lower control arm ball joints wear (control arm is a one-piece replacement).
Fix: Control arm assembly replacement. Pre-purchase: jack up and check for play.
4.0L Barra 245T turbo I6 (Ghia Turbo / F6X)
Engine
DOHC VCT inline-6 turbo
Config
I6 turbo
Displacement
3984cc
Power
245kW (Ghia) / 270kW (FPV F6X)
Torque
480Nm @ 2000-4750rpm
Drivetrain
AWD only
0–100
~6.5s
Economy
13.5 L/100km combined (real-world 15-18)
Tow (braked)
2300kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
6MT, 6AT (ZF 6HP26)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven, inspect from 200,000km+
Pros
- 245-270kW in a 7-seat family SUV — genuinely fast
- Same Barra Turbo platform — endless mod potential
- Always AWD with the turbo — better traction
- Bargain performance SUV — sub-$15k for Ghia Turbo
- FPV F6X (270kW, 2008-2011) is unicorn territory
- ZF 6-speed handles the torque well
Cons
- AWD transfer case stressed by 480Nm
- Thirsty — 16-20L/100km in town
- Premium fuel mandatory
- Few were built — supply limited
- Most have been driven hard
Known problems
medium
Wastegate creep / boost spikes
Same wastegate flapper wear as Falcon XR6T — boost creep, overshoot.
Fix: Aftermarket adjustable wastegate actuator or manual boost controller.
high
Transfer case wear (turbo torque on AWD)
AWD transfer case in Territory wasn't really designed for 480Nm of Barra turbo torque. Whine, then wear, then failure.
Fix: Transfer case rebuild. Sometimes converted to RWD-only for cost savings on tuned examples.
high
Coil packs (shared with NA)
Same pattern, worse under turbo heat.
Fix: Quality coil set replacement.
medium
Front diff bushing wear
Front diff carrier bushes wear under AWD turbo torque causing clunk and vagueness.
Fix: Polyurethane bush kit (Whiteline).
2.7L V6 TDV6 diesel (SZ only)
Engine
Common-rail DOHC V6 turbo diesel
Config
V6 turbo
Displacement
2720cc
Power
140kW @ 4000rpm
Torque
440Nm @ 1900rpm
Drivetrain
RWD / AWD
0–100
~9.5s
Economy
8.2-9.0 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
2700kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
6AT (ZF 6HP26)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven, 160,000km / 10-year (internal — major job)
Pros
- Genuinely good 2.7L V6 diesel — Jaguar Land Rover uses the same engine
- Best fuel economy in the segment for the era
- Strong torque — 440Nm makes towing easy
- Excellent ZF 6-speed paired
- Best Territory of the lot for the long haul
- Bargain on the used market — undervalued
Cons
- Shared platform with JLR diesel = JLR-grade repair bills
- EGR carbon and DPF issues common
- Diesel parts dearer than Barra petrol
- Glow plug failures common
- Discontinued — Ford gone from manufacturing
Known problems
medium
EGR carbon buildup
EGR valve and intake manifold carbon up heavily — rough idle, hesitation, limp mode. Shared issue with all Ford-PSA 2.7 diesels.
Fix: Walnut blast intake, EGR clean. Some owners block-plate (legal status varies).
medium
DPF clogging on short trips
DPF doesn't regen on short urban drives. Eventually clogs and triggers limp mode.
Fix: Highway drives for regen. Force regen via scan tool. DPF clean or replacement worst case.
medium
Glow plug failures
Glow plugs fail individually. Hard cold starts. Removal can be a nightmare if seized.
Fix: Replace plugs proactively at major service with anti-seize. Specialist tooling sometimes needed for seized plugs.
medium
Oil cooler / oil pump pickup issues
Oil cooler develops leaks and the oil pump pickup can clog if oil hasn't been changed regularly.
Fix: Inspect at major service. Clean pickup tube during oil pan removal jobs.
medium
Turbo VGT actuator sticking
Variable geometry vanes carbon up and stick causing lack of boost and limp mode.
Fix: VGT clean or turbo replacement.
Common problems (all variants)
medium
Front lower control arm wear (ball joints)
Front lower control arm ball joints wear — control arm is replaced as an assembly. Causes vague steering and clunk.
Fix: Control arm assembly replacement. Both sides recommended if one is worn.
low
Rear shock failure
Rear shocks lose damping over time, especially on heavily-loaded examples.
Fix: Aftermarket replacement (Pedders, Koni, Bilstein).
low
Rear hatch strut failure
Rear hatch gas struts fail — hatch won't stay up.
Fix: Replacement struts. Easy DIY.
low
DVD player / screen failure (rear seat entertainment)
Optional roof-mounted DVD player on Ghia trims develops faults with age.
Fix: Mostly cosmetic — entertainment system replacement rarely worth it. Aftermarket tablets are better.
low
Window regulator failure
Standard Falcon-platform window regulator failure.
Fix: Replacement regulator. Door card off.
medium
ZF transmission service neglect
Ford specified 'lifetime fluid' on ZF 6HP26 but the auto requires fluid changes to last. Harsh shifts develop without it.
Fix: Fluid + filter service every 60-80k. Use Lifeguard 6 only.