Endura and Everest to attract different buyers: Ford

FORD Australia is confident that its Endura crossover, set to touch down locally before the end of the year, will not steal sales away from its already-established Everest despite the two models both competing in the large SUV segment.

 

Since the Aussie-built Territory ceased production in 2016, the Ranger-based Everest has flown the flag for Ford in the large SUV market, however the arrival of the Endura will see a more comfort-oriented proposition join the Blue Oval stable.

 

Speaking to GoAuto at the launch of the updated Everest, Ford Australia product marketing manager Karen Larkin said the two vehicles will attract different buyer types.

 

“That large SUV segment – you can almost divide it in two, and we see Endura playing in a different half of the segment (to the Everest),” she said.

 

“Obviously, the competitors with Endura are slightly different to Everest competitors, and that car will have a different capability, if you like, so we see them as two distinct products and we’ll have our own aspirations for Endura, but we don’t think that will detract from Everest.”

 

Despite playing in the same industry segment, the Endura will be around 110mm shorter and 90mm lower than the Everest, enough to clearly differentiate the two models and for Ford to classify them differently.

 

“If you look at our line-up we’ve currently got the Escape, which we call a small SUV, and we’ve got the Everest which is a large SUV, and Endura size-wise just fits nicely in the middle as a medium (SUV) size-wise,” said Ms Larkin.

 

“Imagine that large car segment – Endura plays on the left side of it, Everest on the right. You would compare an Endura to (Mazda) CX-9 or (Toyota) Kluger or (Hyundai) Santa Fe, that end of the vehicles that are out there, whereas the Everest you would compare to (Toyota) Prado, Jeep Grand Cherokee in terms of that off-road capability, towing capability – this is a bigger car.”

 

Ford sees Endura buyers as those looking for a family car that can still fit teenage-to-adult kids, but with greater refinement and a more urban personality than the Everest.

 

Whereas Ms Larkin said that the type of buyer who purchases an Everest comes from a wider-ranging mix of demographics.

 

“It’s a mixed bag, so we know that we’ve got about 38 per cent who are empty nesters, no kids, but over 40 per cent are family buyers with one to three-plus kids,” she said.

 

“So we’ve got the grey nomads who are buying to tow the caravan and go around Australia, we’ve got the families who want the seven-seat capability, and then we’ve got a small proportion of single people.”

 

Although the Territory ceased production in late 2016, Mr Larkin said buyers had remained loyal to the Blue Oval brand and would migrate from the old Australian-built SUV to the Everest.

 

“Territory buyers have become loyal Ford buyers and so we’ve seen as they wanted to migrate into the next car, we see they’re migrating to Everest,” she said.

 

“And they’re really happy to do so and they love their Everest as much as they have their Territorys.”

 

The Everest has enjoyed a successful 2018 so far, with Ford selling 3135 examples to the end of July, up 21.7 per cent compared to the same period last year. 

 

It currently sits third among ute-based SUVs, behind the Isuzu MU-X (5113) and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (3827).

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