In a world where SUVs dominate the vehicle preference of buyers, it’s almost silly not to have one in your portfolio for a car brand. For Ford, where some familiar names have done their part in this department, a space opened a few years back for a trendy and affordable SUV to appease the masses. The blue oval made good on its attempt to fill this space with its Chinese-built SUV, the Territory, which made its way to local shores in 2024.
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Now, I’m in no way unfamiliar with the Ford Territory despite not being around to test it during its local launch. I’ve spent a week with it twice in the past, and now I’m using it as a daily driver in its Titanium guise. In my reviews of the Ford Territory Titanium, I’ve mostly reported positively on it with some quirks that aren’t deal-breakers. I’m now nearly four months in, and things have gone smoothly.
In the present day, halfway through 2025, Ford has found it fit to add a new model to its Territory lineup. The Dark Edition has been introduced to sit above the Titanium model, making it the new range-topper.
The essence of the Territory is kept intact with the Dark Edition as it retains its core idea that it's suited for families of four to five people. However, there are subtle differences that make it a tad more stylish and eye-catching. For starters, black finishes are found throughout the exterior: the grill, skid plate, fog lamps, mirror caps, roof, and the Territory badge are black. To round it all off are 19-inch black alloys that just give it that extra panache on the road.
The Dark Edition’s interior gets orange stitching that pops out against a darker finish, reminiscent of the Wildtrak’s interior. The darker finishes come from black perforated leather seats matched with charcoal black headliner and pillars. Other than that, the interior is unchanged. The difference, however, was welcomed when I first gazed into the Dark Edition, possibly because I’ve grown weary of the Titanium’s interior.
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The infotainment screen, which I think is worth mentioning as it's become such a focus for would-be buyers, is the same. So is the 12.3-inch digital instrument that shares joined by the 12.3-inch landscape infotainment screen.
Drive
Ford South Africa tried something new and quite unique with the way it let the media experience the Territory Dark Edition. Usually, journos are accompanied by a driving partner on a launch, but Ford SA allowed for our families to join along for the test drive this time. This allowed media to get a real-world experience of what it’s like to use the Territory, and at the same time, it showcased the Territory’s strongest feature in use: space, particularly the leg room in the rear seats.
Under the hood, things remain the same. A 1.8L four-cylinder engine mated to a seven-speed DCT transmission helps send power to the front wheels. Our drive route was a fairly simple on that mostly consisted of freeway driving. After landing at Lanseria airport and a short breakfast stop near the airport, we made our way to Gold Reef City with my family occupying the passenger seats. The drive back at the end of day after we experienced Gold Reef City was much the same. The Territory still delivers with ample power, a decent gearbox, and the space for three kids to sit comfortably in the rear seats.
A welcome addition to the Dark Edition is a 360-degree camera that is now a convenience feature to have, as it is quite useful for parking.
The Dark Edition adds an extra coolness to the blue oval’s Territory, and it would be interesting to see how Mzansi takes to it in the coming months.
Pricing for the Territory Dark Edition is R733,000. The recommended retail price includes a six-year/90,000 km Ford Optional Service Plan, four-year/120,000km Ford warranty, four-year/unlimited distance Roadside Assistance and five-year/unlimited distance corrosion warranty.
