Ford Endeavour
Ford Everest Ambiente 4x4 3.2L Diesel (representational image)Ford
  • Global debut of new Ford Endeavour expected soon
  • India launch in early 2019
  • The new 2.0-litre diesel engine may not come to India
  • Reworked grille, front bumper, and alloy wheels are the main changes on the exterior

American carmaker Ford has been working on a mid-life facelift of its Endeavour SUV which is called Everest in some markets. The new version of the SUV has been spotted testing in Australia and Thailand and is expected to make a global debut soon.

A report in Autocar claims the India launch of the new Endeavour will not be far. The publication claims Ford India will launch in early 2019.

Ford Endeavour
New Ford Endeavour has been spotted on test in Australia and ThailandFord

Being a mid-life facelift, the changes in the 2019 Ford Endeavour will be minimal. Spy images indicate redesigned radiator grille, thick fog lamp inserts on the front bumper and a silver finish for the lower section of the bumper. These changes are subtle and hence you will have to give closer attention to identifying them. The rear of the SUV looks more or less the same while the new six-spoke alloy wheels will add some freshness on the sides.

Though the basic interior layout of the Endeavour will remain the same in the new version, Ford may add features such as passive keyless entry and a push-button start. The seat fabrics are also expected to get new inlay.

Under the hood, the new Endeavour will be packed with a brand-new four-cylinder 2.0-litre diesel engine. The mill in question made debut with new Ford Ranger pickup. The mill will be offered in two states of tunes- 180hp/420Nm from the single-turbo version and 213hp/500Nm from the twin-turbo version. The engine will also come mated to a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Unfortunately, the new mill is not India bound.

Ford Endeavour
Ford Endeavour in the special off-road track in BengaluruFord India

India-spec new Ford Endeavour will continue with the two TDCi diesel engines - 3.2-litre Duratorq five-cylinder TDCi diesel and 2.2-litre Duratorq four-cylinder TDCi diesel units. While the 2.2-litre engine develops 158bhp and 385Nm of torque, the 3.2-litre engine develops 197bhp and 470Nm of torque. Both the engines come paired with a six-speed manual and automatic transmission. Ford will copiously rework these engines to meet the stricter BS-VI emission norms that come into force in 2020.

New Ford Endeavour will go up against the Toyota Fortuner, Skoda Kodiaq, and soon-to-be-launched Mahindra SUV which will be the rebranded SsangYong G4 Rexton.