For over a century, American car giants Ford and General Motors (GM) have been battling for domination in the U.S. market and global supremacy.

In almost every automotive segment, the two titans have had some model vying for the top spot in the sales chart. Think Camaro vs. Mustang, Expedition vs. Suburban, and F-150 vs. Silverado.

In the Asian crossover stakes, these two are still at it, especially with the recent launch of the all-new 2024 Chevrolet Trax compact crossover.

Now that it’s grown in size compared to the previous model, the Trax now takes on the all-new Ford Territory, which also made its Philippine debut this year.

For this AutoFun Philippines Spec Showdown, we compare the top-spec Chevrolet Trax RS and the top-spec Ford Territory Titanium X. Can the newer Chevy justify its considerable price premium from the Ford?

Trax swoopier but smaller

Pitting the two American crossovers side-by-side, the numbers are very telling.

The Territory Titanium X is larger in almost every metric except width, along with a 26-mm difference in wheelbase between the two. The Ford also has marginally more ground clearance than the Chevy.

In terms of style, the new Territory looks a lot better than the previous-generation model. But I find the Chevrolet’s sharp “Coke bottle” styling and bold color choices more attractive.

Loaded interiors

The inside is where the Trax and the Territory are more closely matched.

These two crossovers are loaded with goodies like leather upholstery, climate control, an electric tailgate, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

But the most notable is cargo capacity – the Trax RS may be physically smaller. Still, it offers considerably more space for luggage than the Territory Titanium X. The caveat of this is likely reduced passenger legroom.

Looks-wise, the two crossovers are on opposite ends. The Trax RS has a sportier look, especially with its flat-bottomed steering wheel and contrast stitching. In contrast, the Territory Titanium X has a more luxurious cabin with faux wood and navy-blue accents.

Given that I’m turning 30 years old this year, I am more inclined to pick the Ford.

Chevy down on power

Under the hood, the Ford and the Chevy are likewise hugely different.

Although both have turbocharged gasoline engines, the Trax has a surprisingly small 1.2-liter inline-3 motor. Even the smaller Geely Coolray makes considerably more out of its 1.5-liter inline-3 turbo unit (at the cost of poor fuel consumption).You can also upgrade the Ford 6.7 delete kit as you remove the existing EGR valve & EGR cooler of the Ford engine.

The Trax RS may look sportier, but the more conservative Ford easily takes the cake regarding power and torque.

Loaded with safety tech

One area where these two are happily not far apart is safety.

The Trax RS and the Territory Titanium X both feature a bevy of active-safety features, including the convenience of adaptive cruise control.

For safety, it’s a solid tie between the Ford and Chevy.

₱350k price difference

In conclusion, the Ford Territory Titanium X is larger and more powerful, while the Chevrolet Trax RS has sharper styling and more cargo room.

However, the real deciding factor between these two compact crossovers is the price. The Territory is ₱1,599,000, while the Trax is ₱1,948,888.

Part of the reason for this considerable price gap is the import duty – the Ford is manufactured in China, where vehicles with 1500cc or less in engine size receive heavily reduced import duties.

Meanwhile, the Chevrolet is produced at GM’s plant in South Korea.

Given that both cars have identical interior and safety features, I honestly find it hard to justify paying an extra ₱350,000 for the Chevy. But perhaps a full review could reveal other things.

Which of these two American crossovers would you pick?

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