LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Ford’s new Everest offroader has been designed Down Under to conquer the world
Sales of off-roaders have boomed over the past year as Aussies throw off the shackles of lockdown and explore the great outdoors. Ford is looking to capitalise on the trend with the new Ford Everest, a rugged fourwheel-drive based on the top-selling Ranger ute. The Everest and Ranger have been designed and engineered in Victoria for more than 180 markets across the globe.
Ford has invested more than $2.5 billion in its local operations since 2016 and the ranks of its engineers and designers have swelled to more than 2500.
The Everest isn’t due in local showrooms until later this year but Ford gave media a sneak preview of the vital new model at its You Yangs proving ground outside of Melbourne.
Clad in camouflage, the four-wheel drive looks the part thanks to rugged styling that reflects its off-road capability.
One of the biggest changes is under the bonnet where buyers can choose between the carry-over 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine or a new 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel unit that makes 184kw and 600Nm. The bigger engine is only available on the higher-end, 4Wd-only Sport and Platinum grades.
Cheaper Ambiente and Trend versions come with the bi-turbo engine and the choice of two- or four-wheel drive. Prices kick off at $52,990 (before on-road costs) for the twowheel drive, five-seat Ambiente and peak at $77,690 for the Platinum. That’s a rise of between $3000 and $4500 across the range.
Everest program manager, Pritika Maharaj, says “the 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel really delivers that big-engine torque and power customers want”. “It feels really tough in the sense that it’s got endless power and torque, but it is also refined and quiet on the road,” she says. Initial impressions back up these claims. A short loop of Ford’s gruelling off-road course at the You Yangs proving ground shows the big Ford has the off-road nous to back up its tough-guy looks.
Ford has made the Everest’s off-road functions easier to use than the previous version. Drivers have instant access to vital 4WD controls such as hill descent control and the differential lock.
Permanent four-wheel drive with high and low range gearing makes light work of mud and ruts, while all the key information is easy to view on a dedicated off-road screen. For the first time Ford has fitted a forward terrain view camera that allows drivers to view what is happening underneath the bonnet in real time and lets them choose the path of least resistance. The prototype made light work of rock strewn dirt tracks and galloped up a steep 60-degree incline with deep ruts carved in the mud by a steady flow of vehicles. Once we reached the peak, hill descent control kept things in check on the way down, automatically braking and controlling the car’s speed without driver input. A shallow creek crossing was easily dispatched without challenging the Everest’s impressive 800m wading depth.
There’s no doubt this is a more capable machine off-road than the previous generation, but unfortunately there was no bitumen driving, so we couldn’t judge how the Everest handles the urban jungle.
Ford has made big improvements to the
Everest’s cabin, with better quality materials and more tech. The base Ambiente has a 10.1inch central touchscreen and an eight-inch digital driver display, while all other versions get a bigger 12-inch central touchscreen.
The top-spec Platinum increases the size of the digital driver display to 12.4 inches.
There’s a choice of hard-wearing cloth, partial leather or quilted full leather seats depending on which grade you choose. Alloy wheels range from 17 to 21 inches. Other goodies include heated and cooled seats, ambient lighting and a range of stereos including a 12-speaker Bang and Olufsen unit.
All models come with a comprehensive array of standard safety equipment, including auto emergency braking, lane-keep and blind spot assist and rear cross-traffic alert.