Proudly local and scaling design heights
LONG-TERM FLEET/ Mark Smyth Motor News stable welcomes the 2.2 XLT to the
When Ford launched the second generation of its Everest SUV, everyone paid attention. The first generation was cheap and vaguely cheerful, with loads of interior space but the personality of a Russian politician. It was never going to exceed expectations.
Then the Blue Oval revealed the second generation. Suddenly the Everest had character, with its bold front grille giving it real presence. The interior provided acres of space, high levels of comfort and lots of kit, including a digital instrument cluster and Sync infotainment system.
BOOT SPACE
It also had one main advantage over the segment-leading Toyota Fortuner: a third row of seats that folded flat into the floor to provide lots of useable boot space, unlike those bizarre foldup jump seats in the Toyota.
Ford looked set to dominate the market. Well, not quite, because Toyota has a loyalty factor going for it.
Yes, Ford has probably grabbed a few sales from the likes of the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Land Rover Discovery Sport, but taking away sales from Toyota is harder. It probably convinced a few people on looks alone, but when the Everest came along it had one major issue: its price. 10.8l/100km Overheating USB port, Sync infotainment fault
The first models were highly equipped with full four-wheel drive, all the toys and a price tag that put it into the realm of some more luxurious SUVs.
Bearing in mind the Everest shares a platform and drivetrain with the Ranger bakkie, it seemed to be a slightly mountainous price.
Then Ford ploughed lots of money into SA, announcing it would build the Everest at its plant in Rosslyn. Great! A locally built model that could shout from the rooftops as being proudly South African.
On top of that, the company announced it would be building cheaper models, with a 2.2l turbodiesel motor and two-wheel or four-wheel drive to provide a more affordable alternative to the imported 3.2 models.
Then the fanfare disappeared as the Kuga fires crisis hit the headlines and Ford SA went into hiding. For the most part, the Kuga public relations disaster has passed, or rather been relegated to courtrooms, but here we are back at the Everest.
We aren’t doing a year with the Everest; instead we have one in our fleet for just three months to get an idea of how this locally built SUV stacks up.
Our fleet model is the 2.2 XLT automatic, priced at a competitive R509,900. Being a XLT, it still has all that American-style chrome and there is no denying it conveys some serious attitude. It is only rear-wheel drive, which is ample for most daily situations — until you decide to go and shoot some pictures in a field with a sandy track. Then you remember you have to avoid the rear wheels digging themselves in.
The interior lacks some of the materials of the upper model but feels solid. The design is great, blending some passenger car-like design characteristics with a feeling of bulk and solidity. The digital instrument cluster provides menus to scroll through, giving you information on everything from your trip information to what music you are streaming.
SEATS APLENTY
That third row of seats has already proved useful when bringing some of my daughter’s friends home for a play date, although getting child seats into the very rear requires a bit of clever manoeuvring.
Fortunately the middle row of seats can be moved forwards and backwards, which definitely helps. Our test model also lacks a rear luggage cover, which means anything in the boot is open to prying eyes.
No sooner had the Everest joined the fleet and it was time to put it to the test with a drive to the Nampo agricultural show in the Free State. One thing that has always impressed us with Ford diesel motors is the total lack of turbo lag. The engine does sound rather agricultural but it pulls immediately and keeps pulling up to highway speeds. Once there it can be a bit lacklustre when you need to overtake, and on the drive to Nampo there were many occasions when it was a better bet to hang back rather than try to pass.
That was especially true on the terrible road from Parys to Bothaville, which is a potholedodging gymkhana. The Everest took it in its stride, providing good steering feedback and inspiring confidence in its level of control and grip. Even the body roll was not bad for a vehicle based on a bakkie chassis.
SYNC-ING FEELING
The only real issue was that the Sync infotainment system gave us a few problems on the trip. First it decided to stop recognising a USB full of music. Given the limited choice of radio stations en route, this was definitely a problem. We are not sure what caused the issue but the USB ports in the centre console were definitely rather warm.
Then in the midst of a handsfree telephone call the Sync system dropped the call and then froze. Only parking the car on the side of the road and restarting the engine got Sync going again, although it still refused to reconnect the phone for another half an hour.
In a segment dominated by the Fortuner, the Everest really does offer a viable alternative. For me the Fortuner is seriously let down by those stupid rear seats which alone would make me opt for the Ford. In many respects it comes down to a styling choice, of course, but with its truck-like attitude, the Everest is not found wanting in that department.
It is a great offering if you need seven seats and don’t want to compromise on equipment and we are looking forward to spending a couple more months getting to grips with this proudly South African Ford.
Standard price: Joined fleet: Mileage at start: Mileage covered: Long-term consumption: Problems in last month: