We attended the launch of the all-new Ford Everest in the Western Cape. It’s beaten the new Toyota Fortuner to market, but first impressions count. Has it been worth the wait?

HIGHLIGHTS

– One engine and one gearbox with two spec levels to choose from

– Loads of technology, both for on- and off-road applications

– 7-seat practicality

The Ford Everest first made landfall back around the 2009/2010 mark and while the aged underpinnings were called into question, there was no denying its offroad and practical abilities. Even today, the old Everest is quite in demand in the pre-owned market. This week sees the all-new Ford Everest charge into South Africa.

Engine and Line Up

Right now there’s one engine and one gearbox which is shared across two spec levels. This engine is well known and has a generally good track record. The 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel from the Ranger is here, but it has received some efficiency upgrades. Power is rated at 147kW and torque at 470Nm, and that grunt reaches all four wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Can It Go Offroad?

Offroad credentials come in the form of low range, electronically locking rear differential and some offroad driving modes. It’s the vehicle’s dimensions which allow it to cross the toughest terrain. A ground clearance of 225mm, wading depth of 800mm and generous approach and departure angles give it some decent on-paper appeal. We say on-paper, because we nearly missed out on testing the vehicle offroad as our 4×4 trail was flooded in the Franschhoek area. Some might suggest this would have been the perfect opportunity to put the new Ford Everest through its paces, but the Ford marketing team were having none of it and didn’t want to risk it… The next morning, we did some unofficial offroading and the car breezed through the river bed and undulations. We look forward to really pushing it to its limits soon.

The rest of the package is very good indeed. The driving position is commanding, and the driver plus front passenger are greeted with a modern-looking infotainment system with SYNC2 which does duty in products such the new Ford Focus ST and Ford Fusion sedan. The instrument cluster makes do with a centrally-mounted speedometer, with two screens either side. These are particularly detailed and relay info such as entertainment, trip computer data as well as offroad data. Interestingly, there’s no rev counter and you have to look through the various menus to find it.

Tech and Features

Speaking of tech, the Ford Everest comes fitted with a whole host of smart features. The top-of-the-range Limited version comes with heated front seats, HID headlamps, LED daytime running lights, power-folding third row seats, powered tailgate, Active Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Auto High Beam Control, Blind Spot Monitoring with Cross Traffic Alert, Tyre Pressure Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keep Assist.

Also fitted aretwo USB ports, an SD card slot and Aux input plus a total of four 12V sockets. All seats can be folded flat and you get up to 2 010 litres of space. It rides on gorgeous 20-inch alloys which are wrapped in high-profile rubber – handy for when traversing harsh terrain.

On The Road

On the road, the Ford Everest’s best feature is its refinement. Despite being based on the Ranger bakkie, the ride quality and refinement is rather good. Road noise is minimal thanks to decent insulation and Ford’s cleverly installed its Active Noise Cancellation Tech into the vehicle.

The result is a vehicle that can cruise at the national speed limit with a whisper quiet cabin. The engine takes some getting used to as the combination of motor and gearbox doesn’t make for hasty getaways. Once you’re on the move, all the torque can be put to good use. Towing should be a breeze – up to 3 000kg can be towed, according to Ford South Africa.

Ford Everest Price in South Africa

With pricing and spec levels set this high, we’re looking at a premium competitor that’s aimed right at the likes of the Toyota Prado, but don’t discount the Toyota Fortuner just yet as that model is due to replaced in 2016. The Ford Everest range will be expanded, but that will only happenin the second quarter of 2016.

3.2 TDCi XLT 4×4 R593 900

3.2 TDCi Limited 4×4 R646 900

Options include: Metallic paint (R750), towbar (R4000), front mudflaps (R270), dual motion roof (R10 360 – Limited only)

Ford Everest Offroad Abilities (Video)