It looks as if so way back now, however as soon as upon a time in Australia there was a Ford-badged SUV that was neck-and-neck with the Toyota LandCruiser Prado in gross sales.

That was the domestically engineered, locally-built Territory, which finally obtained the choice of a 2.7-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine shared with a spread of Land Rover automobiles.

Sadly, Ford ended native manufacturing in 2016 and the unibody Territory crossover went with it.

The excellent news is Ford has a brand new domestically engineered – if not domestically constructed – three-row SUV, and it incorporates a acquainted engine.

The brand new, body-on-frame Ford Everest, just like the Ranger it’s based mostly on, packs an out there 3.0-litre ‘Lion’ V6 turbo-diesel, an evolution of the engine that was so widespread within the Territory.

The two.0-litre Bi-Turbo four-cylinder diesel stays in lower-spec Ambiente and Pattern fashions, whereas the Sport and Platinum are V6-only propositions.

The presence of two additional cylinders alone might assist shake up this section. Not even the dominant Toyota LandCruiser Prado might be had with a bent-six, whereas rivals just like the Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport are additionally four-cylinder-only.

The sharp new styling additionally helps the Everest stand out. It leans additional into its shut kinship with the Ranger, however that additionally provides it a familial resemblance to giant American Fords just like the F-150 and Expedition.

In designing the brand new Everest, Ford mentioned it needed to maneuver away from the softer, narrower, taller look of the previous automobile, they usually’ve in flip created one thing with extra presence and vastly higher proportions than the customarily awkward-looking ute-based SUVs on this section.

We suspect the Everest might coax some gross sales away from its rival body-on-frame SUVs, and doubtlessly convey previous Territory homeowners again to the Ford fold in a means the earlier Everest and defunct Endura couldn’t.

How a lot does the Ford Everest Sport value?

The Everest vary opens at $52,990 earlier than on-roads for the bottom Ambiente 4×2 five-seater and tops out $77,690 earlier than on-roads for the Platinum 4×4.

The Sport sits in between, priced at $69,090 earlier than on-roads and coming solely with seven seats, four-wheel drive, and the three.0-litre turbo-diesel V6. Regardless of packing a extra highly effective engine than the Pattern, plus extra equipment, Ford solely expenses a $3800 premium.

Metallic paint is a $675 choice, whilst you can swap the usual 20-inch alloys for 18s on all-terrain tyres for no additional value.

Equally priced body-on-frame 4x4s embrace:

Briefly, it’s top-spec ute-based SUV cash, which implies mid-range Prado cash. If outright off-road means isn’t a precedence, you would cross-shop the Everest Sport with the next giant all-wheel drive crossovers:

All costs exclude on-road prices

What’s the Ford Everest Sport like on the within?

Placing the Everest and Ranger interiors subsequent to one another would make for an excellent Spot the Distinction.

That’s each a great and a foul factor. The excellent news is the Everest will get the identical huge portrait-oriented touchscreen (12 inches in Pattern and up) working the newest Sync 4 infotainment system.

It appears completely fashionable, response instances are usually fast, and its menus are intuitive for essentially the most half. Importantly for Ford it leaves rival programs from Isuzu, Mitsubishi and Toyota for lifeless, and provides higher-resolution digicam views and over-the-air updates as well.

All Everest fashions additionally get a digital instrument cluster, although solely the Platinum will get the full-sized 12.4-inch show. Once more, this show appears crisp and up to date, and it’s straightforward to learn.

The general structure of the dashboard is straightforward and easy, with tactile bodily local weather controls located under the display screen, and a wi-fi charging port and USB-A and USB-C retailers under these.

Storage can also be good, with the Everest that includes a uncommon (for an SUV) higher glove field along with the common glove field.

There are additionally pop-out cupholders on every finish of the sprint. Each of those are options extra generally seen in utes than in SUVs.

Whereas the Everest’s inside enjoys the heights of the Ranger’s, it additionally suffers from the lows. A few of these demerits, whereas tolerable in a ute, are much less so in a circa-$70k SUV.

All of the Everests I sat in at Ford’s launch occasion featured the identical low cost plastic alongside the perimeters of the centre stack, with noticeable joins and trim items not sitting flush with one another.

The ‘legs’ under the touchscreen equally have an excessive amount of give, and are product of unforgiving, drab black plastic. Laborious plastic trim abounds within the inside, although there’s a swathe of soft-touch trim throughout the entrance of the sprint.

The match and end was worse than fellow ute-based SUVs and, whereas rivals just like the MU-X additionally make intensive use of arduous plastics, why should we forgive these automobiles this indiscretion once we wouldn’t do the identical for a circa-$70k crossover?

The Platinum has a considerably improved cabin atmosphere, with stitching particulars on the perimeters of the centre console, ambient lighting, and fake wooden trim. However even it fails to cover its business car origins, and lacks the extra upscale – if dated – really feel of the significantly older LandCruiser Prado.

Step into the second row and there’s loads of room, plus a pair of USB retailers. However the place the Everest’s boxy new styling has most paid dividends is within the third row.

There, headroom has been improved because of the brand new automobile’s extra squared-off form. The roof-mounted air vents lead to a lowered centre part of the headliner, nevertheless it doesn’t affect headroom dramatically.

I measure 180cm and located the third row acceptable each to entry and to sit down in. With the second row pushed all the way in which again, my knees have been in opposition to the seatbacks and toe room was restricted.

If third-row passengers negotiate with their second-row counterparts, nevertheless, a great compromise might be reached because the second-row seats can slide.

Decently sized home windows imply the third row isn’t too gloomy, and facilities embrace the aforementioned vents, and a 12V outlet and cupholder for every passenger, although no USB retailers. Curtain airbag protection does lengthen to the third row, fortuitously.

There’s a top-tether baby seat anchor level for every seat within the second and third rows, plus a pair of ISOFIX anchor factors for the second-row outboard seats.

Behind the third row, there’s 259L of cargo house, increasing to 898L with it folded and 1823L with the second row folded. With all three rows up, you possibly can match both two duffel luggage or maybe one suitcase, relying on its measurement.

All Everest fashions have a full-size spare and the Sport isn’t any exception, with a normal 20-inch alloy wheel.

What’s beneath the bonnet?

The Everest Sport is powered by a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 producing 184kW of energy at 3250rpm and 600Nm of torque between 1750 and 2250rpm.

These outputs are up 30kW and 100Nm on the two.0-litre BiTurbo, and are up 34kW and 100Nm on the Prado’s turbo-diesel 4.

The V6 is mated to a 10-speed computerized transmission and full-time four-wheel drive. Braked towing capability has been bumped up from 3100kg to 3500kg.

Ford claims mixed cycle gas economic system of 8.5L/100km, in comparison with 7.2L/100km for the Bi-Turbo 4×4. All fashions have an 80L gas tank.

How does the Ford Everest Sport drive?

Ford’s engineers have managed to convey the Everest nearer to unibody SUVs by way of refinement and roadholding.

Trip high quality is very spectacular, notably contemplating it retains a strong rear axle. There’s little or no in the way in which of body shake, and the journey is properly damped over pockmarked roads.

It additionally manages to really feel properly tied down over extra undulating roads. That’s no shock, because the final Everest additionally had exceptionally good journey high quality for a big, body-on-frame SUV.

On our drive by Mount Nebo and Mount Superb in Queensland, a fabulously twisty route, the Everest at all times felt planted with physique roll well-controlled for a car of this measurement and building.

It nonetheless doesn’t really feel fairly as nimble because the likes of a unibody Hyundai Santa Fe or Mazda CX-9, nevertheless it feels extra poised than its ute-based rivals.

The steering is properly weighted with out being overly gentle, which evokes confidence on winding mountain roads like these we traversed.

The headline act is the sleek turbo-diesel V6. It doesn’t push you again in your seat off the road, however there’s loads of grunt at low revs and the facility swells till, subsequent factor you realize, you’re over the pace restrict. Oops.

Whereas there’s frustratingly no paddle shifters, handbook intervention is scarcely required.

Must you want to change gears manually, you’ll have to make use of the plus and minus buttons on the facet of the shifter. It is a misguided American automotive pattern we’d like to see the again of.

The ten-speed auto appears higher calibrated with this extra highly effective engine than within the four-cylinder, the place it nonetheless tends to hunt between gears regardless of adjustments to its calibration.

The V6 additionally naturally sounds higher than the turbo-diesel 4, with a much less agricultural engine observe.

Ford has touted its work making the Everest’s cabin a “quiet sanctuary”, and this isn’t simply advertising and marketing hyperbole.

The cabin is genuinely hushed, with engine noise well-suppressed and little in the way in which of tyre roar permeating – even for those who’re driving on coarser-chip roads on the elective all-terrain tyres. This is applicable not solely to the V6 but in addition the four-cylinder Bi-Turbo.

The adaptive cruise management options cease/go and lane centring, and the system works properly at preserving you inside your lane.

The Everest glided by our off-road course. It has 226mm of floor clearance in Sport trim, with a wading depth of 800mm.

Strategy, departure and breakover angles are 30.2, 25 and 21.9 levels, respectively, and there’s a locking rear differential for rougher stuff. Additionally commonplace is a well-calibrated hill descent management.

The surround-view digicam, a part of a $1950 Touring Pack, is price the price of admission. It means that you can depart the entrance digicam on whilst you’re off-roading, and presents a high-resolution view of the path forward that includes tips. Even with out it, the bluff entrance finish is kind of straightforward to position.

There are Slippery, Mud/Ruts and Sand drive modes for off-roading, whereas an off-road info display screen shows information just like the steering angle and car pitch and roll angles.

The Everest continues to make use of a full-time four-wheel drive system, with selectable low- and high-range gearing; you may also function it in pure rear-wheel drive mode by deciding on 2H or placing it in Eco mode.

In a section the place some automobiles nonetheless stick with shift-on-the-fly programs that you simply shouldn’t use on pavement, the Everest stacks up properly.

If you happen to’re towing, the elective Tow Pack brings with it an built-in trailer brake controller, with a trailer gentle test operate and connection guidelines within the FordPass app. Mentioned app additionally means that you can remotely lock, unlock and begin the car, amongst different features.

As with the Ranger, Ford has additionally left house beneath the bonnet for a second battery to energy aftermarket equipment.

What do you get?

Everest Sport highlights:

• 20-inch black alloy wheels
• Black exterior accents
• Fingers-free energy tailgate
• 10-speaker sound system
• Distinctive leather-accented upholstery with ‘SPORT’ embossing
• 10-way energy driver’s seat with reminiscence
• Eight-way energy passenger seat
• Heated and ventilated entrance seats

That’s along with options present in lesser fashions:

• 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12-inch Sync 4 touchscreen infotainment display screen
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• DAB+ radio
• Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
• Wi-fi cellphone charger
• Twin-zone local weather management
• LED headlights
• Privateness glass
• Keyless entry and begin
• Heated, power-folding facet mirrors with puddle lamps
• Rain-sensing wipers
• FordPass Join with distant begin

You’ll have to step as much as the Platinum to get options like Energetic Park Help, Matrix LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, and heated second-row seats, amongst different gadgets.

Choices

Towing Pack: $1700

• Blind-spot monitoring incl. trailer protection
• Built-in trailer brake controller
• Tow bar

Touring Pack: $1950

• Blind-spot monitoring incl. trailer protection
• Built-in trailer brake controller
• Encompass-view digicam system
• Tow bar
• Zone lighting (lights on either side of the car, excellent for tenting)

Is the Ford Everest Sport secure?

The Ford Everest earned a five-star ANCAP security score on the again of an 86 per cent rating for grownup occupant safety, a 93 per cent rating for baby occupant safety, a 74 per cent rating for weak street consumer safety, and an 86 per cent security help rating.

The five-star score applies to the entire Everest vary, and is predicated on exams carried out on the intently associated Ford Ranger ute.

Autos constructed earlier than August 20, 2022, nevertheless, will want a software update to their lane-keeping software program to reflect the specs of five-star automobiles. Ford says sellers will perform the replace at an proprietor’s subsequent service.

Commonplace security gear contains:

• 9 airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Reverse AEB
• Put up-impact braking
• Lane departure warning
• Lane-keep help
• Driver consideration alert
• Reversing digicam
• Entrance and rear parking sensors

How a lot does the Ford Everest Sport value to run?

Like the broader Ford vary, the Everest is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

Scheduled upkeep is required each 12 months or 15,000 kilometres – whichever comes first.

A capped-price servicing schedule is obtainable for the primary 4 years or 60,000 kilometres, with every of these 4 visits priced at $329.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Ford Everest Sport

The Sport represents the candy spot of the brand new Everest vary.

It’s not that the Bi-Turbo four-cylinder engine is unhealthy – removed from it – however the V6 turbo-diesel is simply such a pearler that it’s definitely worth the $3800 premium, which additionally features a slew of further options to sweeten the pot.

It’s not price spending the additional $8600 to step all the way in which as much as the Platinum as, whereas it receives varied luxurious niceties, it doesn’t add something actually necessary and its inside atmosphere isn’t dramatically improved.

The inside is our best problem with the Everest. Slick expertise apart, it merely doesn’t really feel turning into of an SUV at this worth level by way of construct and materials high quality. Let’s hope that is addressed on the Everest’s first replace.

Extra importantly, Ford has carried out an excellent job engineering the Everest. For a big, body-on-frame SUV, it handles surprisingly properly and rides comfortably, whereas its steering is properly tuned and its cabin is surprisingly quiet – it scarcely appears like a ute-based SUV in any respect.

May the brand new Everest lure potential Prado consumers to the Ford fold? We reckon so, given how properly it drives.

The Prado’s current bump in energy and torque has made it a greater drive than ever, however even its uprated 2.8-litre pales in opposition to the Everest’s V6. We’ll have to pit these two SUVs in opposition to one another to see which one is victorious.

Make no mistake although: the Everest impresses in its integration of expertise, its off-road functionality and the poise of its dynamics.

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MORE: Everything Ford Everest