The Manila Times

2023 Ford Everest sets benchmark in midsize SUVs

BY ISAAC ATIENZA

THE new Ford Everest is perhaps one of the most anticipated new cars of this year alongside its pickup sibling, the Ranger.

We’ve driven the Everest in Thailand before its launch in the Philippines, and now we’ve finally taken it through our thorough testing in our own backyard.

So, does this highly-anticipated 2023 Ford Everest in Titanium+ 4x4 Bi-Turbo trim meet our high expectations? Let’s find out. First and foremost, let’s talk about what’s underneath its sheet metal because this will be important for the rest of the review. The “next-gen” Everest, as Ford wants to call it, actually rides on the same T6 platform as the outgoing model.

However, at face value, you wouldn’t realize that at all. Its boxy design is all new, with no carryover panels. The result is an SUV that also manages to be the most tailored and rugged of the bunch.

The 2023 Ford Everest presents itself like a man that wears an Armani jacket on weekdays and a pair of Timberlands on weekends. That pretty much carries over inside as it’s by far the most premium and high-tech among the competition. Premium soft-touch materials adorn the dash and all four doors. I also praise Ford for the tasteful use of colors and textures, while the ambient LED lighting provides a calm ambiance at night.

The Everest has always led the segment in terms of tech, and this new model is pushing the boundaries even further. As the fully-loaded Titanium+ 4x4 Bi-Turbo variant, you get a larger 12-inch SYNC4 infotainment along with a 12.4-inch fully digital instrument cluster that presents a boatload of information. There are moments when the software would lag, but the broad capabilities of the system, which now includes a FordPass smartphone app, are second-to-none for the class.

I also like the fact that Ford resisted the urge to remove the dedicated climate buttons, so no rants from me on that aspect. However, I am not a fan of having the buttons for the auto hold, hill descent control, and rear locking differential buried inside SYNC4. It brings the question of what if the infotainment screen suddenly freezes or decides to conk out altogether. Also, the electronic gear shifter doesn’t have enough resistance from/to Park, which means it’s easy to hit it even if all you want to do is simply hit reverse.

Small niggles aside, the Everest Titanium+ 4x4 Bi-Turbo also gets a 230-volt household socket at the second row, USB-A and USB-C ports, wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power-adjustable front seats, just to name a few.

Wider and longer

Remember that I mentioned its T6 platform? Well, that did not carry over unchanged. As a matter of fact, it’s marginally wider and longer than the outgoing Everest. Its wheelbase has also been slightly stretched for better interior room on all three rows. The new Ford Everest also happens to offer the best driving position in its segment, thanks to generous adjustments for the seats and the tilt-and-telescopic steering. And just like the outgoing Everest Titanium, those third-row seats fold with a touch of a button, while the powered tailgate also comes with a foot sensor.

We liked the previous generation Everest for its excellent ride comfort and refinement, and that pretty much carries over here, but with significant improvements. As mentioned, the T6 platform gets a heavy redesign, and the new Everest doesn’t suffer from the typical shudder when going over rough pavement that plagues truck-based SUVs due to its thick structure and highly-rigid body.

The suspension is still soft, but Ford has made sure that body movements are minimized, which means vertical and rocking mo

tions when going over uneven roads are quelled by the redesigned shocks.

The controlled suspension has also improved the Everest’s handling. You will definitely have more confidence tossing the Everest into corners now compared to the outgoing model, especially since the electric power steering isn’t as eerily light and numb as before. I still find a car-based Mazda CX-8 more fun and cohesive to drive, but for its segment, the Everest is right up there in terms of handling now.

2.0-liter twin-turbo engine

Under the long hood of this 2023 Ford Everest Titanium+ 4x4 is a 2.0-liter twinturbo diesel engine that looks tiny. That’s because the larger engine bay has been designed to accommodate a V6 diesel that the Philippines won’t get for now. This 2.0-liter engine pumps out 210 hp and 500 Nm of torque and is the only variant that gets a 10-speed automatic.

While the powertrain has been carried over, this wasn’t also left untouched by Ford’s engineers. There’s much less diesel clatter now than before, and even the power delivery is much more linear now. Even the 10-speed automatic, which used to be an indecisive transmission, is now better calibrated for overtakes.

Some of the other improvements of the new Everest are its ability to suppress road and wind noise much better than any of its competitors as well as its comprehensive suite of well-calibrated advanced-driver assistance tech. These include, but are not limited to full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane centering (the only one in its class), blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, front and rear automatic emergency braking, and an Everestexclusive fully automated self-parking feature.

Lastly, fuel economy has also slightly improved. Under mostly provincial and highway drives, I was able to achieve 10.6 kilometers per liter (kpl), which is one or two kpl than the outgoing Everest.

The Isuzu mu-X is still the class leader in that aspect, but seriously, would you choose marginally better efficiency over a significantly better overall car?

The 2023 Ford Everest Titanium+ 4x4 Bi-Turbo, which retails for P2.525 million, is undoubtedly one of our favorite new cars and in my opinion, my new benchmark for the segment. With this new model, Ford didn’t have to develop a new platform from scratch because it was so good from the previous generation. Now in 2022, the new Everest is once again pushing the boundaries of what people should expect from the pickup-based SUV.

Fast Times

en-ph

2023-03-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://digitaledition.manilatimes.net/article/282248079815176

The Manila Times