While the current-generation Everest is on its way out it remains a capable SUV that does not feel the better part of a decade old, at least from behind the wheel.
Ford spruced up its Everest line-up with the Sport derivative in 2021 and this has boosted the appeal of the seven-seater ever since.
In its last few months on the market, I got behind the wheel of the pricier 4×4 XLT Sport to get to know the popular SUV a bit better.
Touch of Sport
Ford almost annually launches a new special edition for its vehicles to keep things fresh.
This was the case with the Sport, which became the new mid-range option and last special edition for the Everest line-up around seven years after it launched in South Africa.
This particular model, as its name would suggest, comes with sportier styling than its siblings and the exclusive black mesh grille, badging on the bonnet, and model-specific 20-inch wheels make it the undisputed poster child of the Everest range.
A drawback of this stylish design, though, is the all-terrain tyres you get standard. These make the Ford more suited for traversing the urban jungle than the actual jungle, and didn’t inspire much confidence when taking it off the tarmac.
The 2.0-litre, turbo-diesel engine has decent power (132kW/420Nm) and the more expensive Everest Sport does have a proper all-wheel-drive system underneath with three off-road programmes, which still makes the ladder-frame SUV a competitive 4×4 when it has the correct wheels.
However, on the tar it performed well enough and didn’t struggle to keep up with traffic flow, and it easily picked up pace even at higher speeds.
A fuel consumption reading of 10.1l/100km, although not amazing, is nothing out of the ordinary for a vehicle of this size, and I was surprised to feel a slight but noticeable difference between the normal and sport drive settings.
Inside the cabin the Sport treatment continues through model-exclusive leather seats with embossed logos and a leather-covered dash, both of which served to make it look as stylish and up-to-date as the exterior.
Although the SYNC3 infotainment system is starting to show its age as it’s a tad slow to react and looks decidedly last generation, it fortunately still has support for wired smartphone mirroring and FordPass Connect thanks to over-the-air software updates.
Also included in the special-edition Everest are blue carbon fibre-esque panel inserts and blue contrast stitching.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of these as the patterned plastics can look rather cheap in the sunlight and the blue colouring did not pair well with the red hue outside. This can mostly be avoided by choosing a different exterior colour, though.
The competition
Having spent a significant amount of time in the Ford’s biggest competitor, there were a few things that stood out on the Everest which I preferred over the other seven-seater SUV. I think you know which one I’m talking about.
The Ford uses its cabin space better as I found that the rear seats have more space for passengers and the boot is considerably larger, mainly thanks to seats number six and seven hiding in the floor rather than being folded to the side.
Although something I think the Everest range could’ve used is an electric tailgate. Nearly each large SUV today has one, and maybe I’m a bit spoiled, but the heavy top-down tailgate necessitated quite a lot of effort to open.
Verdict
For those who plan on getting a next-generation Everest, you’ll be glad to know it’s bound to be an impressive machine if all the tweaks and changes turn out to be as good as Ford promised.
For the rest of us, the current Everest will soon only be available as pre-owned and even so the package remains a good value proposition.
If you happen to come across a bargain on one of these Fords, well let’s just say you could do a lot worse.
Ford Everest Sport
Keyword: Ford Everest Sport review – Going out in style