The Next-Gen Ford Everest models have hit South African markets. Most excitingly, we meet the first-ever Wildtrak specification, writes Oliver Keohane.
In late 2022, Ford launched their Next-Gen Everest Platinum and Sport. The manufacturers combined astute technological upgrades with a bold exterior facelift and a refined interior design, to deliver an updated SUV that embodied the subtle elegance that has come to be associated with the Everest.
Just before June 2023, we were happily surprised with the news that Ford would be adding four new iterations to their Everest collection: A 4×2 Sport (previously only available in 4×4), an XLT model optional as a 4×2 or 4×4, and most interestingly and excitingly… The Everest Wildtrak.
The Wildtrak name is not new of course, the supremely popular Ranger collection offers Wildtrak models to fit the gap in the market between the Ranger XLT and the revered Ranger Raptor. But an Everest with a Wildtrak specification? Unexpected yes, but welcomed with wide arms.
Attending the launch of the Next-Gen Everest XLT and Wildtrak, I had the opportunity to drive the two vehicles over the course of two days. Both offered an impressive and luxurious ride, but the highlight, naturally, was the Wildtrak.
A quick look inside reveals that Wildtrak retains the same emphasis on comfort, class and convenience as other Everest variants. The interior contains Ford’s full-colour 12-inch touchscreen, which operates the new SYNC 4A infotainment system, and supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I found the system to be very responsive and easy to use, and I enjoyed the fact that Ford has incorporated manual dials for climate and volume control.
The eight-speaker sound system made for crisp listening to my mixture of Loyle Carner, Lazarusman and various Downtempo tracks – which I dozed off to on the last day, while my co-pilot Robin Claasen, from Wheels24, steered us to our next stop. The Wildtrak also provides long-awaited USB-A and USB-C connectivity and charging ports and a wireless charging pad. A built-in 400W/240v inverter adds further practicality to the interior.
Aside from the tech inside, the faux-leather seats – of which there are seven – and steering wheel are soft and luxurious to the touch. The seven seats make the Everest Wildtrak extremely useful as a people mover, and incredibly spacious when the back seats are folded down. And don’t be off-put by “faux-leather”, I wouldn’t have known had Ford not told us that the company was moving away from leather completely.
Now for the the more interesting bits.
Kitted with a 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine, the Wildtrak offers a wonderful tonic to the increasingly popular turbocharged four-cylinder engines that run rife in the SUV and bakkie market. The V6 pumps out 184kW of power and the 600Nm of torque means that the potential energy of the motor is tangible throughout the rev range. The impressive engine is paired with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission that comes standard in all the Next-Gen Everests, and which has now accumulated over 6 million kilometers of testing.
The power of the engine is notable and expected, but perhaps less predictable was the silkiness of the drivetrain. Flooring it on our way back to Lanseria International, I was impressed at the ease with which the car climbed through the 10 gears, and the quiet rumble that was barely audible inside the cabin. It would appear Ford has paid special attention to engine noise, cabin noise-proofing, or both because the experience was similar when testing out the Next-Gen Single Cab and Super Cab Rangers earlier this year.
Designed with an eye on the trail, the Everest Wildtrak can only be bought as a 4×4, but offers a selectable rear-wheel drive mode, four-wheel high and low-range options, an electronic rear-diff lock and a permanent four-wheel drive mode that distributes power to all the wheels, only when necessary, adding the comfort of extra safety to on-road driving too. The new function is called “4-Auto”, marked “4A” on the selectable dial that sits just behind the gear shifter.
During the launch we stayed overnight at the Kwa Maritane Game Lodge, and were afforded the opportunity to drive our convoy through the dirt roads of the beautiful Pilansberg National Park in a brief game-drive before heading to the airport. I played around with 2H, 4H and 4A modes on the gravelly terrain, and though the conditions weren’t too gnarly, the car gripped the gravel on sharp corners and took the bumps and ditches in its stride.
The suspension felt on the stiffer side, but smooth enough off-road. If anything, it made for a stable and confident drive. The Wildtrak variant of the Everest comes standard with 20-inch alloy wheels and 255/55 R20 tyres, but optional 18-inch alloys fitted with all-terrain tires are available at no extra cost.
Why is the Everest Wildtrak necessary? Where does it fit in? Well, from a purely performance point of view, those looking for anything from Ford with more oomph than the renowned 2.0L Bi-Turbo would have to pay premium price for the Next-Gen Platinum. That’s R1 146 500. The Wildtrak offers the exact same engine, at a slightly lower cost of R1 084 000. At that price-point, the Wildtrak also comes with all the off-roading capabilities available in the Platinum, but with a design more fitting for adventure.
The Everest Wildtrak is bold in design, and it is unique. I would imagine, for the avid off-roader with an eye for an aesthetic that favours adventure over opulence, this SUV would speak to them more than the chrome-finished glamour of the Platinum model. The “Wildtrak” lettering on the bonnet is a mean complement to the aggressive C-Clamp headlights and radiator grille that has characterised the design upgrade of the Next-Gen Everests and Rangers. The new model also comes in a variety of new colour-ways, the most distinctive being Luxe Yellow, which is also the colour of the stitching that details the “Wildtrak” lettering of the seats, and the lining of the seats, steering wheel and gear shifter.
What stands out for me in Ford’s debut of the Next-Gen Everest Wildtrak, is that they have delivered to the market an SUV of superbly understated luxury that maintains at its core the essential essence of the athletic off-roader. The Wildtrak is not meant to be just a step up from the XLT, not is it meant to be the more affordable Platinum, it sits in a class of its own and is does so distinctively, in both design and engineering.
