VERY few segments in the South African new-car market are as unmistakeably associated with a single product than the one for bakkie-based SUVs. In practically every month it’s been on sale since 2006, the Toyota Fortuner has remained the bestselling SUV across all sectors of the market. Buyers love its ruggedness, practicality, the peace of mind engendered by Toyota’s vast dealer network and the relatively simple, unstressed technology used under the vehicle’s skin. Deep into its lifecycle, the Fortuner has continued to draw buyers – in September, 570 units found homes and Toyota South Africa Motors exported 278.
These are intimidating statistics if you’re, say, a carmaker who would like a slice of the lucrative bakkie-SUV pie. Ford, however, would feel bullish that its brand-new Everest has the aptitude to take on South Africa’s most-beloved SUV.
For one, it looks thoroughly modern against the ageing Fortuner and eschews traditional bakkie-SUV cues – boxy glasshouse; small wheels; too-strong resemblance to the donor bakkie, much like the previous-generation Everest – in favour of a coherent design that draws its inspiration from the purposeful American F-series pick-up.
Parked next to a premium family SUV such as the new Volvo XC90, as the Everest was during its tenure in CAR’s test programme, the Ford does not look wholly out of place thanks mainly to tasteful chrome trim on the grille, along the side and on the rear hatch. Our test vehicle is the entry-level XLT that’s shod with all-terrain 265/60 R18 tyres encasing upmarket alloy wheels (the spare wheel, which is fitted under the body, is a full-size steel unit). Twenty-inch wheels and LED daytime-running lights distinguish the top-spec model in this range of two.
Grab a sturdy chrome-trimmed door handle, pull ajar one of the hefty doors and you could be fooled into thinking there’s very little relation between the Everest and the pre-facelift Ranger bakkie on which it’s based. Although soft-touch surfaces are mostly absent – there is, however, sufficient padding on the wide central armrest and door rests – the plastics on the dashboard and along the doors feel durable. That said, if you’re also investigating vehicles such as the Kia Sorento and Land Rover Discovery Sport, you’ll be disappointed with the Everest cabin’s lack of premium finishes.
Seating is comfortable throughout – the third row, which boasts three-point seatbelts, has a surprising amount of leg- and headroom, making this a full seven-seater while leaving sufficient space for luggage. The second set of seats can also be slid or reclined to free up even more space for those seated aft. The driver’s seat features six-way manual adjustment (the XLT adds powered operation), which meant testers of varying heights could get comfortable, but it’s unfortunate the steering column is adjustable only for rake as the wheel is placed a touch too far away for taller drivers.
In terms of standard equipment, the Ford Everest XLT wants for very little. Ford’s Sync2 infotainment system, which is the same unit that’s utilised in our Fusion long-term test vehicle, features Bluetooth telephony, voice control and two USB slots, but curiously lacks sat-nav functionality even though the system is able to display the vehicle’s co-ordinates, nor does it offer most of the useful apps available elsewhere. Ten speakers provide punchy sound quality and the system’s touchscreen interface is a doddle to use.
The latter’s crystal-clear display is repeated in smaller screens flanking the analogue speedometer in the instrument cluster.
Cleverly, buttons on each side of the steering wheel control the display on the same side, but we would have preferred a larger rev counter than the watchface-sized one currently provided. Dual-zone climate control warms or cools the cabin in a few seconds and there are controls for the systems provided for rear-seat occupants. They’ll also have access to one of the four 12 V points scattered throughout the large cabin.
Twist the chunky key fob and an initial impression that Ford should have spent equal care and attention on engine refinement finds root. The 3,2-litre, five-cylinder turbodiesel is an agricultural-sounding unit both from outside and when ensconced in the cabin, but thankfully it’s generally free of annoying vibration through the pedals, steering wheel and gearshifter.
Performance feels leisurely because of conservative throttle calibration, but the oil-burner manages to shift the XLT’s
2 397 kg bulk at an acceptable lick. In-gear acceleration proved slightly more leisurely; the standard-fitment six-speed automatic transmission does have a tendency to hold onto gears too long and only really shifts down when the driver makes judicious use of the throttle pedal (or pops it into sport mode). It also creates an impression of “slip” at low speeds, almost as if the vehicle is equipped with a continuously variable transmission.
Once up to speed and in the meat of the 470 N.m of torque – delivered between 1 750 and 2 500 r/min – the Everest’s engine thrum disappears into the background and the vehicle settles into a composed, quiet cruise. This is undoubtedly the most refined of the bakkie-based SUVs. There, some wind rustle at the side mirrors, but otherwise the Everest does a remarkably accurate impression of a unibody, road-biased SUV.
Aiding this impression is the ride quality, which thanks to coil springs at the rear instead of the Ranger’s leaf units and the addition of settling extra mass over the solid rear axle, displays very little of the fidgetiness that characterises the bakkie’s ride. That said, conventional SUVs maintain the edge in terms of comfort.
They won’t match the Everest off-road, however. The Terrain Management System takes care of all the guesswork; it’s switchable through four modes – default, snow/grass/mud, sand and rock, the latter allowing the actuation of low-range.
Aided by speed-adjustable hill-descent control, ground clearance of 225 mm with the runner boards fitted and a decent break-over angle of 21,5 degrees despite the long wheelbase, the Everest is all but unstoppable off-road.
Safety systems include seven airbags, ABS, EBD and ESP, roll-over mitigation and trailer-sway control. The Limited adds lane-keeping assist and blind-spot monitor, all new technology in this segment. But, it’s disappointing that a vehicle that so family-focused lacks Isofix anchorage points for baby seats.
An average emergency braking time of 3,13 seconds is good, but we expected better average consumption on our fuel route than the 10,6 L/100 km we achieved. Ford claims a more respectable 8,2 L/100 km.
