Ford Everest

The 2019 Ford Everest is available with five-seat and seven-seat layouts, depending on the variant one picks. Built on a long wheelbase, the cabin is quite spacious, packed with an array of comfort and connectivity features. Use of chrome, leather accents and easy-to-read instrument displays as well as illuminated blue edging around USB ports complete the cabin styling. There is also a large touchscreen unit, as part of the Sync3 infotainment system. At front, it gets comfortable seats that can be adjusted electrically, while the third row can be stowed or deployed, using buttons mounted on the rear interior wall of the boot. Two 12-volt access and two USB ports are fitted at front; there are multiple storage points including a glovebox, two cup holders and a bin that is placed between the driver and front passenger. It also gets bottle holders in all four doors and two pop-out cup-holders in the second-row armrest. Aircon temperature, fan speed, and close air-vents can be controlled from the seats. The cargo area gets bag hooks on each side and luggage tie-down points are provided on the floor. 

The SUV remains largely unchanged on the outside with some superficial changes such as a new grille and lower placed front bumper. Placed between the base and top-spec variant, the Trend grade comes with HID headlights with auto levelling, power-operated tail-gate that functions through a kicking motion and LED daytime running lights. Topping the Everest carline is the Titanium variant which additionally packs 20-inch alloy wheels. Customers can also avail the 18-inch wheels, tweaked suspension set-up and a factory-fitted tow bar instead. Also new to the range are the power-folding wing mirrors, a laminated acoustic windscreen, while the auto high-beam, silver roof rails, automatic wipers, etc. have been carried over. There is no change on the numeric front as it retains the same dimensions as its pre-updated version. With the inclusion of the above features, the Ford Everest price in Australia has gone up marginally. 

The 2.0-litre oil burner is quiet, which means the noise does not seep inside the cabin, courtesy the active noise cancellation feature. Also, it has a linear power delivery, especially at low revs. The 3.2L engine sees no major change in performance with this update. As for the lightweight steering, it is crisp and precise while the ride and handling sees improvement over its preceding model thanks to the coil-spring suspension set-up. 

The Ford Everest range is available with a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine that also powers the Ranger Raptor. This unit makes 157kW against 500 Nm torque and comes linked to a ten-speed automatic gearbox sending power to the rear wheels. Option for an all-wheel-drive system is also available. There is also a 3.2-litre, five-cylinder diesel unit good for a maximum power of 143kW against 470 Nm torque. It is paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox and can be had with a standard RWD drivetrain with an option for an AWD set-up. The fuel consumption for the 2.0L engine is rated at 6.9l/100km in the Trend RWD variant, while it is around 7.1/100 km in the 4WD version. 

Awarded a five-star rating by ANCAP (2015), a globally renowned safety body, that conducts crash tests on vehicles, the standard safety kit on Ford Everest comprises seven airbags including dual front, side-front, side curtain, and driver’s knee units. Also, anti-lock-braking system, AEB, DSR, RSC, traction control, EBA, electronic brakeforce distribution, rear parking sensors, and reverse camera are also part of the parcel. Other bits such as adaptive cruise control with forward-collision warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and tyre pressure monitoring are reserved for the top-spec variant. There are five child seat anchor points and the second row comes with two ISOFIX anchors. 

The Ford Everest ensures it continues dominating the segment with its benchmark-setting feature kit and a refined 2.0L engine that promises a powerful performance. Overall, the 2019 Ford Everest is a quiet family SUV.