Ford Everest

Behind the third row, there’s 259L of cargo space, expanding to 898L with it folded and 1823L with the second row folded. With all three rows up, you can fit either two duffel bags or perhaps one suitcase, depending on its size.

The Ford Everest earned a five-star rating on the back of an 86 per cent score for adult occupant protection, a 93 per cent score for child occupant protection, a 74 per cent score for vulnerable road user protection, and an 86 per cent safety assist score.

The five-star rating applies to the whole Everest range, and is based on tests carried out on the closely related Ford Ranger ute. For owners of cars built before August 20, 2022, that rating only applies once a software update has been installed by a dealer.

The 2024 Ford Everest comes with the following standard safety equipment:

• Nine airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Reverse AEB
• Post-impact braking
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane departure warning
• Driver attention alert
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Reverse camera
• Front and rear parking sensors

There are 3 different fuel economy figures for the Ford Everest

The most fuel efficient Ford Everest is the AMBIENTE (RWD) with a 10 Speed Automatic which is powered by a 2.0L Bi Turbo Common Rail Diesel Injection and uses 7.1L of diesel per 100km on the combined cycle.

The Ford Everest that uses the most amount of fuel is the PLATINUM (4WD) with a 10 Speed Automatic which is powered by a 3.0L Turbo Common Rail Diesel Injection and uses 8.5L of diesel per 100km on the combined cycle.

All Ford Everest’s need servicing every 12 Months months or 15,000km km, whichever comes first.

The last Everest did a good job hiding its ute-based origins, but the new one is a step (or two) better again.

Ford has added extra sound deadening under the body, and tweaked the ladder frame relative to the Ranger to reflect the fact this is a less-rugged, more family-oriented vehicle. Of course, it also has a different wheelbase to the Ranger, and rides on a coil-sprung rear suspension with a Watt’s Link instead of leaf springs.

Ride quality is impressive across the range. At lower speeds, you don’t feel small, high-frequency bumps shuddering through the frame like you often do in ute-based four-wheel drives, and at high speeds it feels impressively tied-down.

Although it’s not quite on par with a monocoque crossover for refinement, the truck-like nature that has traditionally characterised off-road capable family haulers has been buried under layers of cotton wool here.

The new Ford Everest is available with two turbo-diesel engines. The entry-level option is a 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo four-cylinder, mated with either rear-wheel drive or full-time-capable four-wheel drive.

It’s offered on the Ambiente and Trend, and is shared with the closely-related Ranger ute. Compared to the equivalent engine in the last Everest, it features new injectors, cooling fans, a new engine cover, new seals, and a host of calibration changes.

Peak power is 154kW, and peak torque is 500Nm. It’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission as standard, and drive is sent to all four wheels through a full-time four-wheel drive system – except in 4×2 models, which are rear-wheel drive.

Standard on the Sport and Platinum is a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, producing 184kW and 600Nm. It’s also mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, with drive sent exclusively through a full-time four-wheel drive system.

The Everest glided through our off-road course. It has 226mm of ground clearance in Sport trim, with a wading depth of 800mm.

Approach, departure and breakover angles are 30.2, 25 and 21.9 degrees, respectively, and there’s a locking rear differential for rougher stuff. Also standard is a well-calibrated hill descent control.

4×4 features

The Everest features a full-time four-wheel drive system with a two-speed electromechanical transfer case featuring 2H, 4H and 4L modes, plus a 4A mode for high-traction surfaces like paved roads.

This 4A mode when selected can continuously distribute power between the front and rear axles for “optimum performance in all on-road conditions”. Essentially, it behaves like an all-wheel drive car in 4A.

There’s also an electronic locking rear differential on four-wheel drive models that can be activated through the infotainment touchscreen.

All 4×4 variants of the Everest also receive an e-shifter gear selector instead of a traditional mechanical gear selector.

Depending on the Everest variant, there are a variety of drive modes that change the vehicle’s throttle response, gearshifts, traction control and ABS. These include the following:

• Normal
• Eco
• Tow/Haul
• Slippery
• Mud/Ruts
• Sand

Standard on all 4×4 models besides the entry-level Ambiente is an ‘Off-Road Screen’ (ORS) that’s able to display the following information:

• Driveline and electronic diff lock indication
• Steering angle
• Vehicle pitch and roll angles
• Off-road features button

A surround-view camera, which is standard on the top-of-the range Platinum and optional on the Trend 4×4 and Sport, can also be interacted with in this ORS.

You can find more details on all the options and inclusions across the Ford Everest variants on the official website, and within the official Ford Everest specifications page.

The 2024 Ford Everest is available in the following exterior paint colours:

• Shadow Black
• Aluminium
• Arctic White
• Meteor Grey
• Sedona Orange
• Equinox Bronze
• Blue Lightning (Sport only)

All paint colours except for Arctic White are prestige paint colours and cost an additional $700.

The Everest is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty like the wider Ford range.

Maintenance is required every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres.

You could argue the base Ambiente is all the Everest anyone needs, which shows how solid the foundations are.

Although the Sport offers a compelling blend of luxuries and value, the Platinum is the model that delivers on Ford’s promise to take the Everest into a space it hasn’t previously occupied.

It’s easily the most polished four-wheel drive of its kind; one which should make a few folks at Toyota very nervous.