REVIEW | Fond farewell to our Ford Everest Platinum

And just like that, it’s over. Our six-month test of the Ford Everest Platinum has yielded a number of driving adventures and the blue-oval SUV has performed admirably for the most part.

Early on we experienced unwelcome adventures when the Everest was the subject of a factory recall to fix a technical glitch that popped up a recurring “pre-collision assist” error message in the instrument panel. The electric folding function of the third seating row also had to be fixed as it stopped working, and there is no way to fold the seats manually should such a problem reoccur.

At the same time the battery died and needed to be replaced, a mysterious failure for car that had just 10,000km on the odometer.

Since those early problems — all sorted under warranty — the test car has performed without a hitch, with the mileage now at 21,000km. The Everest went for its 15,000km service which costs R3,600 if you don’t buy it with the optional R21,000 six-year/90,000km service plan.

The SUV has required one top up of AdBlue, a fluid stored in a small tank that is automatically injected into the exhaust system to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions produced by diesel.

What we’ve most enjoyed about the Everest over the past six months is its space, comfort and hearty V6 power. The Platinum is the most powerful Everest (it is also available in 2.0l turbo diesel models) and is moved along by the same twin-turbo 3.0l diesel that powers the Ranger Wildtrak bakkie.

Outputs of 184kW and a gutsy 600Nm of torque haul the 2.5-tonne seven-seater with gusto even when heavily laden. One of our first adventures was a road trip between Jozi and the KwaZulu-Natal south coast early this year, and it hauled five passengers and their luggage with easy cruising comfort. The heavyweight Ford has proven impressively frugal for its size too, averaging 10.6l /100km over the period.

The most challenging aspect of living with the Everest is parking the huge lump. Even with its 360° parking camera and beeping proximity alerts, as helpful as they are, the Ford always seems too large for bays.

The previous Everest was a rival to the segment-leading Toyota Fortuner which is 4,795mm long, but with that increasing to 4,940mm the new Ford is more of a competitor to Toyota’s 5,010mm Land Cruiser Prado.

The large size makes for a roomy cabin with comfortable space for adults in the front two rows. The third row will take a pair of adults at a push, though we’ve found it isn’t ideal for long-distance travel as the nonadjustable backrests are very upright.

Unlike many seven-seaters, the cargo area behind the third row is reasonably spacious and takes a few bags. Flipping down the rear two rows creates a cavernous maw that swallows bicycles and other large toys, accessed through a convenient electric tailgate.

The Everest Platinum has a luxurious interior with all the mod cons expected of its R1.18m price tag. The diamond-stitched leather seats create a high-class ambience and all the touchpoints in the car, including the armrests, are padded for comfort. Cabin stowage space is generous and includes two glove compartments and a large bin between the front seats.

There are USB charging ports in the front and rear seats, a wireless smartphone charger, and passengers in all three rows are able to set their own fan speeds.

Infotainment is controlled on a giant touchscreen which is generally user friendly, though it sometimes wouldn’t wirelessly connect with my phone’s Android Auto system.

We tested the Everest’s formidable 4x4 skills, and the big SUV scampered through steep dongas and muddy trails without breaking a sweat. In addition to a generous 229mm ride height the vehicle is armed for rough ’n tumble adventures with selectable all-wheel drive, low range, and six driving modes: Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud & Ruts, and Sand.

The Everest is able to wade in water up to 800mm deep and has an off-road screen that displays a front camera view of the terrain ahead.

Ford’s large SUV has a generally comfortable ride quality, but potholes and large bumps can jar through the low-profile 21-inch tyres. The optional 18-inch tyres would soften the ride and make a better choice for an adventure vehicle, methinks.

The Everest has road presence with its American-truck styling and C-clamp LED headlamps, and under the rugged exterior is an SUV with impressive refinement. Overall, Ford’s SUV has made big strides in space, comfort and sophistication.

droppad@arena.africa