I must confess that having learned to drive on a European car as a teenager and, later, having worked with a Japanese car-maker, I am not particularly fond of American car brands. Spending some time with the Ford Everest Titanium+ 2.2L 4×2 AT with Premium Package gave me a fresh perspective.
Design: 4/5
The Everest is unmistakably American. It is large and brawny, with a definitely dominant stance on the road. Despite its massive size, it is designed to be aerodynamic with flowing character lines. Chrome touches on the grille, door handles, side mirrors, and liftgate applique add just the right amount of attention-getting flash. Body color front and rear bumpers and painted skid plates add to the bold yet classy outlook. With its 20-inch alloy wheels, the Everest Titanium has a ground clearance of 225 mm, and a wading depth of 800 mm, perfect for tackling any adventure. Further distinguishing the Premium Package top-of-the-line trim level are the dual panel moonroof, HID projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights, and LED taillights.
The luxe finish is echoed in the all-leather interior complemented by chrome door handles and parking brake, illuminated front scuff plates, and ambient lighting. Seven adults can be accommodated in three rows of seats, with power-adjustable driver and passenger front row seats, second row 60/40 tip and slide bench seats, and power folding third row seats.
Hardware: 4/5
The Ford Everest’s 2.2L turbo-diesel engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and delivers maximum output of 160 PS at 3200 rpm as well as 385 Nm of torque at 1600 to 2500 rpm. Its suspension system consists of independent double wishbones with coil over shock and anti-roll bar in front and leafsprings in the rear. Brakes are ventilated in front, and leading and trailing drums for the rear.
The Everest Titanium+ with Premium Package is definitely loaded, not just with convenience amenities, but also with the latest automotive technology. Ford’s SYNC 3 voice activated system lets you quickly pair your smartphone with the car’s infotainment system so you can make calls, listen to text messages, and access your music or audiobooks. Two USB ports and a 230V inverter keep all your mobile devices powered up.
Not to be redundant, I’ve decided to just list all the additional features in the Value section of this review, so check out the other tech goodies there.
User Experience: 3.5/5
This massive SUV didn’t win me over instantly but the more time I spent with it, the more I learned to appreciate its strengths and overlook its shortcomings.
Among the features I love about the Everest Titanium+ are its power features such as the 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat so you can quickly find the most comfortable driving position, the power liftgate that lets you access the rear cargo area with just the push of a button, and the power folding third row seats so accommodating additional passengers or needing more trunk space is a non-issue.
I’m beginning to have issues with night vision, and the Everest Titanium’s automatic on/off,
auto-leveling, auto high beam HID projector headlights were much appreciated. Apparently, a camera mounted on the rearview mirror monitors the road, turning the high beam on and off depending on whether it detects incoming vehicles. The rearview mirror itself is electrochromic, adjusting automatically to protect you from the glare of headlights behind you. Rain-sensing wipers are also great, allowing you to just focus on driving without having to fiddle with switches and levers for wiper speed in case you get caught in a downpour.
Finally, one of the best things I loved about the Everest Titanium+ was the outstanding audio quality, which I credited to the 10-speaker audio system. The product features on Ford’s website describes an active noise cancellation system that detects and measures engine noise, then uses opposing sound waves to cancel cabin noise. No wonder I thought my music sounded so much clearer and the tones crisper.
You ride high on the Everest and with its bulk, there are definitely a lot of blind spots. This problem is mitigated by the blind spot monitoring system that warns you when there are objects near you that you can’t see. For example, is there a car in the lane beside you? Or is there traffic as you’re backing out of the driveway?
And, oh, how did it handle on the road? The Everest’s 2.2L engine drives better at higher speeds. In a recent Petron Turbo Diesel field test, It was able to get an outstanding 27.21 km/L. The test driver said that he observed improved fuel economy driving at 90 kph. Indeed, the Everest likes to drive fast—it is smooth and steady when cruising between 100-120 kph, and you could sense the restrained power that’s on tap. Driving on crowded EDSA is a totally different matter—it is sluggish, unwieldy, and the engine noise is more evident.
Value: 4.5/5
The test unit Ford sent over was the higher-end Premium Package variant of the Ford Everest Titanium, which has a sticker price of PHP 2,058,000. The additional PHP 140,000 over the regular Everest Titanium pays for additional convenience features such as the power panorama moonroof, power liftgate, 230V power inverter, adaptive cruise control, heads up display warning, collision mitigation, active park assist, hill descent control, lane keeping system, tire pressure monitoring system, LED daytime running lights, HID projector and auto-leveling headlamps, and headlamp washer, among others. Personally, since I drive myself, I would be willing to shell out the extra cash for these additions, especially the safety features that vastly improve the driving experience.
Recently, Ford has also addressed criticisms about high cost of ownership by reducing the price of scheduled service maintenance for the Ford Everest by about 18 percent. New buyers can enjoy additional savings of about 15 percent by availing of a pre-paid scheduled service plan.
What’s Hot:
– Loaded with convenient features and amenities
– Large and powerful
What’s Not:
– Can be unwieldy in traffic
– Tight parking spaces pose a major problem
Bottomline:
No wonder the Everest is one of Ford’s bestselling models.
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE May 2018 Issue.
Reviewed and photos by Maribelle Alba