What to expect? Ford Everest line-up reshuffle explained

With pricing of the mechanically tweaked Ranger now out, Ford Motor Company South Africa’s attention moves to the Everest, which will receive the same series of updates.

In detail

Confirmed for South Africa at the end of last year, the respective revisions won’t include any exterior or interior adaptations.

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Instead, these will centre around the choice of drivetrains, in particular, the introduction of the 2.3 EcoBoost petrol engine as a replacement for the 2.0-litre Panther bi-turbodiesel.

Mechanical

Long offered in the Middle East, the EcoBoost, as in the Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok, makes 222kW/452Nm, which goes to the rear wheels only through the General Motors co-developed 10-speed automatic gearbox.

As on the Ranger, the EcoBoost will replace rear-wheel drive versions of the bi-turbodiesel.

Taking the place of four-wheel drives is the 3.0-litre Lion V6 turbodiesel, which will again produce 184kW/600Nm.

The end of the bi-turbo also sees the return of the single-turbo, last offered on the previous generation Everest.

As in the Ranger, it develops 125kW/405Nm instead of the bi-turbo’s 154kW/500Nm, but jettisons the timing belt for a timing chain.

Whereas the single-turbo Ranger still has the option of a six-speed manual gearbox, on the Everest, only the 10-speed auto will be offered across the entire range.

Goodbye XLT

On the model front, the biggest surprise is the removal of the XLT that opened the range up.

In its place comes the Active that has been the entry-level trim grade in Australia since the last generation.

Positioned above the Active, the Sport remains, but as mentioned, now offers either the EcoBoost in rear-wheel drive form, or the turbodiesel V6 in four-wheel drive guise.

The latter is, therefore, a first for the Sport, which in bi-turbodiesel guise had a part-time four-wheel drive system.

Unaffected by the changes is the Wildtrak and Platinum, both still using the turbodiesel V6.

Not for us

At the other end of the spectrum, the Everest Tremor is off limits for South Africa, as is the Black Edition – both offered in Australia.

This also applies to the 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6, which debuted at the end of last year in the Middle East -spec Tremor.

Shared with the North American Ranger and F-150, the unit makes 265kW/500Nm and has been devised solely for the Middle East and no other market.

Revised line-up

The revisions won’t come with a line-up reduction as six derivatives will still make up the Everest range.

Expect, however, a price increase from the current starting price of R953 000 for the two-wheel drive bi-turbo XLT.

• Everest 2.0 SiT Active AT
• Everest 2.0 SiT Active 4×4 AT
• Everest 2.3 EcoBoost Sport AT
• Everest 3.0 V6 Sport 4WD AT
• Everest 3.0 V6 Wildtrak 4WD AT
• Everest 3.0 V6 Platinum 4WD AT

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