When Ford handed me the keys to a crisp white Everest Sport with contrasting black trim, I wasn’t quite prepared for how this SUV would reshape my expectations of what a family-friendly off-roader could be.

The automotive landscape is crowded with SUVs promising to do it all – family hauler during the week, adventure vehicle on weekends. Most fall short in one area or another. Either they’re too focused on off-road prowess at the expense of on-road comfort, or they’re glorified shopping carts with all-wheel drive that wouldn’t dare venture beyond a gravel parking lot.

Ford’s Everest has always occupied an interesting middle ground in this segment. Built on the same platform as the ranger-topping Ranger bakkie, it inherits genuine off-road DNA while wrapping it in a more family-appropriate seven-seat package. The Sport trim level aims to add a dash of visual flair and premium touches without compromising the vehicle’s utilitarian roots.

After spending a week with the Everest Sport – taking it on work and meeting runs, grocery trips, highway sprints, and even a brief off-road excursion – I’ve developed a clear picture of where this vehicle excels and where compromises have been made. The Arctic White paint with black accents on my test vehicle provided the perfect canvas to showcase the Everest Sport’s dual personality: refined enough for urban duties yet rugged enough to tackle adventures beyond the pavement.

First Impressions Matter

The Everest Sport makes a statement even before you climb inside. The Arctic White paint job on my test vehicle created a striking contrast against the black grille, side mirrors, and roof rails. The blacked-out badging and 20-inch alloy wheels further enhance its purposeful stance without drifting into overly aggressive territory.

There’s something inherently appealing about this colour combination – it manages to look both premium and ready for adventure, which perfectly encapsulates what the Everest Sport is all about.

Inside Story: Comfort Meets Practicality

Stepping into the cabin reveals Ford’s commitment to creating a space that balances comfort with functionality. The Sport trim brings leather-accented seats with contrast stitching that look upmarket while remaining family-friendly. The driver’s position offers excellent visibility, and the 8-way power-adjustable seat made finding the perfect driving position effortless. It’s a comfortable place to find yourself.

The second row provides ample space for adults, and the third row, while not quite as spacious, remains usable for kids, teenagers or shorter trips. What impressed me most was how quiet the cabin remained, even at highway speeds – a testament to Ford’s sound insulation efforts.

The 12-inch touchscreen running Ford’s SYNC system sits prominently on the dashboard, offering crisp graphics and relatively intuitive menus. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity worked flawlessly throughout my week with the vehicle.

On the Road: Smooth Operator

The Everest Sport’s 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel engine delivers 154kW and 500Nm of torque – numbers that translate to confident acceleration and effortless highway cruising. The 10-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly in most situations, though I noticed occasional hesitation when demanding quick downshifts for overtaking.

What truly stands out is the ride quality. The Everest Sport strikes an impressive balance between comfort and control, soaking up urban imperfections while maintaining composure through corners. It’s no sports car, but it handles with reassuring predictability that belies its size and height.

Off the Beaten Path

While many Everest Sports will spend most of their time navigating suburban streets, Ford hasn’t forgotten about off-road capabilities. The Terrain Management System offers various drive modes, including Sand, Mud/Ruts, and Snow/Gravel, adjusting throttle response and traction control accordingly.

During a brief excursion on some light trails, the Everest Sport demonstrated impressive capability, with the 4WD system providing confident traction. The 800mm wading depth also provides peace of mind when facing water crossings, though I didn’t have the opportunity to test this feature fully.

Practical Considerations

Daily livability is where the Everest Sport really shines. The powered tailgate reveals a generous cargo area that expands dramatically with the third row folded. Throughout the cabin, thoughtful storage solutions abound – from the deep center console to the various cubbies and cup holders.

Fuel economy averaged around 9.2L/100km during my mixed driving, which is reasonable for a vehicle of this size and capability. The 80-liter fuel tank provides a theoretical range of over 800km, making the Everest Sport a capable long-distance cruiser.

The Everest Sport comes well-equipped with driver assistance features including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and autonomous emergency braking. The 360-degree camera system proved invaluable when navigating tight parking spots, though I found the resolution could be much more sharper.

Not Quite Perfect

Despite its many strengths, the Everest Sport isn’t without shortcomings. The third row, while usable, requires some gymnastics to access, and the seats themselves lack the comfort of the first two rows. Some interior plastics lower in the cabin feel out of place in a vehicle at this price point.

The infotainment system, while generally responsive, occasionally suffered from lag when switching between functions. And while the black trim elements look fantastic against the white paint, they do show dust and fingerprints more readily than body-coloured alternatives.

Final Thoughts

The Ford Everest Sport occupies a sweet spot in the midsize SUV market. It offers genuine off-road capability without sacrificing on-road manners, combines practical family-friendly features with handsome styling, and delivers a driving experience that’s both comfortable and engaging.

The white-with-black-trim configuration of my test vehicle particularly impressed, giving the Everest Sport a premium appearance that belies its rugged capabilities. For families seeking a do-it-all vehicle that won’t look out of place at school drop-offs or campgrounds, the Everest Sport makes a compelling case for itself.

It’s not perfect – no vehicle is – but the Everest Sport’s blend of versatility, comfort, and capability makes it easy to overlook its minor shortcomings. In an increasingly crowded SUV market, Ford has created something that genuinely stands out.

The Ford Everest boasts an impressive 3,500 kg towing capacity, making it a go-anywhere vehicle that enables owners to bring everything they need for epic adventures. Whether you’re hauling a boat trailer for a weekend on the water or a camper for a few days in the great outdoors, the Everest is designed to make towing a breeze.

Rob Hugo, dynamic experience supervisor for Ranger and Everest at Ford Australia, emphasized the importance of towing performance, stating, “Ultimate towing performance is absolutely essential for thousands of adventure-craving owners.” Ford has designed and engineered the Everest to cater to both novices and experts, ensuring that the towing experience is seamless and stress-free.

Hitching a trailer is often a challenging task, but the Ford Everest simplifies it. The 360-degree camera provides a top-down view to guide the Everest close to the trailer, while reverse view with dynamic lines and distance guides helps align the tow ball and receiver. For pinpoint accuracy, the hitch view button offers a bird’s-eye view of the tow ball and receiver.

The Everest also offers a trailer connection checklist integrated into the SYNC system, walking owners through the steps required to safely connect the trailer. You can even check your trailer lights without a spotter, thanks to the SYNC screen or the FordPass app.

When it comes to confidence on the road while towing, the Everest has you covered. The dedicated Tow/Haul drive mode optimizes power and control, especially in hilly terrain, and provides engine braking. A trailer brake controller adapts its output based on brake pressure, enhancing braking performance and reducing the risk of trailer brake lockup.

Innovative trailer sway control is another remarkable feature of the Everest. It works alongside the electronic stability control system to detect and eliminate trailer sway, ensuring a safe towing experience.

For added peace of mind, Ford’s blind spot information system (BLIS) now includes trailer coverage, helping you change lanes with confidence. By creating a profile for your trailer on the SYNC touchscreen, BLIS extends its radar sensors to monitor adjacent lanes for hazards.

In conclusion, the Ford Everest is the ideal companion for adventurers who demand the best in towing capability, safety, and convenience. With its innovative features, it transforms towing into a hassle-free and enjoyable experience, allowing you to focus on the thrill of your next adventure.

The new generation Ford Ranger is a mid-size bakkie that is designed to meet the needs of both urban and rural drivers. With its brand new rugged and durable construction, advanced technology, and powerful performance, the Ranger is a versatile vehicle that can handle a wide range of tasks and activities.

One of the first things that you will notice about the new Ranger is its striking and aggressive design. The front of the truck has been completely redesigned and now features a bold grille and sleek headlights that give it a bold and imposing look. Those C-shaped daytime LED lights are a looker, even from your reverse mirror. The body of the truck is also designed to be aerodynamic, which helps to reduce wind resistance and improve fuel efficiency. I couldn’t help but notice how much bigger the shoulders of the vehicle have grown, compared to the outgoing model.

Under the bonnet, the Ranger is powered by a choice of either a 2.0-litre Single Turbo and Bi-Turbo in-line four-cylinder diesel engines as well as Ford’s proven 3.0L V6 turbodiesel. The latter, only found in the Wildtrak derivative, is a powerful engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, which helps to provide smooth and responsive acceleration. Its certainly a favourite. But if we’re being honest, you’d be perfectly fine off with the 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo engine. Trust me.

The Ranger also comes with a variety of advanced driver assistance features, such as lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and a rearview camera.

There’s also a variety of advanced technology features that make it one of the most connected and convenient bakkies on the market. It comes with Ford’s SYNC 4A infotainment system, which allows you to easily control your audio, navigation, ventilation and other features using voice commands. All mated to a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment display. It’s super clear and responds quickly to the touch. A needed improvement compared to the outgoing model. As with all Ford models of late, there’s support for FordPass too. FordPass enhances the ownership experience with features like remote start, vehicle status check and health alerts, digital owner’s manual and remote lock and unlock functions via your mobile device.

If we’re being honest, you’d be perfectly fine with the 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo engine.

When it comes to cargo and towing capacity, the Ranger is one of the most capable bakkies in its class. The Ranger can tow up to 3500 kg when properly equipped. The Ranger also comes with a variety of bed and cargo management features, such as a bed liner and a built-in cargo management system. Circling back to towing, the Ranger has a Tow Haul drive mode for use whilst towing or carrying heavy loads. It optimises gear shift timing to maintain best power delivery and engine braking and reduced shift busyness. 

As is the norm, the Ranger also comes with a variety of off-road features that make it well-suited for those off-road adventures. The bakkie comes with a 4×4 drivetrain and a variety of off-road modes, such as mud, sand, and rock. The Ranger also comes with a variety of suspension and tyre options, which allow you to customize your bakkie to meet your specific off-road needs.

With a growing list of over 200 factory-backed adventure, urban and commercial accessories, you will be able to personalise the Rangers to suit your unique lifestyle.

Overall, the new generation Ford Ranger is a versatile and capable bakkie that is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of drivers. With its rugged and durable construction, advanced technology, and powerful performance, the Ranger is a bakkie that can handle a wide range of tasks and activities. Whether you are looking for a truck for work or for play, the Ranger is a great choice.

Pricing for the new Ford Ranger starts at R486 600. But if you’re eyeing the Double Cab Wildtrak with the V6 engine, that will set you back R953 500.

Visually, what sets the Everest Sport apart from its established siblings is the black mesh grille and unique Everest badge on the bonnet, along with black mirror caps and door handles – replacing the chrome finishes on the Everest XLT. Further reinforcing the dynamic appearance is the black treatment for the front bumper chin and rear valance in place of silver, along with ebony roof rails, special Sport decals on the rear doors and striking 20-inch black alloy wheels.

Step inside and you’ll notice the model-specific embossed leather seats with distinctive blue stitching, soft-touch leather treatment for the dashboard and a driver’s seat with eight-way power adjustment.

There’s also the standard with LED headlamps and daytime running lights, cruise control and front and rear park sensors with a rear-view camera. Ford will throw in heaps of active safety tech for good measure, too.

Pricing for the models is set at R662 800 for the 2.0 Single Turbo 10AT 4×2 and R704 400 for the 2.0 Single Turbo 10AT 4×4.

As mentioned the Ford Everest has undergone a face lift, that includes tweaks under the hood too but let’s look at some of the changes that have been made to the exterior first. Firstly, the new grille with the distinctive chrome bars and the front bumper underwent an overhaul. The introduction of lager 20inch wheels has made it more aggressive looking and better suited to take on the rugged South African terrain.

The interior of the vehicle also under went some changes and the introduction of sleek gloss finishes. The new touches add some luxury elements to the car, one of my favourites being the keyless entry and the start button to the vehicle. I feel that is the future of cars, the ease of access and the effortless drive are things that consumers are looking for.

The Ford Everest also introduces the 2.0 Turbo and 2.0Bi-Turbo engines and that’s now accompanied by the 10-speed gearbox transmission. The suspension has also been revised to help the vehicle handle better. This was something I felt when taking curves.

Overall, the drive on the Everest is a lot softer and handles a lot like a smaller vehicle which really helps when handling a vehicle of this magnitude. The Everest is noticeably more spacious however, being a 7-seater, this does eat away at the boot space in order to make room for the 6th and 7th passenger. The back seat has decent space allowing tall adults to sit comfortably, I’m just personally not a huge fan of compromising boot space to accommodate passengers I need that boot space for gear!

With the new engine capacities, the Everest can easily haul a full house of passengers while pulling a trailer for that much-needed family vacation. However, it’s good to know that the Bi Turbo pushes out 157kW and 500Nm vs the single turbo that produces 132kW and 420Nm of torque. The Everest drives well however, I feel it may not be practical as an everyday car in the busy and narrow streets of Johannesburg. Unless ofcourse you’re hauling large loads every other day. You’re constantly reminded of it size each time you pull into a mall and shopping complexes as parking design lately don’t necessarily accommodate cars this big. If I were based in Polokwane where the mix of roads are gravel and tar then the Everest would be a no brainer.

The entry cost for the Ford Everest is R552 500 with optional extra’s that include metallic paint and tow bar – which I would highly recommend.

We’re long past the first-generation efforts of automakers unsure of how best to tackle the extended family demographic, which means if you’re going to seat seven or more in 2017, then you’re going to have to do better than merely go through the motions. More to the point, you’re going to have to beat rivals like the Ford Everest.

The 2017 Ford Everest is the latest version of an SUV one-two punch that first debuted for the 2015 model year. Positioned as the more capacious sibling to the compact Kuga, the vehicle has built a strong following thanks to its affordable bundling of features and practicality that often undercuts major players from Toyota (the Fortuner), Honda (HRV), and Chevrolet (the Trailblazer) in both areas.

2017 brings a few changes to the Everest formula, although nothing all that dramatic. LED daytime running lights are the most noticeable aspect of its exterior makeover, and its front and rear fascias have spent some time under the scalpel as well, emerging with a new fog light design as well as a slightly chunkier grille, and vertical rather than horizontal reflectors out back. It’s a handsome sport-utility vehicle, one whose somewhat imposing presence suggests a higher sticker than its R492K starting price. Even the Limited model that served as my week-long tester  barely broke the R700K mark with its all-wheel drive and safety-loaded Tech Package.

Crack the door to the Ford’s cabin and you come back down to Earth – at least, a little – in terms of the materials used throughout its interior. I personally found the passenger compartment design to be pleasing to the eye, but the Everest’s Limited’s focus on function was evident by the monochromatic presentation of the soft, textured plastics, broken up by chrome-colored surrounds on the dash and door panels and leather-look trim inserts.

While not especially flashy, almost all of the Ford’s controls fall readily to hand, and its (standard) 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system is easy to figure out and use while driving, it also has smart technologies including all-new SYNC^®3 . The SUV also gains a full complement of advanced safety gear for 2017, with Ford adding adaptive cruise control (which functions even at low speeds), automatic forward braking, a top-down camera system, and lane departure warning to the list of equipment. Depending on the model, these features join blind spot monitoring to more fully flesh out the Everest’s safety offerings.

While not especially flashy, almost all of the Ford’s controls fall readily to hand.

One aspect of the all-new Everest that hasn’t been altered in the slightest is its enormous amount of passenger and cargo space.  As with most mid-size SUVs, that final row is best left to children since adults will find their knees jackknifed up in front of them due to the low perch of each cushion. Better yet – fold them flat by the touch of a button and enjoy the 1050 liters of total storage space on offer inside the Everest, a figure that almost doubles to 2010 with the second row out of the picture as well.

Out on the road the Everest doesn’t betray its size through the steering wheel, which was unexpected. Having previously driven the outgoing model and been impressed by its confident handling and comfortable ride, I was expecting only the latter from the upgraded version of the SUV. In addition to being quite easy to herd through urban traffic, the 3.2-liter 143kW/470Nm were more than enough to keep the Ford on its toes when darting forward on the highway to take advantage of a brief opening to pass on two-lane roads.

Probably the only ones who will be disappointed with the Everest’s 6-speed automatic setup will be turbo watchers, as the 2.2 and 3.2-liter are the sole engines available.

I hesitate to use words like ‘alternative’ when discussing the all-new Everest within the context of other three-row mid-size SUVs. Ford is well past having to prove itself to potential buyers based on value alone, yet it continues to make over-delivering in terms of features a core part of its brand identity. Despite its more modest sales figures, the Everest deserves your full attention if you’ve ever thought of adding a mainstream seven-passenger daily driver to your driveway. Throw in one of the most comprehensive new car drivetrain warranties in the business, and this Ford hauler could very well end up being the last vehicle you have to buy before the kids head off to university. The Ford Everest is priced from R470 000