The Ford Everest will most likely be found trundling around suburbia doing the school run or an occasional weekend away. We took the XLT Sport derivative on a trying 4x4 trail to test its offroad chops...... What could go wrong?
Photos
Photo GridPlumes of red clay dust envelop the car as the 4WD seeks out grip, small rocks fly and reality sets in... we're stuck! Smack-bang in the middle of an obstacle with, as we later found out, the highest rating at this offroad adventure park. The realisation that we're not getting out of here without a winch or seriously damaging or breaking something takes hold. STOP!
We pop the Everest into park and get out to survey the damage. At first glance, the broken glass, ripped plastics and bits of car should have been the first clue that this obstacle means business, this is what happens when you don't walk an obstacle first! Lucky me though, none of the detritus is from the Everest but rather from the few intrepid 4x4-ers that attempted this crushing climb before me.
Related: Everything you need to know about the Ford Everest
We examine the obstacle, the pile of rocks that the vehicle is beached on and take stock of the situation. Yup, no two ways about it we can get out, but it's going to hurt! My spotter clambers up the hillside to guide while I hop back in, make sure we're still in low range and engage rock crawl mode. The vehicle slowly starts to pull itself up the rock face, inch by inch, until the front wheels clear and begin churning up red clay dust as they begin pulling the rear up and over. We're out! But not without some battle damage and a very bruised ego.
The entire ordeal has left me with a new appreciation for a vehicle that I already held in high regard, but what is this XLT Sport all about anyway?
The Everest strikes an imposing figure dressed in Absolute Black paintwork and black trim. This black on black treatment makes the Sport look as if it belongs outside a questionable establishment on the bad side of town or to the security detail of some obscure governmental agency. It looks aggressive but it's a magnet for dirt and once you've attached a fair amount of red clay dust to it, it may feel as if it will never come clean, but it will polish up quite nicely.... eventually.
The Sport is shod with 20-inch wheels and Goodyear multi-terrain tyres which did surprisingly well on the rocky trails albeit making the ride a bit on the rough side. Outside the obvious badging there is actually very little to distinguish this from a regular Limited model.
Have you ever had a very comfortable chair that enveloped you and fit you near perfectly? Well, that is the Everest! It is super comfortable to drive on the open road and once you get off the beaten path, the elevated command driving position makes navigating offload obstacles quite easy. Even with the 20-inch wheels, the offroad drive is very enjoyable.
The Ford Everest XLT Sport is powered over the terrain by a 4-cylinder single turbo diesel engine that produces 132kW and 420Nm, power travels to all four wheels via Ford's super slick 10-speed auto transmission and is accessible throughout the rev range.
With the Everest being a very comfortable 7-seater there is obviously a lot of space interior-wise. Three rows of seating can comfortably take 5 adults and 3 small kids at a squeeze. There are more than enough storage bins and slots for paraphernalia tucked away all over the vehicle as well as power points and USB outlets for those ever-present devices. There is 3 Zone climate control courtesy of the central SYNC3 infotainment system that features Apple Car Play and Android Auto.
Convenience is the name of game here, so you get Keyless entry, auto-dimming mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and multifunction controls on the steering wheel as well as heated electrically adjustable side mirrors that can be retracted should the brush encroach too much.
The Ford Everest scored 5 stars in its ANCAP testing. Featuring numerous safety systems such as 7 airbags, ISOfix in the outer rear seat, ABS(Anti Lock Brakes) TSC (Traction Stability Control) Hill descent / ascent control and Fords 4WD Terrain management system with electronic rear diff lock the Sport is as safe as your house.
Ford claims that the Everest Sport will return 7.1l /100km on the combined cycle. With our combined testing and offload hijinks, we returned 8.9l / 100km meaning that you can expect roughly 1000km on a tank of premium diesel.
The Ford Everest 2.0 SiT 4WD XLT Sport sells for R 728 400 and with that, you get a 4 year / 120 000km warranty and a 4 year / 90 000km service plan.
The Ford Everest Sport is a superb vehicle with capabilities that far outweigh what it will be used for on a normal monthly basis. If you have an active lifestyle, and you want a vehicle that will fit in without a blip then the Everest Sport should be on your shopping list.
Lawrence MinnieLawrence has been involved with motorsports for almost 30 years. Whether it's two wheels or four, if it has an engine, he will try to race it. This love of motor vehicles has led him to ride, drive, film, photograph, and write about his passion. Freelance for a while but now a permanent fixture on the AutoTrader team for over 7 years, Lawrence contributes written, photographic, and video content for AutoTrader and AutoTrader Bikes.View News & Reviews
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