the Bucket: Bucket Seat: Ford Everest Platinum

Ever since I saw the new Ford Everest Platinum edition in the metal at their assembly plant in Silverton, I was itching to get behind the wheel of this monster. With the Everest being based of the much loved Ranger bakkie platform, it was no surprise to see how sales for this 7-seater in its previous generation competed well against it's competitors in the market. This new Everest however seems to have set the bar as a complete vehicle, leaving the competition in sixes and sevens wondering what to do. It's gained popularity over the past year and ever since its launch, sales have been pretty impressive to say the least. It took a long time for me to finally get my chance to pilot this car, so read the full review to find out if that age old saying "it was worth waiting for" proves to be true for this car.

DESIGN

The design of the new Everest follows the main design cues from the Ranger with that big American styled chassis and the front end reminiscent of the F150. The large grille with hot foil accent mesh and silk chrome accents which gives off a premium look and is exclusive to the Platinum model. Like the Ranger, the iconic new C Clamp headlights still remain a prominent feature on this model. Everything about this car is big and bold, being the range topping model, Ford didn't spare any cent in making it known that this is the Platinum Edition with me counting 14 badges and signs in and around the vehicle, which is a fun fact about the car if needed. The striking design isn't all about the badges but like the previous model, Ford have done an exceptional job in fusing a bakkie platform and adding the addition roof and tailgate to it to make a great looking SUV so much so that it makes it look like the Ranger was the afterthought from this design. While being bigger, bolder and slightly higher than its predecessor, the boxy design makes it look bigger than it actually is, which gives off this daunting look when its in motion on the road. The rear design is neat and stands out just as much as the front with the solid rear lights housing a unique LED design. The Everest Platinum comes with 21-inch machine faced alloys which give off that premium feel to the overall look. The colour in which I had on test was Equinox Bronze which gave a bit of a violet hue in the bright sunlight, a definite head turner if you ask me. The interior see's a complete revamp with the similar styling of the outside transcending on the inside with squared edges and bold accents. The main focal point being the huge 12-inch LCD touchscreen, more about this will be discussed later on in the blog. The cabin does match the exterior in terms of presidential looks and feel, really a major step up from the previous model.

PERFORMANCE

Powered by a 3.0-litre Power Stroke V6 diesel motor, the Everest Platinum isn't short of any power with the plant producing 184kW @ 3250rpm and a maximum torque of 600Nm @ 2500rpm. With a car of this nature aimed for family leisure, its to note that the Everest Platinum has a maximum towing capacity braked at 3500kg! The motor is linked to an all-new 10-speed automatic gearbox which works like a charm on the open road, minimizing the search for gears when required and thus keeping the average fuel consumption respectable to say the least. With the various driving modes available at the touch of a button and with the car being 4WD, it made going from freeway to off road extremely simple. The Everest is dubbed as the ultimate family SUV, it definitely lives up to that reputation on the road. With the drive quality being superb, even with the big frame it's pretty steady on the open road with minimal body roll. Admittedly it isn't that agile but you won't expect a 7-seater SUV to be agile. There are many aids to assist the driving dynamics of the Everest, namely lane departure sensing which helps keeps the Everest in the lane you're traveling, collision alert which gives a warning if the car in front brakes abruptly, adaptive cruise control, and ABS braking. It really is a pleasant drive and once you get used to the bulky size of it, it becomes quite enjoyable to drive.

COMFORT

With a car this size, its bound to be luxurious and comfortable, the Everest Platinum boasts an elevated luxury interior that has leather seats which are heated and vented. The driver and front passenger have a 10-way electrically adjustable seats with memory settings for the driver. The seats have bespoke inserts with quality design and signature Platinum badges for the front two seats. The cabin is filled with opulent finishes framed in satin chrome accents to provide a warm and elegance to make it known you're in the flagship model. What I liked is the quality of materials used to finish the dash, normally with a model that has wide range of variants, including the bakkie line-up, you would find that certain of the "cheaper" generic elements would remain the same throughout but with the Platinum everything feels pretty much premium. All 7-seaters are finished in quality leather with the 3rd row also electrically controlled, so you can fold or open with a flick of a switch. The cabin has 3-zone climate control with vents located in the roof for the second and third row ensuring the cabins temperature is maintained throughout. The multi-function steering works well and is much easier to navigate the digital instrument cluster than the previous generation Everest. The large 12-inch center console infotainment screen is easy to use with mobile phone connectivity available via USB or wireless. It also makes for a great display for the 360 degree camera view which is operating via four cameras around the car. The climate control setting can be changed by using the dials below the screen, this also brings up the climate menu on the screen so you can adjust it accordingly. The new "e shifter" is a bit of an odd design but another cool party trick is leaving it in drive and switching off the car, it will automatically move the gear into park. The car comes with a 12-speaker B&O sound system which pumps proper and The Platinum model also comes with a Panoramic Moonroof which adds to the wide-open space and allows plenty of natural light into the cabin. Luggage space is plenty, even with all 3 rows up, there is still place for light luggage or your weekend shopping haul.

VERDICT

We South Africans are a proud nation and while there are many brands that assemble cars locally, the fact that Ford showed so much promise in investing billions into our infrastructure to produce the Ranger on our shores just makes it that much more special. While they are a few gripes about the car, there is a lot to love love about it too. Sales of the car speaks for it self and with the different models available, there is one for every type of driver. Yes, the price is a bit off putting but once you take a look at what is on offer, it does set itself apart from the competition by a good few miles. Like I said at the beginning of this review, the Everest has moved ahead of its competition, so much so opening another segment for itself. While the increase in fuel price, especially diesel is of a concern, there is still demand for these large family SUV's so I don't see sales being affected for the near future.