Everest Platinum: The top dog in Ford South Africa range

Motoring journos often like to say that, in a car company’s line-up, it is seldom that the top-of-the-range model is worth the star billing because there must be a “sweet spot” by virtue of better price, better performance or better utility.

After spending two weeks and covering 4 500km in our just-delivered Ford Everest Platinum long-term test car, I can say that, without a doubt, this is the best vehicle in Ford’s current South African range.

The Everest Platinum is so good at a combination of abilities that make it the perfect road trip vehicle, as well as flexible and adventurous family transport.

Australian motoring journos, not known for pulling their punches, have done a number of comparison tests with this Everest against Toyota’s new eye-catching Prado 250 and the Ford has emerged the winner.

At the heart of the Everest Platinum’s portfolio of plusses is its 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, made in high-tech plants, including at Ford’s Struandale factory outside Gqeberha.

Ford’s global manufacturing system ensures that everything technicians do is uploaded to the “cloud” — torquing bolts, for example — and any errors will immediately stand out.

Pushing out 184 kW and 600 Nm of torque, the V6 might seem like overkill in a world moving increasingly to four-cylinder power backed up by some sort of hybrid system.

Ford’s own 2.0-litre diesels, in single and twin-turbo form, are excellent performers and the argument might well be that they offer a still decent 154 kW while promising better fuel consumption.

However, the reality is that a sensibly driven and lightly stressed V6 is not going to give much worse consumption than a four-cylinder working harder, particularly at motorway speeds.

That is why, after 4 500 km of driving long distance on tar, off-roading, gravel road driving and dealing with the murderous stop-start traffic in the Cape, our Everest showed an average of 9.6 litres per 100km.

To put that in perspective, my son hired a 4×2 Toyota Fortuner when he met us in Cape Town – and that was averaging 9.5l/100km…

Biggest benefit of the V6 – apart from the fact it is so smooth it hardly feels like a diesel at all, even at start-up – is the instant torque, which makes passing the clowns on our rural roads less of a nightmare.

I’ve read of a few motoring hacks and “influencers” who had been testing the Everest Platinum for long periods, and they have complained about fuel bills.

That’s your fault, not that of the vehicle. Restraint is a virtue…

At just under R1.3-million, the Everest Platinum is not cheap, although, if you step back and realise that it does the job of two different vehicles – a hardcore off-roader with all the mechanical and electronic 4×4 aids to help you and a luxury saloon – then the price seems more reasonable.

Granted, the Everest is a large vehicle and will never be as snappy, handling-wise, as an executive sedan… but it will not be beaten on passenger and ride comfort and equipment levels.

The efficient aircon (there were days when the outside temperature in the Karoo exceeded 43°C) works across all three seat rows (it accommodates seven people).

The premium Harmon Kardon sound system is the equal of any in a high-end German limo.

The leather seats are top-class, and even in the more cramped last row, adults can squeeze in and not be too uncomfortable.

The second row of chairs is adjustable for reach and backrest angle, too.

I also found that, because of the presence of so many clowns on our roads (see above), the Ford’s warning systems came in handy on several occasions.

Pick of the lot for me—because I started using it regularly—was the all-round camera system, which is intended to help you place the vehicle accurately in rough off-road conditions but is also perfect for supermarket car parks.

There is an auto parking system that will park the car for you once it is selected.

I tried it once in Knysna, and it did a way better job than I could ever have done in parallel parking the large car.

What you will remember after a spell behind the wheel of the Everest Platinum is that it feels rock solid while being welcoming at the same time.

It’s an SUV, which means it does Sport and Utility well, but I think Ford needs to call it something else—although I don’t think adding the L for Luxury (to make SLUV) would do it justice. But that’s what it is.

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