First drive: New Everest, Escape, Explorer

[mbt]

Finally had a chance to briefly drive Ford's new SUVs, which were launched just last week.

Ford Everest 3.0d 4x4 A/T

This is the vehicle everyone was waiting for. Is the floor-to-roof rail makeover enough to give a credible challenge to Toyota's all-conquering Fortuner?

Well, the interior is definitely a much more pleasant place to be in compared to Brand T's. The restrained use of bright faux wood trim, which has been a tired and tasteless cliche in several vehicles in the past, works well with the black-and-tan color combination and leather seats to create a relaxing and upscale cabin. Although the plastic panels are as hard as a rock, this cabin easily puts the Fortuner's decidedly chintzy living space to shame. Ford certainly one-ups the Toyota with its overhead rear aircon vents (in the Fortuner, the rear vents are stuffed into the right wall of the third row seat) .

It's not a total knockout as the Fortuner retains its lead in second and third row seat comfort, where Ford has unfortunately not made any improvements at all, particularly for the third row. Still no headrests. Still the same knees-to-chin sitting position. Still the same clumsy one-piece thing that folds forward against the second row - this is a more inconvenient setup as it's more difficult to recline the middle row seatbacks, and there's less flexibility in carrying a combination of cargo and people. But between the Fortuner and the Everest, personally, I'll take the Everest's better-styled and higher-quality interior, thank you very much.

Outside, the Everest now carries the Ranger's new look, and it's a clean - if somewhat bland - design. There's a pleasing simplicity to the sheetmetal, but the Ford designers completely forgot about the rear end. It looks exactly as the old one. It's not bad, but the flamboyant Fortuner has raised the bar for style in this market segment and remains the benchmark. On the other hand, with so many Fortuners on the road, it's stylishness has arguably become ho-hum.

The old Everest felt something like a farm tractor. It had: a) acceleration not too different from the rate of growth of the hair on your head; b) numb steering that was as loose as a rubber band; and c) a vibrator hidden somewhere underneath the plastic that shook the shifter and transfer case lever. Of course, I exaggerate. But the new one has a 3.0-liter turbodiesel with a stocky 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque, which takes care of a). By the way, that torque rating is double what a 2.0-liter Honda CR-V can make.

The steering has been improved although it is still somewhat numb. It's also highly prone to kickback whenever a front wheel hits a mound of earth, as often happened in the off-road track Ford prepared. Recirculating-ball steering, see. Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel at all times. Thumbs out, mind you, lest you break them when the wheel decides to spin itself.

As for the vibrator, it's gone now. Gone too is the transfer case lever, now replaced by a console-mounted switch. Purist off-roaders are still crying - I would have preferred that Ford modernize the archaic twist-and-pull parking brake rather than the transfer case actuator. But on the whole, the Everest is now as refined as a geisha.

The off-roaders won't cry about the off-roadability of the Everest however. Ford didn't fix what was never broken, and so the same dual-range part-time 4WD soldiers on. As does the ladder frame, the long-stroke independent front suspension and the old-school rear live axle that lets the Everest contort its wheels over roller-coaster terrain. The Fortuner has a more sophisticated full-time 4WD system with a Torsen center diff, but off-road and locked in 4-Low where these two systems are equal, the Everest will go further on its limited-slip rear diff and more generous low-end torque, as well as the option of a manual transmission for those who prefer their steak rare. Throttle tip-in is well-suited for slow off-roading, although the brake pedal has a slight dead zone at the top of its travel. The Bridgestone Dueler H/T tires also seem to lose grip rather easily. As for the ride quality off-road, I thought it was perfectly acceptable for what is a truck designed to be bashed in the boonies. It will never be as creamy as the Escape or the Explorer I sampled afterward, but come on, those two boulevardiers will never go as far up the mountain as the Everest will.

So the Everest is much improved. A gargantuan improvement under the engine bay. Hugely better interior. An appreciable increment of style. Modern features like side airbags are available. Is it better than the Fortuner? Until Toyota spruces up the quality of the interior and fixes the back-breaking ride, my first impression is yes, even if the top-line Everest is now at P1.58 million.

[mbt]

Bukas na yung sa Escape and Explorer. Stay tuuuuuuned!!

[mbt]

[mbt]

[mbt]

[mbt]

[Rav_5]

Nice review!

[nxn]

Bukas na yung sa Escape and Explorer. Stay tuuuuuuned!!

sir mbt, still waiting for the review.


worth it ba bumili ng explorer? hindi kaya pag sisihan sa huli? Im looking for a "REAL" 7 seater SUV. Spacious and comfort for the third row seat not only for the young one but for the adult too.

[nxn]

Bukas na yung sa Escape and Explorer. Stay tuuuuuuned!!

sir mbt, still waiting for the review.


worth it ba bumili ng explorer? hindi kaya pag sisihan sa huli? Im looking for a "REAL" 7 seater SUV. Spacious and comfort for the third row seat not only for the young one but for the adult too.

[niky]

I talked to mbt about that... he's kinda busy. You'll just have to settle for a short take from me...

Ford Explorer

The new Explorer isn't that much different from the old one, and the lack of a 4x4 Eddie Bauer trim is a shame. Still, it still drives nicely, though the electronic throttle takes some edge off the acceleration, but it's smooth. Body control is decent for a truck this heavy, despite the body roll. The steering itself is okay, but the brakes are spongy and feel ill-suited for hard driving. They'll actually stop you, though, if you lean on them hard enough.

Which is a shame, as the Explorer looks like a brute, and it looks and feels like a military vehicle, with its high hips, power-bulge hood and low, squared-off windshield. This limits your view of stoplights overhead and children at your front bumper, but then, with a car this size, you should be extra careful, anyway.

The interior is an interesting mix of materials that are alternately too hard and too soft. Some don't feel like they'll wear well. But the seats are unobjectionable, and seating comfort in all three rows is very good. It's not quite Expedition-level spacious, but it's definitely better than cheaper SUVs.

In cruising, the Explorer's wafty ride and good noise suppression make for a relaxing ride (in the boat-like, American Sense). The test-drive was too short to ascertain whether the electronic throttle actually helps with fuel economy, but you don't necessarily buy an Explorer to save gas.

Overall, though, my initial impressions of the new Explorer are mixed. Having experience of the old Eddie Bauer version doesn't help, as while the Eddie Bauer 4x4 felt like a top-notch SUV, this current base model (no new Eddie Bauers yet) is kind of underwhelming. Still, you can't get very much bigger for the price. As a passenger conveyance, the ride and seating are unobjectionable, a trait that big Fords have always had. Just mind the gas bills.

[nxn]

I talked to mbt about that... he's kinda busy. You'll just have to settle for a short take from me...

Ford Explorer

The new Explorer isn't that much different from the old one, and the lack of a 4x4 Eddie Bauer trim is a shame. Still, it still drives nicely, though the electronic throttle takes some edge off the acceleration, but it's smooth. Body control is decent for a truck this heavy, despite the body roll. The steering itself is okay, but the brakes are spongy and feel ill-suited for hard driving. They'll actually stop you, though, if you lean on them hard enough.

Which is a shame, as the Explorer looks like a brute, and it looks and feels like a military vehicle, with its high hips, power-bulge hood and low, squared-off windshield. This limits your view of stoplights overhead and children at your front bumper, but then, with a car this size, you should be extra careful, anyway.

The interior is an interesting mix of materials that are alternately too hard and too soft. Some don't feel like they'll wear well. But the seats are unobjectionable, and seating comfort in all three rows is very good. It's not quite Expedition-level spacious, but it's definitely better than cheaper SUVs.

In cruising, the Explorer's wafty ride and good noise suppression make for a relaxing ride (in the boat-like, American Sense). The test-drive was too short to ascertain whether the electronic throttle actually helps with fuel economy, but you don't necessarily buy an Explorer to save gas.

Overall, though, my initial impressions of the new Explorer are mixed. Having experience of the old Eddie Bauer version doesn't help, as while the Eddie Bauer 4x4 felt like a top-notch SUV, this current base model (no new Eddie Bauers yet) is kind of underwhelming. Still, you can't get very much bigger for the price. As a passenger conveyance, the ride and seating are unobjectionable, a trait that big Fords have always had. Just mind the gas bills.

Thank u bro., Regarding side mirrors, ok ba yun visibility ng side mirror? feel ko kasi maliit yung side mirror with that size of car.

[niky]

Truthfully, I didn't drive out in traffic long enough to tell, but rear-visibility overall is kind of poor, anyway.

[meldy12]

good day. this is my first time to post. anyway, i did a test drive last sunday on everest and explorer. everest performance has jump off to a better one. the 4 x4 got the power. im on the process of choosing between fortuner and everest. does anyone have a suggestion. did toyota able to address its problem with its transmission d4d?. are they coming out with upgraded version of fortuner? its been two years when the first unit rolled out here in the philippines. tnx

[Eismann]

If its 4X4 diesel you want get the Everest, if you prefer gas...Fortuner is a good choice so far at this price range. IMO.

[Zeus]

Tested the 2.3liter Escape 4x4 last Saturday, the ride and the power is still the same as the previous one... smooth and responsive engine, and I like its new sporty dash design

Everest 3liter 4x4 tested it on Sunday, I'm surprised at the power of its diesel engine and its suspension at the off-road track

Explorer the best of all the test vehicles I've tested super power, very comfortable ride... except the price

Ot: Nice meeting you Gearspeed & friend, Mugen & wife, and ILD

[niky]

good day. this is my first time to post. anyway, i did a test drive last sunday on everest and explorer. everest performance has jump off to a better one. the 4 x4 got the power. im on the process of choosing between fortuner and everest. does anyone have a suggestion. did toyota able to address its problem with its transmission d4d?. are they coming out with upgraded version of fortuner? its been two years when the first unit rolled out here in the philippines. tnx

Personally, D4D or not... until they fix the suspension tuning, I prefer the Everest. But only just. If Toyota finally addresses the ride with firmer shock tuning and softer springing (or, hopefully, thinner anti-roll bars instead), then I might consider the 4x4 Fortuner superior, despite the power deficit.

But 2.5 versus 2.5? No contest... Everest all the way, baby.

[emn313b]

for those who have test drove the everest, is the ride better than the fortuner?

[carlocaraddict]

for those who have test drove the everest, is the ride better than the fortuner?

for me, its better than the fortuner.

[niky]

The Everest rides better than the Fortuner, but it's not as cushioning as the Strada. There's a harder edge to the ride than in the Mitsubishi, but, again, it's not jittery like the Fortuner, which can ride like a skateboard over the wrong surfaces.

It's okay with me, and comparable to some of thes stiffer coil spring sedans, like the Lynx. Some people still don't like it, but most diesel SUV drivers won't mind.

In terms of ride comfort amongst diesel full frame SUVs:

1. Pajero - pa rin.
2. Everest - getting very close, but still a little stiff.
3. Alterra - bouncy over bumps... typically loose rear shocks.*
3. Fortuner - very stable, but skates over bumps.*

*Which of the two is better depends on which you prefer. I actually like the suspension set-up of the Fortuner from a driving point of view (even compared to the Everest), but it's really not very comfortable for rear-seat passengers.

[BATMANX]

Nice!

Thanks for the review, too bad no everest has been seen here in the ME. .

I am very interested, might drop by ford to look at their new vehicles. . thanks to my trustee Ranger Trekker. . I love how they combine power and comfort ..