Powered by
- Car Reviews
-
Car News
Latest news
-
Car Comparisons
Latest comparisons
- Chasing Deals
Latest news
Latest comparisons
The first-ever Wildtrak variant of Ford’s all-terrain Everest SUV brings a whole lot of goodies, if with one piece of bad news
Sold out. Sorry to kick this review off with a downer but I should rip the Band-Aid off lest you, dear readers, feel strung along before the big, bad news drops in the verdict below.
Let’s not even sugar coat this. Ford tells Chasing Cars that all 800 examples – announced earlier this year as a special edition, built in 2023, plated as MY24 – have been sold or otherwise “allocated” well before the Everest Wildtrak’s local launch, documented right here.
Further, Ford says: “There are no current plans for more, though Everest Wildtrak could return to some point in the future.”
So, you may ask, why are we here reviewing a car you can’t buy? Well, to test proof of concept. And if it’s any good, some slight encouragement Ford’s way to pull out the proverbial and build more.
That’s the problem for Ford. It’s now been exhaustively documented that the blue oval’s local arm can’t get enough of the Ranger/Everest’s more sought-after 3.0L V6 turbo-diesels. It’s a key contributor to why the Ranger Wildtrak X I reviewed a couple of months back was created…as a 2.0-litre bi-turbo-only offering.
Really, taking Ranger-twinned ladder-frame all-terrain Everest and applying Ranger’s popular Wildtrak makeover is such a no-brainer you wonder why it’s taken until now to debut. But to nail the landing on the first attempt, it’s not surprising Ford opted on the 3.0 six, slim supply surety be damned.
On that, would anyone safely bet against a bi-turbo four-powered Everest Wildtrak X lurking somewhere in the wings (of Broadmeadows HQ)…?
At (or at least was) $73,090 before on-roads, the Wildtrak sits as the missing link between the $2500-thriftier Sport ($70,590) and the $5500-pricier Platinum, both offering the same V6 4×4 powertrain and both subject to wait times. Though, clearly, the Wildtrak is fancier than Sport and, unlike the thoroughly road-going Platinum formula, an all-terrain pitch.
By comparison, the Ranger Wildtrak is just $700 cheaper at $72,390. And you don’t have to squint hard to see that the Everest makeover doesn’t fall far from pick-up twin’s tree, from appearance right through to detailed specifications.
Standard equipment for the Everest Wildtrak includes:
Ford offers an 18-inch alloy wheel and all-terrain tyre package as a no-cost replacement for the standard-fit 20-inch alloys with all-weather tyres. Premium paint, including the Wildtrak exclusive Luxe Yellow (gold) paintwork of our test car, costs $700 extra.
A factory towing package with blind spot monitoring trailer coverage, rated at 3500kg braked, is also available for $1700.
Clearly, a primary drawcard is Wildtrak all-terrain savviness with a sporting twist minted in the Everest wagon package that has, in other variant trims, tended to offer a nicer, comfier and more family friendly experience than you’ll find Ranger.
Key technical difference? The Everest is considerably shorter than Ranger, at 2900mm some 320mm – over an imperial foot – less in wheelbase than the pickup (3220mm). Then there’s overall length, the wagon (4910mm) a full 456mm – nearly half a metre – shorter than the ute whopper (5370mm).
And yet, with more metal, glasshouse and the added interior fit-out, the Everest is, at 2488kg, a significant 104kg more in kerb weight in like for like V6 Wildtrak guise. On weight, the Everest has a lower GVM (3150kg) than the Ranger (3350kg), and the five-door’s payload is rated at a lower 662kg against the dual-cab’s 966kg.
In short, the Everest can’t lug around quite as much as a Ranger in similar Wildtrak guises – though both tow 3500kg braked – but centric to the differences is that SUV fits a coil-sprung rear end rather than the leaf-sprung design of the commercial model. You’re essentially trading workhorse chops for comfort.
The ute (234mm) also gets slightly more ground clearance than the wagon (226mm) – an area that did hamper the MY24 Everest Sport on test in our recent Off-Roader Of The Year shootout.
Does much of this conspire to a different driving experience? It sure does.
Fortuitously, during our pre-launch Everest Wildtrak loan Chasing Cars also had access to the recently launched Ranger Wildtrak X.
It’s not a strict like for like comparison – the Wildtrak X is, as mentioned, a biturbo 2.0L, and packs more equipment than the regular Wildtrak – but it’s certainly a solid snapshot of the differences between the T6.2-underpinned Ford twins. And a handy A-B of Ford’s two staple all-terrain powertrains as well.
It’s easy to see why the 184kW and 600Nm 3.0 V6 oiler is a more popular choice to the staple 154kW (albeit 150kW in Wildtrak X tune) and 500Nm bi-turbo diesel four. The power bump is nice, but it’s the added torque and its broader swing that add the extra herbs and spice that doesn’t go unnoticed.
The six-pot advantage isn’t so much in thrust but in the undertow of shove. Now, Ford’s bi-turbo is an otherwise fine unit, but the more effortless nature of the V6 certainly pays dividends in smoother and more refined progress.
And I’d wager this would equally be the case when you’re approaching GVM thresholds, particularly if you’re towing something large on the hitch.
The larger wave of V6 torque also means the 10-speed automatic – as fitted to both powertrains – is happier to hold ratios and is less frenetic when swapping between them. This builds on the already impressive tuned-in refinement, the V6 humming along politely and quietly with noticeably less diesel rattle than the four-pot, particularly under load.
Still, the Everest Wildtrak isn’t exactly a rocketship. At our Chasing Cars test track, the best performance we could muster for the 0-100km/h sprint was 8.48sec. That said, it’s measurably swifter than the Wildtrak X ute’s leisurely 9.7sec best.
The markedly difference in chassis and rolling stock contributed greatly to the Everest Wildtrak’s comfier and more engaging on-road manner.
The broad 20-inch road rubber is vastly grippier and more surefoot than the 17-inch mud-kickers fitted to our test Ranger, yielding sharper steering and more mid-corner composure. The wagon feels safer.
Unsurprisingly, the ride quality of the Everest Wildtrak is considerably nicer and more compliant than that of the Ranger Wildtrak X, even despite the monstrous and cushioning sidewalls of the ute’s all-terrain rubber.
The ute is constantly fizzy with vertical movement and more fatiguing to spend time in…which is saying something given Ranger is certainly one of the better riding offerings in the dual-cab segment.
Is there an area where the Ranger rises above the Everest on road? Unless you’re lugging (almost) a tonne of payload over the rear axle, no there isn’t…bar one.
Under full-ABS emergency braking, our best for Wildtrak X is a fairly tardy 41.99m. And we have bettered that with a 41.45m stop for MY23 Ranger Wildtrak.
Despite the much broader on-road rubber, the (heavier) Everest Wildtrak managed a best 100-0m distance of an ordinary 42.78m. That’s one-up and otherwise unladen, not with all seven seats filled with family and loved ones…
As par for the course, the Everest Wildtrak gets a locking rear differential and a whole slew of selectable drive modes covering eco, normal, tow/haul, slippery, mud/ruts and sand calibration settings for the powertrain and assistance systems.
But perhaps the real boon for those spending most time on Tarmac is the choice of set-and-forget full-time four-wheel-drive if you want it for all conditions, or two-wheel drive if you want to save a little fuel on the highway.
While the Wildtrak X also fits a similar semi-permanent system – great for wet or snow – most other bi-turbo 2.0L-equipped Fords are 4×2 only when used on the sealed stuff.
Much like the exterior aesthetic, Ford seemingly focused on porting the Ranger Wildtrak look and vibe in Everest as faithfully as possible. The result is Wildtrak’s signature orange stitching, branding and highlights in an otherwise sea of very dark grey that’s both fetching and very predictable.
The seats are form fitting yet relaxed, a high watermark against most midsize all-terrain wagon rivals, and trimmed in part-leather/part-vinyl that’s perhaps more hardy than sumptuous.
There are no issues with comfort up front – 10-way driver and eight-way passenger electric adjustment is a real strength here – and the Everest cabin makes for a fine touring venue in which to spend the long hours. Some of that has to do with the current-generation ergonomics: clear, logical, easy to navigate and to change settings on the fly.
The mid-grade 8.0-inch driver’s screen is decent if not rave-worthy, and smaller than the wide-format 12.4-incher in higher-grade Platinums. But simplicity makes for good functionality and it’s easy on the eyes.
The large, portrait-oriented 12.0-inch media touchscreen in the centre of the dash is the jewel of the cabin, and cause for a left-field observation.
Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok utes are largely twins and that latter generally gets reviewed as having a nicer cabin. But VW doesn’t currently do an Everest rival, as the Touareg is an entirely different vehicle of unibody construction.
But when you get down to the usability details there are some areas where Ford does it better than Volkswagen.
I happened to have spent time in high-grade Amarok Aventura just prior to my Everest Wildtrak loan. And I’d rue VW’s silly burning of HVAC adjustment in the digital display and lack of any logical method to disable the annoying stop-start function.
Ford’s take? Dual physical dial adjustment for temperature settings – or in screen, your choice – that’s far easier and less distracting to use. And a stop-start button on the centre console for one-touch deactivation. Seemingly little things, these, but these tweaks make day to day usability vastly simpler in a Ford.
You get proprietary sat-nav, which is nigh on essential for all-terrain vehicles that venture to areas beyond phone reception, of which Australia still has many. Further, the inclusion of a full-size spare wheel and a tyre pressure monitor system in Everest are, again, thoughtful essentials for a vehicle pitching genuine go-anywhere adventure.
It’s a useful, friendly space in the first row, with convenient storage, a choice of USB-A and -C outlets, a reasonably sized inductive charging pad, and a handy pop-out cup-holder in the dash fascia right by the steering wheel. All good stuff.
What robs the experience a little is excess of hard, shiny plastics that are forgivable in commercial-based Ranger but a little low-rent in a cabin clearly more SUV-like a family focused, even for an all-terrain machine.
Row two is, for passenger comfort and convenience, where I fully expect the Everest would have it all over a dual-cab Ranger. And while it is superior, it’s actually not by leaps and bounds.
By contrast to our sample Wildtrak X ute, the rear seating is a bit more comfortable, with a more relaxed, less-upright seat back with tilt adjustment. And the rear bench can also be slid fore and aft to tune up legroom in the third row.
Worth noting, too, is that Everest Wildtrak continues the nicer material quality and execution of row one through to row, while the ute equivalent goes downmarket for the rear passengers.
The Ranger is less comfy but almost as roomy thanks, in part, to the extra foot of wheelbase. It makes you wonder how palatial in cabin length and space an Everest might be had it been built off the Ranger’s longer platform. It’d certainly provide for a more spacious third row than what the Everest currently offers…
Row three is tight. It’s not the worst three-row wagon for knee room the market, but this format is not seven-adult friendly. With all seats in play, boot space is 259L – good enough for school bags and groceries – but converted to the five-seater liberates 898L. A fulsome 1818L is available converted to a two-seater.
What you lose in payload opting for Everest over Ranger, you gain in storage that’s secure, climate controlled, dust proof and, if you like, converts to surrogate sleeping quarters if you don’t feel like pitching a tent in a storm.
Again, a full-size spare alloy wheel is an excellent inclusion.
The Everest range was awarded five stars by ANCAP from an assessment conducted in 2022.
It scored 86 percent for adult occupant and 93 percent for child occupant protection, with 74 percent for vulnerable road user protection and 86 percent for safety assist.
Ford’s seven-seat wagon features nine airbags, including head and chest side coverage across all three seating rows, as well as front, knee and centre airbags for the first-row occupants.
Safety features include:
Against the claimed fuel consumption figure of 8.5L/100km, our test car returned as low as sevens on the highway and into double figures around town. It fits an 80-litre tank, which boosts its long-distance touring potential between diesel stops.
The Everest Wildtrak comes with Ford’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Ford offers a prepaid servicing plan for $1385 that covers the first four years and 60,000km. The fifth visit adds $360, making for a total of $1745 for five years of basic servicing.
Big enough demand to sell out of all 800 examples strongly suggests two key things. The first is that Ford’s onto something good in concept, and it proves to largely deliver where it matters in the Chasing Cars assessment.
The second is that Ford needs to get on top of supply issues related to its popular 3.0L V6 in order to fully capitalise on the demand it’s created. And to its credit, Ford is trying.
Of course, with Everest Wildtrak a sellout it’s all too simple to suggest dropping down a notch to the Sport 3.0L 4×4 variant. But, again, there aren’t enough oiler sixes to go around so while it’s technically available, you’ll still be sitting on a long waiting list.
What’s enlightening is how Everest compares against its Ranger pickup twin in a forum where so many owners use them: on road and in the big smoke.
If you’ve got a family to move for much of the time and are after practical (and secure) space for payload and luggage, the Everest breed makes a better case. It’s also noticeably nicer, comfier and quieter on all occupants on road and easier to park in the urban confines thanks to its shorter nature.
And after sampling the 3.0L V6 and 2.0 bi-turbo diesel back to back, it’s easy to see why the former is the hotter ticket.
Off-road, this high-spec all-terrain Everest concept offers comparable capabilities to like-for-like-Ranger variants, and we do hope to try the 18-inch all-terrain wheel option on Everest Wildtrak…if Ford can find one lurking around the back of the Broadmeadows factory that hasn’t been spoken for as yet.
More crucially, here’s hoping the blue oval can source some oiler V6s more quickly so it can reboot this Everest Wildtrak sooner rather than later. There’s certainly a demand for it.
Key specs (as tested)
About Chasing cars
Chasing Cars reviews are 100% independent.
Because we are powered by Budget Direct Insurance, we don’t receive advertising or sales revenue from car manufacturers.
We’re truly independent – giving you Australia’s best car reviews.
The estimate provided does not take into account your personal circumstances but is intended to give a general indication of the cost of insurance, in order to obtain a complete quote, please visit www.budgetdirect.com.au. Estimate includes 15%^ online discount.
^Conditions Apply
Budget Direct Insurance arranged by Auto & General Services Pty Ltd ACN 003 617 909(AGS) AFSL 241 411, for and on behalf of the insurer, Auto & General Insurance Company Limited(ABN 42 111 586 353, AFSL 285 571).Because we don’t know your financial needs, we can’t advise you if this insurance will suit you. You should consider your needs and the Product Disclosure Statement before making a decision to buy insurance. Terms and conditions apply.
Indicative quote based on assumptions including postcode , 40 year old male with no offences, licence suspensions or claims in the last 5 years, a NCD Rating 1 and no younger drivers listed. White car, driven up to 10,000kms a year, unfinanced, with no modifications, factory options and/or non-standard accessories, private use only and garaged at night.
^Online Discounts Terms & Conditions
1. Discounts apply to the premium paid for a new Budget Direct Gold Comprehensive Car Insurance, Third Party Property Only or Third Party Property, Fire & Theft Insurance policy initiated online on or after 29 March 2017. Discounts do not apply to optional Roadside Assistance.
2. Discounts do not apply to any renewal offer of insurance.
3. Discounts only apply to the insurance portion of the premium. Discounts are applied before government charges, taxes, levies and fees, including instalment processing fees (as applicable). The full extent of discounts may therefore be impacted.
4. We reserve the right to change the offer without notice.
