Ford Everest Sport V6 2023 Review

There are currently seven 2023 Ford Everest variants available, five of them featuring a carryover four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel.

Entry into the Everest stable starts at $53,490 plus on-road costs for the rear-wheel drive, five-seat Ambiente, fitted with the ‘Panther’ 2.0-litre biturbo four-cylinder diesel.

Here we have the entry V6 diesel model, the seven-seater Sport 4WD. It is now priced at $70,590 plus on-road costs – courtesy of a recent price hike – which marks a $7600 premium on the equivalent rear-driven Sport model fitted with the Bi-Turbo four-cylinder.

The entire Everest line-up was subject to model price increases for MY23 and then MY24, and the V6 Sport has incurred wait times of up to 12 months.

A Ford Everest Wildtrak V6 will also be available soon, but only as a limited-run model, slotting in between the Sport and Platinum at $73,090 plus ORCs.

All variants of the 2023 Ford Everest get C-shaped LED daytime running lights, LED headlights and tail-lights, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, selectable drive modes and a rear-view camera.

The Sport upgrades to leather-accented seats with ‘Sport’ embossing, plus a 10-way powered driver’s seat (eight-way for the front passenger). Both front seats have heating and cooling functions. Unique tones highlight the Sport interior.

Aesthetically, the Sport is distinguished by black alloy wheels, black door mirrors, glass surrounds, ‘Everest’ branding in black on the bonnet and a black grille.

The higher-specced Platinum version is fitted with quilted leather on its seats, and also offers powered third-row seats, steering wheel heating, a sunroof and heated second-row seats.

They’re all nice-to-haves, but we reckon the Sport is still the value sweet spot.

A $2300 Touring Pack is available on the 4WD Trend and 4WD Sport models and comprises black roof rails, a 360-degree camera, zone lighting and a tow bar with integrated brake controller.

You can switch from regular 20-inch wheels to 18-inch alloys shod with all-terrain tyres at no additional cost.

Seven colours are on offer and all except Arctic White add $700. The Blue Lightning scheme adorning our test vehicle is exclusive to Sport variants.

The Everest is backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty in Australia, as well as 12 months’ roadside assist (and a further 12-month extension each time you service through the Ford network).

As for servicing, Ford says the Everest will set owners back $1316 in servicing for the first four years or 60,000km via their national dealer network, based on 12-month/15,000km intervals.

It’s very safe, both in practice and according to ANCAP. The crash test authority awarded the Ford Everest range five stars in 2022.

All 2023 Ford Everest models come with nine airbags, reverse brake assist, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) both forward and reverse, post impact braking and a lane keeping system that detects unmarked road edges, keeping you on the safe and often narrow.

There is also lane departure warning, driver alert monitoring, parking sensors front and rear, cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and a reversing camera.

Completing the safety kit are automatic headlights with auto high beam, rain-sensing wipers, anti-lock brakes, rollover mitigation, stability and traction controls, hill start assist, pre-collision assist and post-collision steering and braking.

What’s more, the safety systems are thoughtfully calibrated, and for the most part do not detract from the driving experience. The blind spot monitoring system even adjusts to when a trailer is in tow.

The one exception to the rule is a lack of tyre pressure monitoring, which is limited to Ford’s Everest Platinum flagship.

That said, we love that you still have the ability to set the adaptive cruise control back to regular cruise control; a major bugbear for some who spend plenty of time on our highways.

The 2023 Ford Everest Sport V6 mirrors its donor car, the Ford Ranger, where technology is concerned – and that’s mostly a good thing.

Headlining the tech repertoire is a 12-inch centre touch-screen, oriented in a large portrait-style display and matched by a separate 8.0-inch digital display in the instrument cluster.

These two screens alone are enough to leave the Everest’s key rivals in the dust, such is their functionality, clarity and response to commands. That’s before you begin digging into the menus to find clever features like the swag of trailer functions including remote Trailer Light Check.

The Everest is indeed polished with its tech, but we did experience – not for the first time – one minor gremlin: on more than one occasion, the vehicle erroneously proclaimed “Fuel Stations Unreachable” and urged us to “find a station or risk running out of fuel”. First-world problem, but a seemingly easy fix, you would think.

Happily, the centre screen is accompanied by a panel of hard-wired buttons and switchgear, which places less reliance on touch-screen sub-menus (read: distraction) and makes the tech suite easier to operate on the move.

There’s also a 10-speaker stereo, digital radio, live traffic updates, embedded modem, wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and integration with the Blue Oval’s FordPass Connect App.

As the name suggests, the 2023 Ford Everest Sport V6 is powered by a diesel V6! Codenamed Lion, the engine is actually a vague relation to the 2.7-litre turbo-diesel V6 that once powered the mighty (and now defunct) Ford Territory.

In this heavily revised application, it measures 3.0 litres in displacement and outputs 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque, paired standard to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The V6 has a full-time four-wheel drive system with low-range transfer case, locking rear differential and off-road drive modes.

The 3.0-litre ‘Lion’ engine is rated to tow 3.5 tonnes braked, and Ford has thought ahead for travelling types by leaving vacant space under the bonnet for a secondary battery.

Additionally, there’s also the carryover 2.0-litre biturbo four-cylinder diesel available in more affordable Everest variants, including the Sport model grade. This is rear-wheel drive only.

Irrespective of engine, the Everest is based on an Aussie developed ladder-frame chassis and measures 4940mm long, 1923mm wide and 1841mm high.

Surprisingly so. In fact, we averaged 9.5L/100km in a 1750km test with the 2023 Ford Everest Sport V6, which included highway and rural driving, city driving, towing and some light off-roading.

That compares against an official combined-cycle claim of 8.5L/100km.

With an 80-litre fuel tank on board, that provides a theoretical driving range in excess of 800km.

It might feature rugged underpinnings, but we’d argue the 2023 Ford Everest encroaches on more car-like monocoque SUV territory (ala Kia Sorento) with its dynamics and smoothness on road.

Indeed, it sets a new benchmark for a ladder-frame SUV at this price point.

Nicely assisted steering, consistent brakes, strong sound damping and admirable levels of body control are the key low-speed hallmarks, features augmented by an open glasshouse and outward-facing cameras to provide easy spatial awareness and assurance.

The ladder-frame basis of the Everest isn’t infallible; there’s still more body roll and pitch than a more road-biased SUV, and the centre of gravity feels quite high when wrestling the vehicle through bends. But given its dual-purpose role as a tow vehicle and off-roader, they are small compromises to make.

The V6 diesel is central to the Everest’s appeal, offering creamy and accessible torque (the peak figure of which materialises from 1750rpm) for around-town conveyance, plus ample mid-range grunt to make light work of overtaking lanes and ascents.

The engine mates harmoniously with the 10-speed automatic transmission, with no unwanted shifting or indecisiveness when you plant your foot. And when you do, the 3.0-litre spins surprisingly freely for a diesel engine, too: there is ample go-forward right into the middle reaches of the dial and inherent tractability courtesy of the full-time four-wheel drive system.

Even with a boot full of luggage and five people on board, the Everest executes body movements supremely and never feels overawed by its considerable circa-2500kg kerb mass.

About our most persistent driving gripe was the operation of the electric park brake; more than once, it wouldn’t come on as commanded at a standstill.

The 2023 Ford Everest Sport V6 feels well versed away from bitumen.

We already had good things to say about its wheel articulation, water fording ability (up to 800mm claimed), modulation of controls and electronics at the national Everest launch in 2022.

In this test, our off-roading comprised lots of high-speed driving on corrugated dirt roads, over potholes and through paddocks – during which time our test car breezed through.

The 2023 Ford Everest Sport V6 offers excellent control and poise where towing is concerned, too.

We pulled a dual-axle 2.7-tonne trailer on test during a trip from the Southern Highlands to Taralga in NSW. On heavily pockmarked and beaten roads, the Everest instils confidence with its stability and its constant go-forward under tow.

Use of the car’s Tow Mode facilitated more eager downshifts during descents, while it resisted buffeting from oncoming trucks and felt controlled with its suspension movements.

The 2023 Ford Everest Sport V6 marks a big uptick in cabin refinement over its predecessor. But there’s no hiding the ute-based origins of Ford’s ladder-frame SUV.

Look beyond the brace of screens and bristling dashboard presentation and there’s a good amount of real estate occupied by cheaper plastics and underlined by thin carpet and seats that feel a little underdone on comfort and support – especially up front.

This ordinarily wouldn’t be a problem for an off-road SUV, or indeed a ute, but it’s important to remember when the sticker price exceeds $70K…

While we’re at it, the bonnet latch itself is even adorned by a ute silhouette (we couldn’t work out if this was deliberate or not).

With that said, the Everest Sport’s extendable sun visors for the driver and passenger are nice touches for longer journeys, while front occupants will also appreciate the arsenal of storage, including a flip-up upper glove box and fold-out cup holders in front of the outboard air vents.

Like the Ranger, the design of the Everest feels well considered, with tangible ergonomic opportunities clearly seized on during development, including the integration of the vehicle’s door releases into the handles on the door card.

Space is another strong suit, with ample room in the first row and in the second rows (which match one another with fitment of USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as face-level air vents) and easy ingress and egress alike.

There are three ISOFIX attachment points across the second-row seats, as well as three top-tether attachments. Roof-mounted air vents ensure ample air circulation on warmer days, too.

The third row adds another two top-tether attachments, but no ISOFIX. It too offers a surprising amount of space, though is best suited to use as an occasional seven-seater, not a full-time one.

The area is serviced by separate cup holders, two additional 12-volt outlets and, once again, roof-mounted air vents. What’s more, access to the third row is relatively straight-forward, with the second-row seatback tilting and sliding forward in one smooth motion (albeit without a tumble feature).

Happily, all Everest models feature a full-size spare wheel. Behind the third row, there’s 259 litres of cargo space, expanding to 898L with it folded and to 1823L with the second row folded.

In short, there’s ample space for a family’s luggage, a designer pram or a set of golf clubs (or three).

The new Toyota Prado coming next year would want to be good, because in our minds the Ford Everest has risen to the top of the off-road SUV class.

Moreover, the Ford Everest Sport V6 is arguably the pick of the litter, offering all the expected tech and refinement at this end of the market, with no impact on capability and performance.

Short of the LandCruiser 300 Series, the Everest Sport V6 is probably the most rounded and capable off-road SUV available for less than $100,000.

2023 Ford Everest Sport V6 at a glance:
Price: $70,590 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
Output: 184kW/600Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 224g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)