Ford Everest Titanium 2020 Tow Test

The Ford Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo is a ute-based seven-seat SUV that shares its underpinnings with the T6 Ford Ranger dual-cab utility.

It’s the most expensive example of its kind on the Australian market, but one that offers the highest level of Australian engineering input in its segment and one that is suitably well-equipped from a price and packaging standpoint.

Thanks to a newly-adopted 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin turbocharged diesel engine, the Ford Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo now also boasts one of the most advanced engines available in its class.

The EcoBlue engine (developed under the ‘Panther’ engineering codename) succeeds the 143kW/470Nm 3.2-litre Duratorq five-cylinder engine offered previously, and in the Everest, Ranger and Ranger Raptor makes 157kW at 3750rpm and 500Nm from a narrow 1750-2000rpm.

Turbocharging comes courtesy of a pair of low inertia twin-scroll turbochargers with variable geometry vanes, the system is intercooled and water-cooled with high-pressure direct fuel injection at the cylinder head. Ford says the setup benefits the Everest with a 13 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency over the outgoing ‘I5’, the all-aluminium block also lighter and quieter.

It has, however, already been the victim of a company-wide stop sale which shakes our confidence somewhat…

The Ford Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo asks a premium of approximately $20,000 over its nearest rivals.

At $72,290 (plus on-road costs) it’s the dearest ute-based SUV in its class, and draws closer price parallels to the Land Rover Discovery and Toyota LandCruiser Prado ranges than it does ‘true’ competitors like the Holden Trailblazer, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuner, for example.

The Titanium grade Ford Everest sits atop the three-variant range, ahead of the Trend (from $56,190) and Ambiente (from $49,190). Unlike those variants, the Everest Titanium is not available with the choice of a rear-wheel drive only configuration or optional 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, now offering only a 2.0-litre four-cylinder bi-turbo-diesel and four-wheel drive.

Ford backs the Everest range with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a capped-price servicing program which extends to 12 years/180,000km (whichever comes first) and tallies $299 each for the first four years or 60,000km. Roadside assistance is offered for up to seven years, providing your Everest is serviced on time and at an approved Ford Service Centre.

With 3100kg of braked towing capacity the Everest Bi-Turbo is 100kg more than 3.2-litre powered models, but still falls 400kg short of its tray-backed sibling. That said, it’s one of the few seven-seat SUVs on the market with this level of combined of cargo and towing capacity, and managed the 2000kg dual-axle car carrier and track car hauled on this test with aplomb.

Towing from carsales’ Melbourne office to Bathurst NSW for the recent Challenge Bathurst event (and back) saw the Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo cover 1700km over five days. The run saw higher than average highway speeds of 110km/h maintained for much of the journey, the combination of dual-lane highway and country A and B roads providing ample chance to test the Everest’s towing stability and fuel economy.

Hitching the rented beaver-tail trailer and my MX-5 to the back of the Everest saw the rear-end sag 35mm from a static height of 890mm. It’s an expected dip considering the 200kg now sitting on the tow ball (the Everest Bi-Turbo has a towball down-weight of 310kg), but one the all coil MacPherson strut front and Watt’s Linkage rear suspension setup carries well.

On 20-inch alloy wheels the Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo rides cleanly at highway speeds and provides a level of poise we’d usually associate with a larger tow vehicle. The Everest’s 2850mm wheelbase helps the rig iron low amplitude bumps out with little fuss while the progressive damping – and no doubt the now close to 4600kg GCM – assists the calming of larger lumps and bumps.

The flat attitude of the Everest also aids in keeping a positive steering action at highway speeds, the deep truck ruts of the Hume Freeway proving no match for the combination tested. We ran factory recommended tyre pressures for the 1700km return journey and found the tracking very positive. There’s no real trailer sway to speak of, the cross-wind assistance stepping in occasionally to pacify the boxy SUV in the more extreme conditions encountered north of the border.

The Ford Everest range is fitted with four-wheel disc brakes (where the Ranger uses a disc/drum arrangement) which in sensible braking proved more than capable. Like many vehicles of its size, the Everest can be challenged by sudden stops, but fortunately the smooth-flowing interstate traffic gave us little need to take any such abrupt manoeuvres.

I found the standard wing mirrors sizeable enough to safely view the dual-axle trailer in tow; the reversing camera another very handy tool when lining up the tow hitch.

The old blue and red rivalry was put aside in developing the 10-speed automatic transmission for the Everest (and others). Ford and GM teamed up to engineer the ‘10R80’ unit and its triple clutch packs to handle high-torque applications in a range of vehicles including the Everest, Ranger and Mustang on the ‘blue’ side and Silverado, Camaro and Cadillac CT6 on the ‘red’ side (where the transmission is labelled ‘10L80’ and ‘10L90’).

With smaller ‘steps’ between each ratio and a wider spread of cogs the 10-speed unit aims to reduce engine speeds at highway speeds, which in the case of the Bi-Turbo powered Everest means that narrow torque band mentioned earlier is used to full effect.

In the Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo we find an overdriven eighth, ninth and tenth gear ratio that keeps engine speeds at around 1650rpm at 100km/h. This rises to only 1750rpm at 110km/h, the easy, almost seamless, fluctuation between ninth and tenth gear at the speeds mentioned resulting in a cruising average of 12.8L/100km.

That number is, expectedly, a shade more than the 7.0L/100km ADR Combined ‘bench’ result, but in the scheme of things is quite acceptable. The road to Bathurst is at times quite undulating and the road speeds carried higher than otherwise recommended for economical driving.

Still, it means in ‘as tested’ configuration the Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo should achieve a range of 625km from its 80-litre tank, which bodes well for those towing larger caravans and double-bay horse floats, et al.

One of the biggest benefits of the Ford Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo is the breadth of its appeal. This is a vehicle that’s designed to meet a variety of uses which arguably makes it the perfect fit for family buyers, recreational four-wheel drivers, those requiring a tow vehicle, or a mix of thereof.

We’ve already outlined the capabilities of the Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo as a tow vehicle and in stand-alone reviews, and discussed in depth the competencies of its SYNC 3 infotainment array. But what isn’t usually expressed on these pages is just how comfortable the Everest is at dealing with the varied road surfaces experienced in the land Down Under.

In my many and varied stints at the wheel of the Ford Everest – including a heavily-laden two-day trek from Arkaroola (SA) to Melbourne (VIC) – I’ve come to appreciate the level of confidence and sure-footedness the vehicle offers. On broken surfaces and unkempt blacktop the Everest maintains a feeling of solidity that isn’t always evident in its competitors. It was a feeling again demonstrated in this test, albeit on decent roads with a tandem trailer in tow.

As mentioned earlier in this review, the Titanium grade sits at the pointy end of the Everest range locally. It’s the ‘full fruit’ variant of Ford’s flagship seven-seat SUV and includes a long list of mod cons buyers expect from a vehicle costing north of $70k.

Five and seven-seat and rear and four-wheel drive versions of the Everest are available across three variants (Ambiente, Trend and Titanium). All are fitted with an automatic transmission.

In the case of the Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo tested here, we find standard equipment that includes Ford’s Terrain Management Control torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system, electric assisted steering, keyless entry and start, active noise cancellation, hill control and a panoramic sunroof.

On the safety front, and on top of the mandated electronic chassis controls fitted to passenger vehicles, the Everest Titanium 4WD includes seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, auto headlights and wipers and active park assist.

Front and rear parking sensors are fitted as standard, as is a wide-angle reversing camera with guidance.

Four-wheel drive ability sees the Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo offer up to 800mm wading depth, 227mm ground clearance, and off-road geometry of 29.5, 21.5 and 25.0 degrees for approach, break-over and departure angle respectively. The turning circle is listed at 11.7m.

Cargo space ranges from 450 through 1050 to 2010 litres depending on seat configuration (and up to 654kg payload, bearing in mind you’ll need to subtract 310kg if towing) via 50:50 split third-row and 60:40 split second-row seats. The Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo is fitted with a powered tailgate and carries a matching alloy spare wheel – or 12 spare wheels lashed in the back if you’re headed to the race track.

Although it has been updated along the way (including a facelift in 2018), the Ford Everest is essentially the same vehicle that has been on sale since 2015. In some ways it feels its age, yet in others, it’s still very competitive within the ‘current’ crop of contemporaries.

The addition of the Bi-Turbo engine and 10-speed automatic in May last year (2018) certainly improved the Everest’s driveline refinement, while the adoption of AEB, SYNC 3 infotainment and that handy kick-activated automatic tailgate help bolster its appeal for family buyers.

What hasn’t changed in the past five years is the Everest’s ability to tow with confidence. It’s a calm and confident seven-seat SUV that has a surprisingly strong and efficient driveline. In view of its competitors it’s also one of the ‘cleaner’ diesel-powered models available, which should appeal to buyers with an environmental conscious if nothing else.

As far as body-on-frame SUVs go the Everest is also one of the more comfortable-riding examples of its kind, which in my view extends its appeal as an ‘all-rounder’. With many buyers now shopping for a vehicle that can do it all at the drop of a hat, the Everest Titanium 4WD Bi-Turbo is certainly an SUV that should be on the shopping list – assuming, of course, the budget allows.

Price: $72,290 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 157kW/500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined); 12.8L/100km (as tested, see text)
CO2: 184g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2015)