Ford Everest V6 2022 Tow Test

How much does the Ford Everest Platinum cost?

The 2022 Ford Everest Platinum, offered only with the V6 turbo-diesel, 10-speed automatic and on-demand 4WD powertrain, is priced at $77,690 plus on-road costs.

It’s the flagship model of the new-generation, Australian-developed Ford Everest range, sitting $8600 upstream of the Everest Sport, which also uses the same powertrain.

At launch, there are six model variants in the Everest line-up, spanning the new 3.0-litre V6 and carryover 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engines, 4x2 and 4x4 drivelines, five-seat and seven-seat cabin layouts and four trim levels; as well as Platinum and Sport, there’s the entry Ambiente and mid-series Trend.

Metallic paint is a $700 option, while the additional-cost towing pack with tow bar, wiring and electric brake controller is $1700 (fitted).

That takes the Everest Platinum we’re testing above the $80K mark, settling at $80,090 plus ORCs.

What equipment comes with the Ford Everest Platinum?

The 2022 Ford Everest Platinum is fully loaded with gear including keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, power-folding side mirrors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, an electric park brake and full LED exterior lighting.

There’s also rear privacy glass, a hands-free power tailgate, puddle lamps, a leather-clad and heated steering wheel and quilted leather seats with 10-way power adjustment and position memory for the driver and eight-way adjustment for the front passenger.

The Platinum also features zone and ambient lighting, a 360-degree camera and active (hands and feet off) park assist.

Then there’s the power-operated panoramic glass roof with retractable sun blind, electric-folding third row, heated first- and second-row seats, and a 12-speaker premium B&O sound system.

The Everest has a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and the first four services are $329 each, with intervals of 12 months or 15,000km.

How safe is the Ford Everest Platinum?

There’s plenty of safety equipment in the 2022 Ford Everest Platinum, starting with nine airbags, including full-length side curtain and a front centre airbag.

There’s also autonomous emergency braking (AEB) for forward and reverse with vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian detection.

Blind spot monitoring includes trailer coverage – once you have manually set up the system to account for it.

Further to that there’s also lane keeping with road edge detection, pre-collision assist with intersection functionality, adaptive cruise control with lane centring and evasive steering assist.

All models get front and rear parking sensors and automatic headlights.

The second-row seats offer a child seat anchor point for each position while the two third-row seats also have a child seat anchor point each.

The Everest has also achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.

What technology does the Ford Everest Platinum feature?

The new 2022 Ford Everest has scored a big bunch of new tech, much of it already seen in the related Ford Ranger ute.

Examples include its large portrait-style 12.0-inch central infotainment touch-screen and 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging pad, digital radio, sat-nav, traffic updates, voice control and an embedded modem with FordPass app connectivity.

Then there’s 12V power outlets for all three rows – but USB-A and USB-C ports for front and second rows only – plus cup holders and air vents for all occupants. There’s even a second air-conditioning compressor towards the rear of the car to ensure cool air flow for all occupants.

Towing tech features that are new to the segment include a trailer light test – once you have the FordPass app registered, you can even do this via your phone – as well as blind spot monitoring that allows for the trailer size.

There’s also a guide to hitching-up sequence, showing what you should be doing when hitching a trailer, such as crossing over safety chains and so on.

On test, the rear-view and 360-degree cameras worked well in guiding us during the hitching-up process too.

What powers the Ford Everest Platinum?

The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 in the 2022 Ford Everest Platinum is a powerplant that has been around for a while in various forms, but has been given a significant overhaul for use in the new Ranger and Everest.

Producing 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque, the V6 is subtle and smooth but delivers a strong stream of torque when required, and teams well with the 10-speed automatic transmission.

How fuel efficient is the Ford Everest Platinum?

During tow testing of the new 2022 Ford Everest Platinum, we achieved a fuel figure of 17.7L/100km towing a caravan weighing 2800kg.

Unladen, the official combined-cycle figure is 8.5L/100km, although real-world testing of both the V6 and twin-turbo four-cylinder versions have placed the Everest at 9.5L/100km.

What is the Ford Everest Platinum like to drive?

We’ve already written extensively about the new 2022 Ford Everest in a variety of settings including its national launch, a pre-production drive, longer-term reviews and, most recently, as a finalist in carsales’ Car of the Year for 2022.

Beyond the smooth and powerful V6, the Everest’s excellent ride and handling combination, and high levels of refinement, place it at the top of its class, impressing both in on-road and off-road environments.

How does it go towing? Let’s find out…

How good is the Ford Everest Platinum towing?

At almost 2.5 tonnes, the 2022 Ford Everest Platinum has the highest kerb mass in the Everest range and the lowest payload (658kg).

And despite the healthy 6250kg GCM, if you’re towing at maximum capacity you’re only left with 258kg for occupants and cargo.

We collected a Hike caravan from the guys at Everything RV in Lansvale, NSW. The van weighed about 2800kg as towed, with a measured tow ball download mass (TBM) of 220kg.

The Everest rose just 15mm at the front and compressed 40mm on its rear axle with the caravan hitched up.

This is not excessive but one wonders if a trailer with closer to the 350kg TBM limit was hitched up, how much the Everest might want to drag its tail.

While we towed in the Everest’s Tow mode (which changes the transmission shift pattern, for example making it more keen to downshift on a descent to provide engine braking), it would default to Normal mode on ignition start, meaning you have to select it every time you start the Everest.

The same happened with the trailer brake gain – it would go back to zero gain and would require resetting on each start-up.

The Everest felt settled with the large full-size tandem-axle caravan behind it, with only a slight amount of yawing when buffeted by passing trucks but otherwise offering a very composed, compliant ride.

On some bumps the front-end did seem to wallow but settled reasonably quickly.

Performance was very good, the transmission soon easing into eighth gear at 100km/h on the freeway and eventually dropping into 10th gear when the terrain was completely level.

The Everest experienced a drop of just 5km/h from a 90km/h start speed on our steep test hill.

What is the Ford Everest like inside?

The 2022 Ford Everest Platinum is perhaps a touch plain on the inside for an expensive SUV, with arguably not enough bling for buyers spending more than $80,000.

Upper cabin materials look good and fit well, but look lower and the plastics would seem like they belong on, well, a ute.

The cargo area offers 1823 litres of volume with all back seats dropped, reducing to 259 litres with all seven seats up.

Should I buy a Ford Everest Platinum?

Following the lead of its Ranger ute sibling, the 2022 Ford Everest Platinum is yet another excellent tow vehicle from the Blue Oval brand.

In purely towing stability, ride, economy and performance terms, it outdoes the direct opposition, not only on paper but also in real-world testing.

With its luscious new V6 diesel engine, towing-friendly set-up guides and towing-specific safety measures, the new Ford Everest is just that more sophisticated in towing practicality as well as having a boost in performance and refinement.

If you’re planning to hitch up, the new Everest should definitely be on your shortlist.

2022 Ford Everest Platinum at a glance:
Price: $77,690 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 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)

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