Ford lifts the lid off Everest

Ford's Australian-developed Everest SUV has premiered at the Bangkok motor show as a production model.

Previously seen in concept form, the Everest has undergone relatively little change to reach production, as we speculated from local spy pics shot back in January.

Additional information we published at the time strongly suggested that the Everest would be available with the 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine currently available in the locally-built Falcon. That no longer looks to be the case, with Ford announcing just 2.2-litre four-cylinder and 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel offerings. The latter produces 147kW and 470Nm, while the four-cylinder engine develops 118kW and 385Nm.

The rest of the information appears to have been on the money, with the Everest shorter in length than the T6 Ranger on which it's based (another Ford Australia design project), but the SUV rides on coil springs located by a transverse Watts Link at the rear, rather than the Ranger's leaf springs.

Dual-range transfer with torque on demand is complemented by a wading depth of 800mm and ground clearance of 225mm, which Ford claims places the Everest ahead of its rivals in its class.

Major features of the Everest include four-mode Terrain Management System, voice-operable SYNC2 infotainment and a series of driver-assist/active safety systems: Curve Control, Blind Spot Information System  (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert, Roll Stability Control and Active Park Assist. For the sake of secondary (crash) safety, the Everest is fitted with seven airbags.

The Terrain Management System modulates throttle, transmission, final (four-wheel) drive system and traction control to limit slip in the following four situations: Normal, Snow/Gravel/Grass, Sand and Rock.

SYNC2 displays through an eight-inch colour touch screen and enables users to operate entertainment, climate control and connected mobile devices through that interface and voice control. The Everest's audio system pumps through 10 speakers, and unwanted noise is suppressed by the car's Active Noise Cancellation technology, comprising three microphones situated strategically throughout the cabin.

Everest is an important new product for Ford Australia, anticipated to retain some of the customers, who would have otherwise jumped ship with the demise of the locally-built Territory SUV. But the Everest is more off-road-ready than the Territory, yet offers levels of refinement unknown among its peers, Ford claims.

"The Ford Everest will help to expand our product footprint in the region with a tough and refined vehicle that enables drivers, their families, friends and colleagues to go anywhere comfortably – whether on urban roads or far off the beaten track," said Richard Tilley, vehicle line director, Ford Asia Pacific.

"From the very beginning we set aggressive targets, and with the Ford Everest we have truly raised the bar for this type of vehicle in design and capability, with advanced technologies for a smarter, safer and more capable vehicle.

"With its safe and smart features, a refined interior and outstanding on-road and off-road capabilities, the new Ford Everest sets a new standard in the medium SUV segment and represents a compelling addition to our global line-up of SUVs in ASEAN markets."

Ford will build the Everest at the AutoAlliance Thailand facility in Rayong. It's expected to go on sale Down Under in the third quarter of 2015, around the same time as the facelifted Ranger ute.