Ford Philippines recently gave us the chance to drive the new Ford Everest from coast to coast. This epic 600+ kilometer road trip saw us drive up and down mountains, over stretches of highway, and through provincial traffic. The Everest took it all in stride and then some. We were able to drive both variants of the Everest, the single turbo and the bi-turbo.
During our trip, we noted five things that we liked about the 2020 Ford Everest, especially on a long road trip.
The 230V plug
Up first is the 230V power socket. Having this feature made it easier for the passengers in the back to work while on the road. It did a more than decent job keeping laptops and other devices that needed a wall socket topped up on power. The Everest is one of the few vehicles you can buy that have a conventional power socket. Having the feature makes it easier for those who need it while on the go. It also removes the limitation of having to make do with just USB ports as options for charging.
The automatic rear tailgate
During our media drive, the automatic tailgate was a convenient feature to have, especially during times where we needed to load and unload our things from the vehicle. Having our hands free made it easier to carry heavy objects in and out of the car without the need to manually shut the tailgate closed.
The learning curve to operate the automatic tailgate may be a bit confusing at first but once you figure out where the sensors are and how it works, the operation becomes a breeze. You can either sweep your leg below the bumper or simply stick your foot out to activate the tailgate. Thanks to the Everest’s low loading height it made loading and unloading bags and gear very easy.
Engine and Transmission
Having ridden and driven both variants of the new Everest, power was never in short supply. Even the 4x2 single turbo variant felt nimble and overtaking provincial traffic was a breeze. The 4x4 variant, however, having slightly more weight and the always-on all-wheel-drive mode was a bit on the heavy side. It had its tendencies to understeer during tight cornering but it was manageable.
During highway cruising, the transmission would bounce between 10th and 9th gear keeping the engine revolutions low. At around 100 km/h, the engine would be at around the 1,500-1,600 RPM mark, delivering around 16 km/L on the highway.
Adaptive Cruise control
On the highway stretches of the drive, having an adaptive cruise control came in handy. The Everest was able to maintain speed and a safe distance very easily. Pair this with the lane assist feature and the car pretty much could drive itself. These features, however, are only there to assist the driver on long-distance trips and should not be relied upon to drive the vehicle on its own. The driver should always be aware and in control of the vehicle even with these features present and active.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Old school ‘80s Japanese music all the way to the most recent hits, the Everest was able to play it all thanks to its Android Auto and Apple Carplay ready head unit. It was able to weather us through the boring stretches of highway that we faced during the drive as well as the provincial traffic. It also made answering calls and seeing notifications on phones a breeze, giving the driver more time to focus on the road rather than on a phone.
The Everest was able to live up to its tagline “Extraordinary happens offline” as we spent most of our time enjoying the vehicle and the scenery more than we did on our phones.
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