Large and in-charge Ford Everest Sport a great all-rounder
· Citizen
“It’s big. And, it’s blue.”
Those were the first words my teenage son said to me when I arrived home in the Ford Everest 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel Sport.
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He quickly added, “But it’s nice.”
Yes, it is very nice.
Of course, any premium SUV is going to be big. This one, however, seems quite a bit bigger than other SUVs I’ve had the privilege of driving.
And the blue … well, the hue’s officially dubbed Lightning Blue and that’s by choice. It comes in other colours, too, but the blue really does stand out. It’s eye catching. As big SUVs are. They’re like sports cars … who wants a plain white or silver one?
Colourful portfolio
Ford have always been fairly innovative with their colouring. I also like the colouring of the 2026 Ranger Wildtrak, which is called Ignite Orange, the latest orange in the range, following on from Chilli Orange which morphed into the brighter Sabre Orange and then the vibrant Luxe Yellow.
But enough on the colour. Let’s get to the actual car itself. The Everest Sport in 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel guise was only recently introduced, replacing the 2.0-litre bi-turbo that was also discontinued on the Ford Ranger.
The V6 Sport is a beast of a machine. And there are many things to like about it. It offers a really smooth ride, it’s not noisy and it’s got plenty of power.
I was fortunate enough to have it for a week, which included a whole lot of suburban driving, but also an open road trip from Joburg to Bloemfontein and back.
Ford Everest offers acres of space
Of course, as is the case with all the big modern-day SUVs, it’s got space. It officially seats seven, with a third row easily able to fit in some young kids. With that third row folded down there’s boot space of 900 litres. Fold down the second row and that balloons significantly.
There are charging ports all over the car and air vents throughout. There are also several storage spaces and compartments and the infotainment system is of course top-notch.
My favourite thing about the big SUV is the height … you really get a great view from the driver’s seat.
This 3.0-litre turbodiesel mill delivers an impressive 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque, Mated to 10-speed automatic transmission and permanent four-wheel-drive system it’s the boss of the road.
Of course, its towing ability is second to none, while it’s said to be an excellent performer off-road, with a terrain management system in place. Unfortunately, I never got to sample this.
Size does matter
The Ford Everest Sport is a great on the open road, once you’re cruising it’s a fantastic drive. In town though it’s a little different, but that’s no fault of the Everest’s, but rather all big SUVs.
Because of the size, you’ve really got to be aware of space, and reversing in some places can be quite tricky. Simply getting in and out of parking spots sometimes proves a little challenging, too.
And, with the constant stopping and starting in suburban driving, there’s definitely some lag because of the turbo engine, which is a little annoying.
Other smaller gripes include getting in and out of the vehicle. Again though, this is for all big SUVs and not specific to the Everest.
It’s cumbersome having to grab a hold inside the car to pull oneself up and into the car and then having to shift around to get comfortable. And for older people, who’re perhaps not as agile as they once were, the simple act of getting in and out is almost impossible. It’s too high.
Ford Everest Sport rather thirsty
Regarding fuel consumption … it’s claimed to suck 8.5 litres per 100km. I’m not so sure about that as we struggled to keep it under 10 and even in the 11s at times. Unfortunately, with the price of diesel what it is, this is no cheap ride.
In fact, owning a beautiful-looking, comfortable, superbly-performing V6 diesel nowadays can be compared with going to see a doctor … you have to first consider what it’s going to cost you before you think about anything else.
The Ford Everest Sport goes for around R1.149 million … not a cheap buy. But also not ridiculous, for what you’re getting.
It’s a great all-rounder and definitely worth considering if you’re in the market for a big SUV in the price range. It’ll be interesting to see though how it performs sales-wise considering all the plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles available now.