Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum review: Top of the pile

There’s no denying that the Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum is the top-of-the-range offering from the Blue Oval. We’ve testing the entry-level XLT, priced below R900k, as well as the Everest Sport for just over R900k. And what you need to know about all of them is just what good-value offerings they are within the segments they each compete in. Now we get to test the Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum, which retails for R1 168 300. Is it really worth R200k more than an Everest Sport? Let’s find out …

FORD EVEREST 3.0 V6 4WD PLATINUM

I can’t believe I’m about to say this because of the current economy, and I’ve always been a Rands and Sense kind of guy, but I think it IS worth the extra outlay. We’re not going to delve into a detailed road test of the Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum because we already did that in both the Everest XLT and Sport (for those click on the links). Instead, I’ll simply highlight the features that stood out compared to the aforementioned. We’re actually in a privileged position to be able to draw parallels and differences between all three Ford Everest models.

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Well, it’s abundantly clear that the Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum is the big daddy, top-of-the-range seven-seater of the trio. It rides on the largest 21-inch rims in the range and wears lower-profile Goodyear Wrangler Territory tyres compared to the others. The 21-inch wheel design looks great and doesn’t compromise ride quality. In fact, the entire car has a much more premium look to it, thanks to its inched-up wheels, chrome brightwork all around and PLATINUM badging.

PLATINUM EXPERIENCE

Some may argue the Platinum badge on the bonnet and low down on the flanks is a bit much. True, it only says Everest on the tailgate, so many casual bystanders might mistake this for some new Ford product. But, whatever, it looks and feels like a thoroughly premium SUV thanks to these bright touches. And we’d argue it does punch above its weight in terms of premium-ness, too. It genuinely has an air of Range Rover about it. Which is mighty impressive for something sharing the body-on-frame chassis of a Ford Ranger!

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Similarly, we’ve gone into extensive detail on the Everest’s impressive tablet-like touchscreen infotainment and vast utility space in our other reviews. What we can share about the Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum, however, is just how wonderfully finished the cabin is. Fascinatingly, it does fell markedly more upmarket compared to the XLT. We’re talking soft-touch surfaces and leather seats with Platinum badging. And all-around excellent Noise Vibrant and Harshness (NVH) suppression. According to our testing data, the Platinum is 1 dB quieter than the Sport. Not too shabby considering it has a bigger, meatier engine.

SIX CYLINDERS UNDER THE BONNET

Here we can sink our teeth into interesting differences in performance between the two drivetrains. Both the XLT and Sport made do with a bi-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder. However, the Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum uses a single turbo V6 (the same one deployed in the new VW Amarok V6 TDI), producing 184 kW and 600 Nm of torque. Unbelievably, it barely makes a noise. It’s a thoroughly creamy and refined motor that relies more on meaty torque than top-end power to get where it needs to go. On the stopwatch the Platinum is only half a second quicker from zero to 100 km/h – 8.50 seconds, compared to the others’ 8.90 sprint time.

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We would’ve expected it to be a bit faster than that, frankly. The V6 Platinum is also quite a bit thirstier than its four-cylinder counterparts. 10.8 l/100 km is the figure we saw in our real-world testing compared to the claimed/combined figure of 8.5 l/100 km. So, the effortless, extra creamy six-cylinder performance does come at a cost at the pumps.

SUPREME TOWING TECH

For adventurers among you who love to tow, the Ford Everest’s towing tech and capability is next-level. The 3 500 kg towing capacity means owners can take everything they need to make their next adventure epic. And bespoke towing technology makes light work of lugging heavy loads. Like help with lining-up the tow hitch and trailer. The Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum makes this easy with a 360-degree camera top-down view to help guide you. Then there’s an integrated trailer checklist in the Ford SYNC system to walk owners through the steps required to safely connect the trailer before setting off. You know, that grown-up stuff like checking if the trailer lights are working. Cleverly, it runs a test pattern of the taillamps, brake lights and indicator lights, cycling through the pattern five times, to give owners plenty of time to confirm everything is working properly before setting off.

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The Ford Everest has a dedicated Tow/Haul drive mode to give the best balance of power and control for the driver. It holds gears longer to help maintain power delivery when needed and will help provide engine braking when driving in hilly areas. It also increases resistance on the steering wheel for better control and comfort. In the event of driving in a heavy crosswind, there’s Trailer Sway Control, which uses the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system. If necessary it will apply brake pressure to individual wheels and even reduce engine power to help the driver regain control. There’s even BLIS or Blind-spot Monitoring that works with trailers up to 2.4-metres wide and up to 10-metres long. BLIS uses radar sensors to monitor adjacent lanes for vehicles and inform you of any hazards.

YOUR ALL-IN-ONE FAMILY SUV

As we’ve covered extensively in our XLT and Sport reviews, there’s not a lot that the Ford Everest range doesn’t do well. The main points of difference between this vehicle and those further down the pecking order are the incredible feeling of luxury inside and the creamier six-cylinder motor. Even though the South African new-car market isn’t the greatest right now, in our estimation, the extra R200k spent upgrading from an XLT or Sport to a Platinum is well worth it. Go take a test drive and see what we’re talking about.

THE FIGURES

• Best for: The family SUV that does it all, even offers great value-for-money at R1.1 million-plus.
• Not so sure: As we’ve mentioned before, you can’t mistake this for a small car. It takes some careful manoeuvring in confined spaces.
• Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum
• Engine: 2 993 cc 6-cyl turbodiesel
• Power: 184 kW, 600 Nm
• Performance: 8,50 sec 0-100 km/h (tested)
• Gearbox: 10-speed auto
• Economy: 10,80 l/100 km (tested), 8,50 l/100 km (claimed/combined)
• Tyres: Goodyear Wrangler Territory 275/45/R21
• Braking: 100 km/h – 0 in 3,20 sec (tested)
• dB measurement: 85.2 ave
• Price: R1 168 300

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