What's the difference?
Too often we see makes and models being treated to facelifts in the purest sense of the word. A new set of headlights, some flashy trim here and there and let’s call it a new model.
So, it’s a bit refreshing to see that this latest upgrade of the Ford Everest range has seen head office throw most of the money at the engineering department. Which, in this case, it’s used it to come up with a new entry-level four-cylinder turbo-diesel for the full-sized off-road SUV.
However, the difference here is the new engine makes less power and torque than the one it replaces. Significantly less, as it turns out. So what’s going on?
In a nutshell, this is Ford fitting a global engine to a global platform and using an engine that is theoretically more reliable and cheaper to produce. But while that might seem like a win for Ford, what does it mean for Everest buyers?
We’ve looked at the Everest range in its entirety here, but focussed our drive impressions on the new driveline that revolves around that new four-cylinder turbo-diesel.
This is the new Tesla Model Y L, of course, but before we even start I need to ask you a very important question.
How often, honestly, do you use all seven seats in your seven-seater? Or if you only have five seats, how often is there a human in every single one?
Rarely, if ever?
Yep, me too. So stick around, because this is, by far, the best family SUV seating layout. And one where there’ll finally be no fighting over who gets stuck with the dodgy seat.
And as a result, the six-seat Tesla Model Y L might just be among the best all-electric SUV offerings around.
It's a shame we didn’t get to try the new Everest’s engine in the context of towing. Because even though Ford is now offering the V6 engine on all Everest variants, towing ability is often front-of-mind stuff for families with caravans and boats.
But there’s still an awful lot of love for the Everest in the market and we reckon there are still plenty of families who haven’t yet seen the light. Frankly, the Everest makes a lot more sense than a dual-cab ute if you’re moving people and not tools of the trade.
And if the new engine does prove to be a more reliable thing than the one it replaces, that should (for some buyers) be enough compensation for the performance trade-off.
And as for the Chinese raiders in the mid-sized SUV market, the Everest still has the wood on the vast majority of them on and – definitely – off-road.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
If you like the five-seat Model Y, then you'll like the six-seat L version even more. I think this the best example of Tesla's electric SUV to date, and the cabin layout just makes a lot of sense, and would suit plenty of families who don't need to squeeze someone into a compromised middle seat.
Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.