Have you ever wondered if the great American car manufacturers like Ford offer international markets any gems they withhold from us? Well, maybe you hadn’t before, but now you’re thinking about it. And we can tell you that Ford has kept a treasure from us: the Everest. The Everest is a rugged midsize SUV. You might be thinking, “So what? We have the Bronco. We already have a rugged midsize SUV from Ford.” We do, but the Everest isn’t made to compete with the Bronco. It’s not really made to compete with any of Ford’s American-market vehicles. To give you some groundwork for this mysterious model, it’s based mostly on the Ranger, of all things.
Yup, the Everest is based on a pickup truck. It is a traditional body-on-frame SUV that’s more rugged than a crossover but more comfortable than a pickup. But you won’t find it at an American Ford dealer. That’s why, in some niche corners of the Internet, you read complaints about this SUV not being available here. The Middle East has it. Asia has it. Australia has it. Even the Caribbean has it. But not us. So, do you want to know more about this unicorn of a vehicle? Get ready to be jealous of other countries. Here, we’ll cover the Ford Everest and show you how it is—and isn’t—like any other Ford model.
What Exactly Is It?
The Ford Everest can be ordered in a five-seater or seven-seater configuration and offers a full-time four-wheel drive system. You can definitely see the Ranger peeking through in places, but this is still an SUV and not a truck. It has several engine options, some decent towing capabilities, an athletic stance, and solid ground clearance. It also has all the technology goodies you find in American Fords, like a massive 12-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone compatibility, built-in navigation, and a wireless charging pad.
The Everest looks like nothing else in the Ford lineup. Its aggressive stance and commanding grille definitely scream Ranger. Plus, its cool C-shaped headlamps look more ready for a real-life Jurassic Park adventure than driving in the suburbs. But then, at its core, it’s a passenger hauler, not a pickup truck. It has extended rear doors, a big trunk, configurable seats, and a cabin that’s made to be quiet. The inside is comfortable and modern.
Really, the best way to describe the Everest might be that it’s a terrific SUV for people who live up a very remote, bumpy dirt road that’s a good drive away from town, but they do live close enough to a town to want, well, not a pickup truck. The Everest is sort of a chameleon. It could be your carpool SUV if you squint your eyes, but it could also be ready for a safari. Some people compare it to the Jeep Grand Cherokee if that gives you some sense of its rugged yet refined nature.
What Are the Everest’s Engine Options?
The Everest comes with a few different engine options for the 2024 model year, depending on the market. In addition to the 2.3L EcoBoost that we’re familiar with here in America, it also offers a 2.0L EcoBlue diesel engine and a 3.0L V6 Power Stroke diesel engine. This is probably where you’re wondering, “What the heck is an EcoBlue engine?” This is one of Ford’s pet projects for combining power and fuel economy into one engine. The EcoBlue line could be thought of as the diesel version of the EcoBoost and includes a couple different engines available in a variety of foreign-market Ford models. It also further speaks to the Everest’s chameleon nature. It can be a lion when you need it to be…or a mouse.
The Off-Road Readiness of the Everest
Some people argue that the Everest wouldn’t make sense in America because it would compete with the Bronco. But, when you get to know the Everest better, you’ll see that that makes no sense. Does the Everest have incredible approach angles and a wide track width? Not quite. Does it offer 35-inch mud-terrain tires? Nope. Does the Everest have nearly a foot of ground clearance? Another no. It also doesn’t have dual recovery points like the Bronco and isn’t designed to wade through over 30 inches of water like the Bronco.
The Everest has several selectable drive modes, including Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, and Sand. But before you get too envious, know that these nearly mirror the drive modes of the Explorer. Almost. The Explorer lacks a low range for its four-wheel drive system, which is why, once again, the Everest is a far cry from any “normal” or “everyday” SUV. The Everest even has a massive, tablet-style touchscreen that displays off-road camera views and general off-roading information. Here, you’ll see details like path overlay, pitch, and roll. You can also access your locking differentials here. This is not your carpool-ready screen made for audiobooks and playlists.
But then again, this all circles back to the unicorn-like nature of the Everest. It just doesn’t have a direct competitor in the Ford lineup. It’s a little too rough around the edges to be a competitor to the Explorer but not quite aggressive enough to be compared to the Bronco. You can see that the Everest really takes bits and pieces from several Ford models, including the Ranger, the Explorer, and the Bronco. If we had a vote, we’d want it to come to the United States. But will it….
For Now, the Ford Everest Won’t Be Coming Stateside
Sadly, though some online forums and influencers are buzzing about the updated Everest’s arrival, no official representatives for Ford have made any such announcement. We’re bummed because the Everest seems to blend some of the best parts of many great Ford models. It’s more rugged than the Explorer, more comfortable than the Bronco, and just as powerful as the Ranger. Ultimately, its superpowers might be better suited for the places it is available, like South Africa with its vast green landscapes. Let’s face it: we don’t really have jungles in the United States where we could take full advantage of the Everest. And the sand-driving abilities of the Everest will do great in the expansive sand dunes of the Middle East. But we don’t have those here, either. Getting the Everest in the United States might be a dream for now.
It’s always interesting to see how Ford dreams up vehicles for its international markets. The Everest is something of a testament to how divided our lifestyles are here in the States. The Everest is a true blend of practicality and adventure-ready features. However, in the United States, our lives tend to lean either in one direction or the other. We’re suburb and city dwellers or we live off the grid completely. The beautiful combination of a power liftgate and excellent crawl ratios would make no sense in the American suburbs or in the rural regions of the West. But this unique SUV makes perfect sense in other parts of the world, where nature and civilization constantly bump up against each other. For now, we’re jealous of the countries that get it.
