Ford has unveiled the all-new Everest seven-seat SUV ahead of its debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show next week. Based on the Ford Ranger pickup truck, the Everest is described as an off-road SUV, as it features a body-on-frame construction, four-wheel drive, an active transfer case with Torque on Demand and a Terrain Management System.
The Ford Everest will go on sale in 2015 in nine markets: China, Australia, New Zealand, India, and markets across the ASEAN region. Ford will also introduce the rugged SUV to Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa in 2015. Production will take place at the AutoAlliance Thailand plant for ASEAN markets and at the JMC Xiaolan Plant in Nanchang, China for the Chinese market.
The new SUV will be available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive variants depending on specific market demand. Ford says it has best-in-class ground clearance of 225 mm (8.85in) and water-wading capability of 800 mm (31.5in). Its off-road capabilities are enhanced by the Terrain Management System which gives drivers four preset settings: Normal, Snow/Gravel/Grass, Sand and Rock.
These settings alter the vehicle’s throttle response, transmission, four-wheel drive system and traction control to adapt to various terrains. For extreme off-road environments, drivers can manually lock the transfer case in low-range four-wheel drive mode for increased control. Despite the off-road capabilities, Ford says the new Everest provides a comfortable, stable ride with agile and predictable handling on the road.
The model is offered with three engines, a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and two diesels: a 3.2-liter Duratorq five-cylinder TDCi and a 2.2-liter Duratorq four-cylinder TDCi. Two transmissions are offered, a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic. There’s not much to discuss design-wise, as the vehicle is almost identical to the pre-production study revealed last year.
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