We reported on the latter last week. We’ve just hopped out of the XLT, which takes its place as the least expensive model in the range. The 4x2 version kicks off at R848,300 and the 4x4 we tested goes for R913,400. There’s a four-year/120,000km warranty, but service and maintenance plans cost extra.
This XLT is more affordable but still around the price points of flagship models in the Isuzu MU-X, Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport line-ups. But remember, Ford says its Everest no longer competes with those and instead sees rivalry in the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Whether buyers see it this way is another discussion.
Though the XLT is the entry-level Everest model, there is very little to suggest that. If you had never experienced the Wildtrak or Platinum grades, you would think that the XLT was higher up in the hierarchy.
Our test vehicle was the exact unit pictured here. It looks classy on its standard 18-inch wheels, complemented by chrome finishes and colour-coded bodywork. Unlike the base XLS in the old Everest range, this does not shout base model. Like its siblings, the XLT has full-LED exterior lighting.
Inside, you still get three rows of seats. Leatherette upholstery is standard, so is power adjustment for the driver’s chair. A full suite of driver assistance features is part of the deal. That means blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane-keeping assistance and rear cross-traffic alert. The SYNC4A system, which we’ve waxed lyrically about on many occasions before, is also standard fare.
REVIEW | Why the Ford Everest XLT is our pick of the range
Image: Supplied
It seems 2023 has been a good year for Ford South Africa so far. Not only did its Ranger interrupt the sales supremacy of the evergreen Hilux in April, the blue oval bakkie also went on to win our national Car of the Year title, awarded by the local Guild of Mobility Journalists.
Sharing a vehicle during a weekend, a colleague and I spotted an example of the infamous Kuga 1.6 EcoBoost on the road. It lit up a discussion about how much has changed for the brand since that disaster.
Interestingly, Ford seems to have hedged its bet almost entirely on the Ranger in our market. There was once a full spread of products, from the budget-friendly Figo, to the C-segment Focus, underrated Fusion and more. Today, the automaker’s portfolio is leaner. Of course, that is a reflection of the firm’s global focus towards sport-utility vehicles and pickups.
Check out Ford Mzansi’s website and if you don’t want a Ranger, your other options include the Mustang, EcoSport or Transit range of multipurpose vehicles.
But you could also go the Everest route. The latest version was launched to the public in September 2022, in Sport and Platinum guises, priced from R936,000 and R1,168,300 respectively. Earlier this year the range was expanded with 4x2 derivatives and two additional grades: XLT and Wildtrak.
Image: Supplied
We reported on the latter last week. We’ve just hopped out of the XLT, which takes its place as the least expensive model in the range. The 4x2 version kicks off at R848,300 and the 4x4 we tested goes for R913,400. There’s a four-year/120,000km warranty, but service and maintenance plans cost extra.
This XLT is more affordable but still around the price points of flagship models in the Isuzu MU-X, Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport line-ups. But remember, Ford says its Everest no longer competes with those and instead sees rivalry in the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Whether buyers see it this way is another discussion.
Though the XLT is the entry-level Everest model, there is very little to suggest that. If you had never experienced the Wildtrak or Platinum grades, you would think that the XLT was higher up in the hierarchy.
Our test vehicle was the exact unit pictured here. It looks classy on its standard 18-inch wheels, complemented by chrome finishes and colour-coded bodywork. Unlike the base XLS in the old Everest range, this does not shout base model. Like its siblings, the XLT has full-LED exterior lighting.
Inside, you still get three rows of seats. Leatherette upholstery is standard, so is power adjustment for the driver’s chair. A full suite of driver assistance features is part of the deal. That means blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane-keeping assistance and rear cross-traffic alert. The SYNC4A system, which we’ve waxed lyrically about on many occasions before, is also standard fare.
Image: Supplied
You can only have the XLT with the 2.0-litre, twin-turbocharged-diesel unit, as fitted to the Sport. It delivers 154kW and 500Nm, linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission. We’ve noted in previous tests with this 2.0 BiT motor that the old version’s indecisive gear-shifting tendencies has been remedied. No longer does this pairing give the sensation of a continuously-variable transmission (CVT).
The Everest XLT’s power delivery feels suitably strong. At 11.9l/100km, consumption wasn’t dramatically far off what you might experience with the 3.0l V6 turbocharged-diesel offering. For true economy nothing comes close to the 2.0l single-turbocharged unit offered in the Ranger.
Piloting the XLT 4x4 is an enjoyable experience. It’s one of those vehicles you live with in carefree fashion. Potholes? No problem. Waterlogged roads? Engage 4H and tread on. Space for any occasion, whether hauling groceries, bulkier supplies or rear passengers, is never going to be an issue. And on a long, freeway-intensive journey, it’s so comfortable you hardly ever consider that it’s based on the underpinnings of a bakkie.
With the XLT, you’re saving a decent amount of change over a Sport or Wildtrak, but you’re certainly not going to feel short-changed.
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