The Ford Everest body-on-frame SUV is not exactly a
sporty vehicle, as its job is to tackle off-road trails, not racetracks. This “minor” detail did not stop
Ford’s Australia and New Zealand subsidiaries from releasing an Everest Sport
model, though. As expected, this newly-launched Sport trim does not enhance the
SUV’s performance. What it does instead is bring a sporting appearance and
additional features to the seven-seat 4WD Everest model.
Joining Ford’s lineup Down Under in late 2019, the
Everest Sport will be positioned between the Trend and the flagship Titanium
models, offering seven seats as standard and a choice of two powertrains. Customers can have it either with
the proven 3.2-liter TDCi Duratorq five-cylinder turbo diesel rated at 192 HP and 470 Nm of torque or the newer 2.0-liter TDCi
four-cylinder biturbo diesel producing 210 HP and 500 Nm of torque. Sourced from the Ford Ranger Raptor, the latter engine comes equipped
as standard with a 10-speed auto transmission – the five-cylinder unit comes
with a 6-speed automatic.
One can recognize the Everest Sport thanks to unique
styling tweaks including a mesh front grille finished in black, “Everest”
bonnet lettering, black lower bumper sections (front and rear), as well as
black mirror caps, window surrounds, and roof rails. Continuing the dark theme
are the exclusive black 20-inch alloys and “Sport” badging. The Ford Everest
Sport is available with five exterior colors, including a new hero color called
Deep Crystal Blue.
Inside, the sporty-themed off-roader gains Raceway
Blue door pulls and door treatments, leather accents on the first and
second-row seats, “Sport” embossed logos on the front seats, and unique Capital
Blue stitching. The Ranger-based SUV also adds a soft-touch dash pad with
Capital Blue stitching, for a more upscale ambience.
Equipment-wise, the Everest Sport features several
upgrades such as Bi-LED headlights with automatic high-beam, 8.0-inch SYNC 3
infotainment system with built-in sat nav including “breadcrumbs” feature,
reversing camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a windscreen
mounted USB-port. Prices for the 2020 Ford Everest Sport start from AUD 62,290
(US$ 42,765) for the 3.2-liter turbo diesel engine and AUD 63,790 (US$ 43,800) for
the 2.0-liter biturbo oil burner.