We recently caught Ford testing the upcoming next-gen Everest SUV in Europe for some hot weather validation. Essentially the SUV version of the Ranger, the Everest nameplate has been in use since 2003. Last time we saw this version of the test car, though, it was near Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Our spy photographers report
that round yellow stickers spotted on the SUV tend to indicate that the vehicle
is a hybrid, which makes sense since the new Ranger will reportedly also get a
plug-in hybrid variant. A squared-off front-end and headlights seem to indicate
that this will share more in common with the upcoming Ranger than the more
rounded-off outgoing version of the SUV. Still, there’s a lot of camouflage at work
here, so there are still many unknowns when it comes to design.
Since the Everest shares its
platform with the Ranger, we expect its powertrain options to vary from market
to market. Chances are, though, that it will get a twin-turbo 2.0-liter
four-cylinder diesel and a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 with a 10-speed automatic,
at least in some regions.
Rumors suggest that the new
Everest and Ranger could also use a 2.3-liter gas engine with a plug-in hybrid
system to comply with the ever-stricter emission rules, and if true, this could
allow Ford to offer it in the European market as well. The new Everest is
expected to be a 2023 model year vehicle, like the new Ranger. Despite
previously testing in Michigan, we’ve heard no solid reports that the SUV will
be sold stateside.
