Ford was very eager to get the word out. Right after the launch of the new Everest and Ranger that now feature a V6 Diesel engine, they took us out for a drive with the new lineup. The drive started at Okada Manila and headed toward Tanay before taking us through the twisty roads and mountain passes of Quezon and eventually into Lipa, Batangas. Ford mercifully put us on the highways when we headed back to Metro Manila.
Five vehicles and a route that covered just about everything from expressways to mountain roads and dirt trails gave us plenty of time to figure out where each one fits. After driving all of them, here’s my take.
Everest Wildtrak
For a nameplate that has “wild” in it, the new Everest Wildtrak is ironically tame. It has Ford’s new 2.0-liter single-turbo diesel, making 170 PS and 405 Nm of pull. The weight of the Everest’s body, combined with its 4×4 drivetrain, makes it noticeably milder than the previous Wildtrak, which was fitted with the 2.0-liter bi-turbo.
Some will actually prefer it this way. It is no longer as throttle-happy so your head won’t be bobbing against the headrest with every blip of the pedal. The trade-off is that overtaking needs more momentum as the engine has a harder time pulling the SUV once you’re already at speed. There is also a noticeable lag when you really bury the throttle. But if you’re not exactly a sprinter behind the wheel, it won’t mean much.
I’m also not entirely sold on the Wildtrak accents outside. The sleek Ignite Orange accents on the corners of the grille are fine. Putting the same treatment on a single spoke of the wheels is another matter. It looks like the spoke was clamped by authorities and the shade of orange is just a little too close to that of a traffic pylon cone.
What I liked most about the Everest Wildtrak is that Ford didn’t skimp on the safety features. You don’t get some of the cabin flourishes of the Platinum, such as the ventilated seats, but you do get essentially the same suite of safety equipment. Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping System, and the rest of the electronic safety bits are all there. And for me, that’s a much better compromise than stripping away the important stuff just to make the more affordable variant feel like one.
Everest Platinum
The contrast between the Everest Platinum and Wildtrak goes beyond aesthetic bits. To start, there are the chrome trims on the grille, Platinum badges, a V6 badge to let everyone know you have the superlative Eve, and bigger 21-inch machine-finished rims.
The biggest difference is under the hood. The V6 in the Platinum gives you 600 Nm of pull at under 2,000 rpm. That’s a significant jump from the Wildtrak’s 405 Nm, and even from the previous bi-turbo’s 500 Nm. There is a lot more shove, particularly if you’re coming from the gasoline camp. There’s plenty of power on tap, and you’ll definitely appreciate it on mountain passes or even those ridiculously steep parking ramps in the city. The good thing is despite all that muscle, it’s not difficult to control. It simply gives you that extra bit of excitement even during simple overtakes—something that was missing from the new 2.0-liter single-turbo.
The Platinum name naturally comes with a little more flair. You get a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system that sounds crunchier than bagnet, quilted leather seats with ventilation and 10-way power adjustment up front, and heated second-row seats for owners who actually have to deal with cold weather.
Ranger Wildtrak X
The Ranger Wildtrak and Wildtrak X are almost identical. They both get the V6 Diesel and 10-speed transmission. It felt a bit more responsive here than it did in the Everest. Maybe it’s the Ranger’s lighter body. Maybe it’s just that the V6 feels more at home in a pickup. Either way, it makes the Ranger a little more fun to push.
The Wildtrak X also comes with Bilstein dampers on all wheels. It definitely felt more at home in the dirt than the regular Wildtrak. The Bilstein shocks aren’t as soft as the FOX units on the Raptor, but they do a good job of making the Ranger more manageable when the pavement ends. That said, they’re tuned more for traditional off-road adventures than for pretending you’re in a dirt race.
What surprised me is how little difference they make on the road. The Wildtrak X feels remarkably similar to the regular Wildtrak with its OEM shocks. It’s not noticeably stiffer or softer, which makes you wonder: if you’re not spending your weekends looking for dirt trails, are those branded shocks really worth the splurge?
Ranger Raptor V6
This was my first time driving the Raptor V6 EcoBoost and I didn’t expect to end up liking it. I was perfectly “okay” with the previous Raptor and its 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel. The V6, on the other hand, I had dismissed as nothing more than a pocket burner. After spending some serious time behind the wheel though, I can now say that it’s definitely worth it—despite still being a gas guzzler.
The Ranger Raptor was designed for off-road racing, so pairing it with a V6 gasoline engine apparently makes a lot more sense. The torque doesn’t arrive as early as it does in the diesel, but it gets up to speed much quicker. Add the FOX Live Valve shocks and the Raptor makes light work of the dirt like a dinosaur out of its cage.
The Raptor also gives you more of that all-important “feel” factor, thanks largely to its gnarly exhaust note. It lets everyone know there’s something unusual under the hood. It even made me unnecessarily accelerate and downshift just to get the revs up, all for the glorious sound coming out the back. That’s probably where the Raptor V6 won me over. Some cars make sense on paper. This one makes you want to keep driving.
Ford made each new truck distinct from one another. People looking for a family car with many bells and whistles might consider the Everest Wildtrak. Those who are more outgoing will be better off with its Platinum sibling. On the pickups, the Ranger Wildtrak can definitely fill you power demands while the Wildtrak X is for those who like more serious off-roading stunts on the weekends. But if your idea of dirt play is just going through it as fast as possible, there’s no better option than the Ranger Raptor V6. With this clear profiling, Ford has refined their lineup and made it more suited for their customers.
