From left: Khun Vickie, President, Ford ASEAN; PK Umashankar, Managing Director, Ford Philippines; and Ryan Lorenzo, Marketing Director, Ford Philippines. With over 65,000 units sold since its introduction to the Philippine market in 2003, the Ford Everest has been one of the more successful seven-seater pickup-based SUVs in the market. Ford has improved on its Everest even further for its 2020 model year, featuring a new powertrain, improved safety and convenience features, and lower service maintenance costs. New engine and transmission The new Ford Everest is available in two variants: the 2.0L Bi-Turbo Titanium+ 4x4 AT and 2.0L Turbo Titanium 4x2 AT. Powering the new variants are new-generation 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo diesel and 2.0-liter Turbo diesel engines paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission, offering improved fuel efficiency and better acceleration. The 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo diesel engine found in the Titanium+ 4x4 variant produces 213 PS and 500 Nm of torque, while the 2.0-liter Turbo engine found in the Titanium 4x2 variant delivers 180 PS and 420 Nm of torque. The new powertrain configuration will also allow customers to enjoy lower service maintenance costs with a once-a-year scheduled service interval (or 10,000 kilometers, whichever comes first) instead of the regular twice-a-year interval. Smarter and safer The new Ford Everest comes with a variety of driver-assist technologies that improve the driving experience whether you’re using it around the city or off-road. Smart keyless entry and push-button start are now standard across the new Everest range. The 2020 Everest also comes with Ford’s hands-free liftgate feature, which allows you to open and close the rear liftgate by doing a kicking motion with your foot under the rear bumper. Ford’s innovative Active Park Assist feature also finds its way into the new Titanium+ 4x4 Everest, which helps drivers parallel park by automatically steering into the space, with the driver only manipulating the gears, accelerator and brake. The top-trim Everest also features Ford’s Pre-Collision Assist which uses Inter-Urban Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Vehicle Detection, which detects pedestrians and vehicles and alerts you with audible and visual signals to bring it to a complete stop. Other safety systems found in Titanium+ 4x4 variant are adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, auto high beam control, hill descent control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Both variants come with Blind Spot Information Systems (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert, Hill Launch Assist, a rearview camera with front and rear sensors, and seven airbags. Both variants also feature an eight-inch touchscreen with Ford Sync 3, connected to a nine-speaker setup with a subwoofer and amplifier. The system is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Exterior and interior improvements Like the previous model, the new Ford Everest is equipped with Active Noise Cancellation for improved noise levels inside the cabin. A panoramic moonroof gives the new ebony cabin theme an improved sense of space. On the outside, the new Everest’s design has been refined with a new grille treatment, incorporating a secondary grille texture against its chrome HID headlights. With a redesigned bumper, the new Everest is also fitted with new 20-inch split-spoke alloy wheels, with darker wheel accents. Pricing and availablity The 2020 Ford Everest comes in six colors, including the new Diffused Silver, as well as Absolute Black, Aluminum Metallic, Arctic White, Meteor Gray, and Sunset Red. The Everest 2.0L Bi-Turbo Titanium+ 4x4 AT retails at P2,299,000 while the Everest 2.0L Turbo Titanium 4x2 AT retails at P1,995,000. By Chris Van Hoven