The technical color name is actually Blue Lightning. It is the only hue exclusive to the Sport trim level, and you would have to be blind not to notice its effect. It brings warmth and a youthful vibe to the body and is easily the best Everest color. Yes, IMHO (in my humble opinion), even better than the Sedona Orange exclusive to the Titanium+.
Across the five variants, the 2023 Sport 2.0L 4x2 sits right smack in the middle, which means it will have most of the high-end features of this mid-size SUV and a few exclusives like the gloss black grille and the black 20-inch alloy wheels.
LED lighting, fog lamps, power-folding side mirrors, and dual front and rear tow hooks are standard on the Everest, so it gets those, including fancy equipment like rain-sensing wipers and the power and hands-free tailgate.
That flat front fascia looks so good with the C-clamp headlamps, and while blacks and blues are a fashion faux pax, these colors perfectly complement each other on this body. The blacks are subtle, as seen on the roof rails, fins, and the accent around the daylight opening but create the impression of a very stylish SUV.
The reshaped rear emphasizes its width, especially the slim taillights connected by a light bar - with ‘EVEREST’ written across it (CHECK) - and the spoiler with an integrated high-mount stop lamp.
It is a muscular body minus the bulging fenders. It is a lean, mean machine and drives exactly the way it looks, but more about that later. I wish they scraped the ‘EVEREST’ printed on the hood because there is one at the rear already, so it feels excessive. Body cladding would not hurt, and I believe a shark’s fin antenna would look much better. Other than that, kudos to the designers for a great job.
I don’t remember Ford’s smart key unlocking the doors by reaching for the front door handles, but that is how it is now. To lock, touch the notch on either of the front door handles. It is a much simpler system and more intuitive.
The interior feels luxurious right away. Part of it is because I am swayed by the beautiful body and some of the good stuff in the cabin. It has leather upholstery, fancy-looking big vents, and a tablet-like 10-inch touch monitor with SYNC 4A, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto.
There are a few chrome accents and padded surfaces on the flat-top dashboard, but plenty of black, hard plastic. It is not a big deal, and the colors match, so it does not look cheap. Ford was even able to fit an upper glove box in the design.
Around the gear shifter is where your mobile devices will rest. There is a wireless charging pad, a couple of USB ports (Type-A and Type-C), two device holders in the front, two cupholders beside it, and a small hole for loose change behind it.
Weirdly, the main volume knob is in between the temp controls for the dual climate system. It could easily be mistaken for the fan adjustment. This part of the interface was not smartly designed. Also, it would have been better if the forward and rewind buttons on the leather multi-function steering wheel were on the same side as the volume controls for higher ease of use.
This seven-seater has bolstered and power-adjustable front seats. Bolstering thins out in the second row, but it still feels cushier than the competition. There are a couple of USB ports here and four roof vents – two above the second row and two more in the third row that seats kids or small adults.
The absolute best part about this vehicle is under the hood, the 2.0L turbo-diesel. It sends 170 horsepower and 405 Nm of torque to the rear wheels via a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission. It is arguably the lightest and most responsive mid-size (mass market) SUV I have driven thus far. Throttle response is almost instantaneous and comparable to (or even better than) some budget sports cars. There are no drive modes because it is unnecessary. It averaged close to 13 km/l while offering a sporty drive in mixed driving conditions, including cruising at 100 km/h on the expressway (while humming at a relaxed 1,800 RPM).
I prefer heavier steering, though. It almost felt like I was driving a subcompact hatchback with light feedback. The only benefit from this is easier handling in traffic and around corners. Just stay at reasonable speed because there will be significant body roll.
Its big wheels did not adversely affect the low noise, vibration, and harshness levels. The suspension was firm without being stiff, and it handled humps and potholes with very minimal bounce.
The 2023 Ford Everest Sport 2.0L 4x2 lives up to its nameplate. Its agile handling and reactive powertrain give it moves even BTS will be hard-pressed to match. I wish it had a moonroof at P2.109 million, but its performance, ride comfort, and amenities more than make up for it.